We're so proud that Madeleine and Gail were recognized by The Olympian for their tireless work to provide nutritious, comforting food for patients undergoing chemotherapy.
You can read their story on The Olympian's website >>
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It was another scary day. It started this morning with a feeling of foreboding; the knowledge that this afternoon we (my husband, Jim, and I) would see the urologist to get the results of last week biopsy.
I’m glad I spent the morning volunteering in the Infusion Center. Ironic isn’t it? Here I dread the afternoon’s appointment, but happily spend all morning with brave strong people battling cancer. They’re wonderful. I really do get much more than I could ever give from them including their prayers. Yes. One or two noticed I was a “little off.” I asked them for their prayers explaining why.
One o’clock pm and Jim arrives. We drive to the urologist’s office and learn there is a cancerous mass and surgery is necessary. We tentatively schedule that for December 28th. Tomorrow we’ll meet with the oncologist, after the Tumor Board meeting. We can then put together the game plan. Of course, much will be determined after the surgery and the extent of the cancer “invasion” is known.
I stand on my soapbox crying out encouragingly, “It’s called LIVING with cancer!” And this is what it’s like. You take each day as it comes. You deal with what you can handle at the time and embrace all the wonderful resources available – especially the people who know, who care, and who support.
Jim is one of those people. He’s amazing. He’s certainly not eagerly anticipating this next hurdle, but he faces it with an attitude of “Let’s get in and get it done.” He makes this much easier for me. I hope I do the same for him.
All over the world, generation after generation, one universal truth has held true … food is comfort. Whether you find solace in cooking, eating or both, chances are you have either given or received the gift of food.
We recently sat down with Gail and Madeleine, our famous soup ladies, to get their take on how family, friends and neighbors can help be part of the support system without adding more stress to the mix.
Madeleine (left) and Gail (right) volunteer their time and resources to help brighten the day of patients receiving chemotherapyEvery other Wednesday, without fail, Gail and Madeleine pack up their soup and travel to Providence Regional Cancer System in Lacey, WA. There is no monetary gain and no formal accolades, simply the feeling that they are doing something special for patients receiving chemotherapy.
When asked why they go to all the trouble of cooking soup from scratch, individually packaging (to meet the health department’s guidelines) and driving the soup to the center their answer is simple: “Sometimes this is the only place cancer patients will eat.”
Gail and Madeleine are two wives who have lost their husbands to cancer. Gail’s husband, Jack, fought a hard battle with brain cancer, passing away 5.5 months after diagnosis. Madeleine’s husband, also Jack, lost his battle with Stage 4 kidney cancer 6.5 years after diagnosis. During this time Madeleine also fought and won her personal battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. So perhaps no one is more qualified to know what cancer patients need.
“My Jack was a terrible eater, even in his health,” says Gail, “he never sat down and ate a full meal, just picked at his food. When he got sick, getting him to eat became an even bigger struggle. I started to notice that he was always hungry after receiving his chemotherapy and I was so grateful for the food the center had available for patients.”
What the women didn’t like though, was the selection. Most of the food was what they called “snack foods” and not wholesome or hearty. “We pay a lot of attention to the way our soup looks and smells on top of making sure that the soup is made with quality products,” says Madeleine, “We even take requests, vegetarian and minestrone are some of the favorites.” Patients have been known to request chemotherapy on Wednesday, just to be around for the soup.
“These women are unsung heroes,” says Georgia Akin, RN, OCN in the chemo-infusion clinic. “They love and care for all our patients. They do not stick around and wait for signs of appreciation. They know what and how the patients are feeling and doing, because they too, have been there, done that.” During this month of Thanksgiving we would just like to say, “Thank You” to our soup ladies, we are grateful for you.
Hair loss during chemotherapy is not guaranteed but does affect a large percentage of patients. During this time of holiday giving several Thurston County 4-H clubs took it upon themselves to make more than 40 adult sized hats for patients at the Providence Regional Cancer System, Lacey Clinic.
Using the Husqvarna/Viking sewing pattern for comfort caps and fabric donated anonymously by local community members the youth sewed caps and wrote personal notes to go along with each donation.
The response couldn’t be better. Patients enjoy the softness and the fact that they are reversible but the notes inside each hat is what makes them truly special. “It always brings a smile when the patient reads it,” says Rosemary King, patient service representative at PRCS, Lacey, “Everyone remarks what a wonderful, thoughtful thing for these kids to do.”
Barbara Wollstein, 4-H program assistant remarks, “The kids had a great time sewing the caps knowing they were going to such a deserving place.” 4-H is a youth development program that uses projects such as sewing, animals, arts, etc. as a means of teaching youth life skills to become caring and contributing citizens. You can check out the State 4-H website for general information about 4-H or the Thurston County 4-H website.
Providence Regional Cancer System