Undergoing cancer treatment during a global pandemic. 

While the entire world was upended by the COVID pandemic, with many calling 2020 the worst year of their lives, these brave folks faced the additional stress of cancer treatment. 

One needed to have major surgery, walking into the hospital alone, while their devastated spouse put on a brave face and watched from the parking lot. Another felt severe loneliness and isolation, leading to them seeking counseling. The pandemic threw a wrench into another’s already stressful situation when they were furloughed from their job in March of 2020. 

We are grateful and excited to welcome this new class of volunteers and are inspired by the overwhelming sense of joy and passion they exude. One is bringing his intense caring spirit and expertise he developed from caring for his wife, sharing the intricacies of explaining cancer to his young children. Another has been a caregiver for multiple family members throughout the years which brings a unique perspective on various diagnosis and treatments. 

Whether they cared for their spouse, brother or fought cancer themselves in unimaginable times, they are trained and ready to help bring hope to the world. 

• Bill– Brain Cancer 
• Karen– Uterine Cancer  
• Mark – Stage 2 Hodgkins Lymphoma 
• Faye – Stage 1 Triple Negative Breast Cancer 
• Hassan– Caregiver 
• Greg– Testicular Cancer  
• Cheryl– Lung Cancer 
• Kishore – Caregiver 

The group joins our team of nearly 500 Support Volunteers already committed to providing peer mentoring for cancer patients and the people who love them.  To connect with these, or one of our other volunteers, please call our Programs Team at 877-HOPENET (877.467.3638) or visit cancerhopenetwork.org. 

The post Meet our newest class of Support Volunteers appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

They enjoy golf and fishing, play tennis and practice yoga. Some run, others knit (including completing their first-ever sweater not long ago!) One served in the Army and another is a personal trainer and certified nutrition coach.

“Each new class of survivor and caregiver volunteers is a reminder that kindness and strength are in rich supply,” said CHN’s Director of Programs Samantha Schrager. “Thanks to these cancer survivors and caregivers willingness to serve as mentors, we are providing support and hope for clients across the nation.”

• Carly – Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
• Betty – Caregiver
• Travis – Head and Neck Cancer
• Terry – Anal Cancer 2, HPV+ & grief caregiver
• Perry – Multiple Myeloma/Amyloidosis

The group joins more than 400 Support Volunteers already committed to providing peer mentoring for cancer patients and the people who love them.  To connect with these, or one of our other volunteers, please call our Programs Team at 877-HOPENET (877.467.3638) or visit cancerhopenetwork.org.

The post CHN Trains New Class of Volunteers appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

Together, they’re Cancer Hope Network’s newest class of volunteers. We’re pleased and grateful that their journeys have brought them to the CHN family.

“A great volunteer/client match is based on myriad factors. Many begin with a shared diagnosis or similar treatment, but sometimes, the magic happens thanks to shared experience,” said Samantha Schrager, CHN’s Director of Programs. “We are fortunate to have volunteers whose experiences, hobbies and interests are as varied as the cancers they’ve faced.”

• Gail – Bladder & Tonsil
• Mauna – Thymus
• Jerry – Prostate
• Sarah – Caregiver, Breast

The group joins more than 400+ Support Volunteers already committed to providing peer mentoring for cancer patients and the people who love them.  To connect with these, or one of our other volunteers, please call our Programs Team at 877-HOPENET (877.467.3638) or visit cancerhopenetwork.org.

The post CHN Trains New Class of Volunteers appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.

Attendees at CHN fundraising events will recognize Eddie’s smiling face and ability to convince anyone and everyone to take part in the cork pull or donate on the Tee of hole #10 during the golf outing. Eddie has been part of the CHN Golf Classic since the mid-90s. “I think at the time, I played as part of one of AT&T’s many foursomes. And that was the beginning of being introduced to volunteering for both golf and gala.”

While an employee at AT&T he also began his decades-long tradition of helping the organization in the most practical ways possible, at times gaining access to surplus furniture, computer & supplies, that CHN needed. “It was just a little extra that would help the organization.”

When he left AT&T and continued to work for other companies in the Telecommunications space, his relationship continued to deepen. He’s sponsored golf foursomes and gala tables, hosted volunteer trainings in his office conference room and marshalled connections to provide IT support. He’s even been found moving boxes around or dropping off the occasional treat to the CHN offices. “When the Golf Outing comes up, I’m still at hole number 10, enjoying the day with the CHN supporters”

His recruitment has paid off. “I’ve brought a lot of other supporters to Cancer Hope Network, people who have stayed for many years,” he recalls. “Some have contributed, some have become volunteers, some have done both.”
His recruiting pitch is simple, “Volunteering can be a simple thing to do, many times without significant effort,” he tells friends and colleagues when asking for their help. It takes commitment to the cause, and that to me means you have CHN in your head all the time, ready for the opportunity to help.  “It’s very rewarding to be part of an organization that has a significant impact on other peoples lives.”

“Eddie is a dear friend and incredibly valued part of the CHN family,” says Executive Director Wanda Diak. “His focus on finding new advocates for CHN, providing practical help and event manpower has helped the organization grow and thrive through the years.”

The post Hopelight Spotlight: Eddie Carlucci appeared first on Cancer Hope Network.