I’ve had some good days,
I’ve had some hills to climb,
I’ve had some weary days,
And some sleepless nights,
But when I look around,
And I think things over,
All of my good days,
Outweigh my bad days,
“I Won’t Complain”
William C. Abncy, often credited to Paul Jones
If 2020 was “less than ideal,” 2021 has been a roller coaster that would give pause to the most dedicated thrill-seeker. But in the words of the old song here at Cancer Hope Network, the good days have definitely outweighed the bad days.
This year, we celebrated our 40th anniversary, marking the occasion with a Virtual Volunteer Celebration in spring and honoring our co-founders, Diane Paul and Kris Luka at our Chrysalis Gala this fall. (Read a bit more of our history HERE or check out the article published by Strategies Magazine.)
When Covid-19 safety concerns made early-in-the-year fundraisers and gatherings impossible, our communities responded by hosting our first-ever online Poker Tournament, Paint Party and a coast-to-coast virtual 5k.
We’ve remained committed to collaboration – working with hospitals, cancer centers and nonprofits across the nation to provide hope and support for cancer patients and the people who love them. This spring, we were proud to be a Community Partner at Cancer + Careers 10th Annual National Conference and delighted to present at the Community Healthworks of Georgia’s Cancer Symposium. Our summertime fun included co-hosting a Wellness Wednesday Stress Reduction workshop with our friends at Moving for Life and Neighborhood SHOPP. This fall, we launched a pilot program with Stanford Health Care, providing one-on-one peer support for cancer patients in the East Bay area.
We’ve completed our first year of Volunteer Roundtables, with robust discussions and expert guests covering topics including survivorship, crisis management, caring for the caregiver and living with uncertainty.
Our ability to help grew – as we added nearly 40 survivors and caregivers to our dedicated group of Support Volunteers. That help was needed, as requests for service continued to grow. To date, we’ve increased the number of clients served by more than 20% over last year.
All of these good days, the hills climbed and the weary days made a little easier, are made possible by our incredible communities of support.
As we enter the bustle of the holiday season – and the roller coaster of emotions and challenges it’s sure to bring – we say thank you. Because of you, hope is finding a way.
