Buy some groceries, change some lives.

Last week we shared some numbers with you that accumulated over the first half of 2011. The needs are great in Northwest Arkansas, and it's gratifying to know that we are doing so much to meet those needs. Our vision is to be recognized as the premier source for comprehensive cancer support services while enhancing quality of life, and we are making good headway.

But visions are successful only if they can be realized. We are no different from the vast majority of nonprofit organizations - we can't make our vision come to life without help. We have a fantastic staff who are committed to their work connecting cancer patients and their families with the support and resources they need throughout their cancer journey. We have a dedicated corps of volunteers who help us in the clinics, at fundraising events, and in the office. And we have wonderful donors and corporate partners in the community who support our programs and events, making the work we do everyday possible.

You are probably familiar with businesses supporting non-profits by providing cash or in-kind sponsorships for programs and events. But have you heard of a point-of-sale donation opportunity? A business asks their customers, usually while they are making a purchase, to join them in supporting a non-profit organization by making a donation. This kind of promotion is a win-win, as it provides a new audience for the non-profit while associating the business with a cause in the community that their customers may believe is important to support. We love these kinds of promotions because they raise awareness as well as dollars. We're grateful to Harps Food Stores for joining us in this kind of promotion for the third year in a row.

Between August 1st and 14th you can make a donation of any size to Hope Cancer Resources when you shop at any Harps Store in Northwest Arkansas (Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll counties). When you are checking out, just tell the cashier - if they don't ask you first - that you'd like to make a donation to Hope Cancer Resources. It's that easy!!

We are promoting this mini-event on Facebook and we'd love for you to join us there and share it with your own friends. The more who know about us, the more people we can help. And that's what it's all about.

This is not your parents' support group.

In films and on t.v. you see a support group depicted as a sober meeting where people with "problems" can sit and talk about themselves, and their challenges, and get some help from others going through the same kinds of things. They typically involve coffee in styrofoam cups and cold pastry. These kinds of depictions (like this one, from the 1979 movie "Starting Over") are not always usually not very flattering, right? Kind of makes the viewer think "there's a couple of hours of their lives they won't get back."

So, it's understandable that when a medical professional or concerned friend/loved one suggests to a cancer patient or survivor that joining a support group might be a good idea, there is a fairly sizeable segment of society who might say "I don't think so!" But there is actually a lot of research out there that shows that spending time with a group of fellow patients and survivors is very beneficial to one's mental and physical well-being.

Because of that perceived stigma attached to groups - especially in the eyes of younger people - the number of online support groups popping up across the country has been growing. They don't require sitting in a circle, or wearing a "Hi, my name is__________" sticker, and uncomfortable discussions of symptoms, side-effects, and the like. In fact, for these groups, you don't even have to get dressed! And because we are just cool like that, we are jumping on this trend and have put together a group that is located on Facebook to help our younger patients and survivors (i.e. 18-45 year olds) connect with one another, ask questions, and make it what they think a support group should be.

Now, before you ask - we'll just make sure it's clear that this group is completely confidential! Membership info won't show up on group or page lists or in activity feeds on member's profiles. Also, the only way to join is to send a note to the coordinator, who will then add people to the group. Easy, confidential, and available 24/7 at the tip of your fingers. What more could you ask for?? You can even provide whatever snacks you feel are appropriate! (That may be our favorite part.)

If you're interested in learning more about this new way to get connected with other people who are dealing with cancer treatments or survivorship, contact Van Bivens at Hope Cancer Resources at 479-361-5847 or van.bivens@hopecancerresources.org. Hope to not see you there!

The Need for Awareness

There's a meme going around on Facebook right now that asks women to post a note in their status that just states where they like to to put their handbag at home. It's meant to be an awareness-raiser for breast cancer, as last year's bra color meme was, but it's getting negative attention as some folks are questioning how successful it is as an awareness tool. Some are also saying that time spent participating in "silly" little things like posting a status in your Facebook page is wasted in the face of the seriousness of the disease, and that one would be better off putting their money where their status is. One opinion we have read says that women who have actually dealt with the disease would be insulted by the "campaign", and implies that only shallow, self-centered people would even participate.

Obviously, we understand that breast cancer is a very serious, and potentially deadly, disease. But we also see the value of awareness - on many levels - and think that how one deals with their own or their loved-ones' diagnosis is strictly personal and individual.

At times, it truly does seem impossible to laugh at something like the Facebook meme, perhaps because your sister is currently undergoing chemotherapy and is unable to care for her small children. Or maybe you just lost your best friend to her second painful battle with the disease. We certainly appreciate that in those kinds of cases it would be frustrating to see anything associated with breast cancer meant to make people giggle a little.

But there is always, always, always a need for awareness. And that awareness can strike different people in different ways. Some people are moved to ask questions and get involved by billboards featuring patient photos and statistics. Others are motivated by the news of the latest discoveries in research. And, believe it or not, some people find out more because something made them smile, or ask "why?" A co-worker told us that her daughter had friends talking about breast self-examination, and it was spurred by one of them asking what the Facebook meme was about. Others have been encouraged to have a conversation with male friends because they were asked what exactly it is that they like "under the desk in the kitchen." Crude? Maybe. Effective. Definitely.

We all deal with cancer and its spectrum of treatments differently, and we all become aware of the need for continued support, research, and fundraising - for ALL cancers - differently. It's up to each of us to decide what we will do and when, but we hope that negativity is not what will be taken away from an effort that has good intentions at its heart. We're all in this together... and it takes us all to make a cure happen. Even those of us who like to spend a little time on Facebook.