Dear Friends,
As the new year begins, we usher in a fourth decade of providing life-changing support to people affected by cancer – all at no cost. Your generosity has helped us cross this momentous milestone and stand on the horizon of hope as we reach more people than ever before. While facing the physical and emotional challenges of cancer, hope can be found in over 485 online Wellness House programs per month and on-demand video content viewable at any time. As soon as it is safe to do so, a new combination of online and in-person programs will provide an even wider array of connectivity, community, opportunity and hope – no matter where someone lives.
Cancer is complex. Each cancer experience is uniquely personal and contains twists and turns, just like it did for LaDonna, whose story is on page 3. LaDonna first shared her story with us when she began attending Wellness House programs at our partner location at Mercy Hospital three years ago. At that time, LaDonna was recently diagnosed and on the cusp of making life-altering treatment decisions. Her story today highlights new challenges including the pandemic, her brother’s cancer diagnosis and his death. Throughout it all, even during the darkest moments when her brother died, she continued to receive support and hope from Wellness House through online programs. Wellness House was able to help at a time and in a way that LaDonna needed most, “It got me back where I needed to be.”