It's rare, perhaps, to have a job where you are often told that what you do every day matters. And not just that it matters on a basic level, to your boss or your co-workers, but matters to individual people who are dealingwith one of the most overwhelming and frightening challenges they have ever faced in their lives.
At Hope Cancer Resources people tell us almost every day that they appreciate what we are doing or have done for them. Sometimes it is at a patient's first appointment when they say "It is so nice to know you are here if I need you." Sometimes it is when we've completed a prescription assistance application and received free medication, saving a patient hundreds of dollars a month, that they say "I don't know what I would have done without this help." About twice a month a patient will actually send a thank you card or call specifically to say thank you. We received a thank you card and a phone call on the same day recently... here are their stories...
"Elise" has been in treatment on and off for over six years for her ovarian cancer. She works when she can as an office assistant. One of our social workers met her during the summer of 2007 when Elise was going through chemotherapy yet again. She complained to one of Highland's Oncology staff about the tooth decay she had suffered as a side effect of her cancer, and was advised to contact us when she had completed her new round of treatment about possible help with dentures. In October 2008, she telephoned us and mailed in a completed application. We stayed in contact with her over the next couple of months while she was being evaluated for further treatments. During that time, we encouraged her to use the community clinic to arrange for free extractions, and to look into several other community resources for help. We then helped her find an affordable place to have dentures made, and advocated with the denture provider to allow her to make payments over the next 90 days on part of her bill. The rest of the amount was paid by Hope Cancer Resources and her church. The thank you card she sent said "Thank you for helping me get my smile back!"
"Mabel" was an active, insured 42-year-old non-smoker with non-small cell lung cancer when we met her in November 2007. She resisted our help at first, even though she was making regular 90-mile round trip drives to Northwest Arkansas for her treatments. One of our social workers made a point to say hello to her each time she saw her in the clinic, and eventually she had a chance to chat with Mabel and her mother as they waited for the doctor. She explained again the services Hope Cancer Resources could offer. Mabel and her mother were concerned about taking our financial support from someone who might "need it more", and were sure they wouldn't qualify for any assistance. Our social worker told them that each patient's concerns are important, and that we look at each patient as an individual. They completed an application and we were able to help them with fuel costs for over two years as she fought the disease. We communicated primarily with Mabel's mom, and always encouraged her to take good care of herself too. We completed a CancerCare application and referred Mabel's two young children to CLIMB (a support group for children of cancer patients), but it was too far for them to drive to Springdale for the weekly meetings. Instead, we provided materials designed to help children cope with a parent's illness. Although Mabel lost her brave battle with cancer in 2009, her mother called to tell us that our help took a burden off of the family during a difficult time, and that we made a difference in their lives.
Whatever the prognosis or result of a cancer patient's diagnosis - the important thing for us is the impact we can have on the patients as they make the journey. The journey is so much better when you have some hope to keep you going.
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