How We Helped in 2011
Working with the hospitals in Portsmouth, Exeter,
Dover, York and the Cancer Care Center of York
County, this past year we were able to provide the
following to patients right here in the greater seacoast
area:
- Hundreds of gas cards, dinner gift
certificates and movie passes through our
Hope Chest program
- Hundreds of books including
Breast
Cancer Journey Planners and a children's
book entitled
Nowhere Hair that prepares a
child for their parent’s hair loss
- Travel scholarships to breast cancer
conferences and retreats
- Assistance paying for household needs
(cleaning, groceries, repairs)
- Plus blankets, scarves, relaxation CDs
and other comforting gifts
PLANS FOR 2012
This year – in addition to the programs
already offered – we plan to provide the
following:
- New Patient Gift Bags that will include
a number of comforting gifts (including some
of those mentioned above)
- Outings that will bring local patients
together
- A social networking website called
Seacoast Breast Cancer Connection where
seacoast area patients can connect with
other local patients outside of their own
treating hospital
- A database of Support Pals willing to
talk with a patient or even sit with them
during a treatment
A gift when a patient
completes treatment that will help them to
embrace their new normal
And the
BreastCancerStories.org
website continues to be a
comforting way for a patient to read, write and share
their story with loved ones and with one another.
We also remain so very thankful to the individuals
and organizations who donated gifts and services to the
patients as well! See a list of those
who have
helped!
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In Their Own Words
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"When you are diagnosed with cancer, everything is
always so serious and difficult. I think a lot of times
(patients) just feel very grateful and very excited to
have something positive come their way. It's truly the
little things that mean a lot."
Susan Kelly-Westman
Oncology Social Worker at York Hospital |
"It
made it so that for a short period of time, I didn't
have to worry about how to buy a gallon of milk or
anything to put groceries in the refrigerator. To not have to worry about one more thing or to
have one more loss is a huge relief."
Cheryl, a 49-year-old
breast cancer patient who received $300 in
grocery cards after having been laid off shortly
after her diagnosis. |
"Treatment for cancer is a journey and Wendy and the
volunteers understand this journey in a very personal
way — they also understand how they can help. Wendy's energy and passion is infectious — she has the
leadership skills that create a path for providing
support, hope and encouragement, or in other words hope,
help and a friend."
Karen Pierce-Stewart, executive director of the
Cancer Care Center of York County |
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Download our 2011
Year End Newsletter (PDF) |
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