Cancer Diagnoses Opens Doors You Didn't Know Were There

There was a knock on my apartment door and it was FEDX man handing me a huge white box with a big white ribbon.  My heart started racing.  Embossed on the ribbon were the words "fine linen."   The card said, "I hope this note finds you growing stronger every day.  Enclosed is a pillow of support.  A gift from Sharseret’s funding board member, Pat Cayne.  Pat received a pillow like this one while she was recovering from Breast Cancer surgery and she wanted all the women going through this to have one. 

I love that pillow.  Whenever I look at it or hold it which I often do, I feel the support of women before me that have fought the same battle, some wining, some losing, but that have faced the same fears, anger, hurt, and growth that I’m going through now.  A stranger that is now a sister.  A support that opened with my diagnosis of Breast Cancer.

The following are is a small list of the resources that I have actually used and liked. I want to stress this is a small, incomplete list and the services I mention are only a fraction of the services available.  I hope other readers will add resources that they know are good, helpful, and actually available.   I’ve been given other resources that I’ve called and they don’t pan out.  For example I was told there is a resource that will give you a free housecleaning once a month while you’re going through Chemo but the service only has one company on it out of St Charles and they are full.

American Cancer Society – 1-800-227-2345  They have a beautiful, expensive catalogue filled with wigs, hats, scarves, bras, etc. but I can’t afford any of it right now.  When I told them they referred me to St Lukes Center for Cancer Care.   But they did something really helpful.  They put an Oncologist nurse on the phone to answer questions about my pathology report.  She used plain, easy to understand language and explained what each item and number meant.   They also told me to call 24/7 with any questions or to just talk. 

St Lukes Center for Cancer Care - 314-205-6768.    I was really nervous when I called to set an appointment for a free wig.  It didn’t bother me that the wigs and scarves were used because I like the idea of resourcing what you don’t need any more.  It doesn’t mean the person that donated the wig died; they might have recovered and not needed the wig anymore or just bought a new one.  The nurses were wonderful and put me right at ease.  There was a beautiful wig that had just arrived and it was perfect.  In-between laughing and joking they gave me lessons on tying the scarves and sent me home ready to be bald and beautiful. 

Sharsheret – 866-474-2774 or 201-833-2341 This is for Jewish Women with Breast Cancer.  They are out of New York and supposedly have a local group but I haven’t found them yet.  They have sent me make-up, little gifts, the white, linen pillow that I talked about earlier.  They have called me a number of times to check up on me and see how they can be of service.  They also offered to find a survivor for me to talk to but that hasn’t happened yet because I have a rare kind of Breast Cancer. 

My Hope Bag - www.Myhopebag.com – I find something very comforting about pillows because I just love the soft, little, heart shaped pillow they sent me.  There were all kinds of gifts like a two year calendar, purse holder, bracelet, and laminated poem of encouragement.  It’s always fun to get packages and the day it arrived this put a smile on my face.  All you have to do is get on line and request a package.

Cancer Support Community - 314-238-2000  Oh my gosh!  This is an amazing place!  It’s like a JCC or YMCA for Cancer patients.  I haven’t taken advantage of much because I’m still overwhelmed with what’s going on but it’s there if I want it to be.  Classes, education, mediation, fellowship, lending library…it’s all there for free.  They have a three month calendar that tells you what is available.  Some classes are on a drop in basis and some need advance registration. 

Friends, Family, The Community at Large - A group called ESPW - Encouraging, Supporting, Promoting Women are putting on a fundraiser to help me with medical bills.  Thursday, May 30th from 4:00 - 7:00.   The Center for Spiritual Living 12875 Fee Fee Rd, St. Louis, MO 63146  There will be items for auction, food, attendance prizes.  I'll actually shave my head at a the event in a ceremony led by Cynde Meyers, editor of Spirit Seeker Magazine. This is open to the public.