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Eloise Shumpert, Sarah Stow and Vickie Riley are among the 30 Women First Resource Center volunteers who man the snack cart, delivering goodies and smiles to cancer patients and their caregivers at the NMMC Hematology and Oncology Department at Bridgepoint.
By Michaela Gibson Morris
Daily Journal
Breast cancer was the irritating grain of sand that inspired the pearl that become Women First Resource Center.
Layer by layer, breast cancer survivors Sherry Abraham and Judy Hester – with an army of fellow advocates – have built the all-volunteer effort up over 16 years.
“Breast cancer is the constant,” Abraham said, but Women First has branched within their North Gloster Street center and beyond to reach people going through cancer treatment. “We’re a full-fledged resource center. It’s evolved into women helping women.”
On a roll
The Women First outreach to cancer treatment patients began small.
“We started one day a week with a handful of volunteers,” Hester said.
Now the Women First hospitality cart has grown into a 30-person effort. Volunteers deliver snacks, drinks and kind words five days a week at the North Mississippi Medical Center Hematology and Oncology Department at Bridgepoint.
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The cart is loaded with snacks, hand-made turbans and information about the resource center’s free services.
“These volunteers, many of them have been touched by cancer,” said breast cancer survivor Stow, who coordinates the Women First cart program. “They feel like they’re giving back.”
In addition to drinks and snacks, the cart is stocked with Women First brochures, handmade caps and turbans for those losing their hair, Stow said. Pudding and applesauce stay on deck in a refrigerator for patients who have sore mouths from chemo. The volunteers also have little happies for patients on their last day of treatment.
“They go through the whole building,” Abraham said.
Last year, they provided 11,500 services at Hematology and Oncology. They track what county people they share with are from as part of the support they receive from United Way of North Mississippi.
“Our services have doubled,” with the growth in the volunteer cart program, Hester said.
Beyond the snacks, it is the gift of time and an open ear. It’s not unusual for the volunteers to pause and visit with patients and caregivers who want a little company.
“That’s our reward,” Stow said.
To keep the program rolling it takes a scheduler and three buyers who keep the cart stocked. Stow works closely with the NMMC staff to make sure the Women First follow the rules and guidelines required for hospital volunteers.
“We couldn’t do it without them,” Hester said.
Back at the center
The resource center remains home base of the Women First services. A group of 35 volunteers keeps the center open five days a week. The center hosts a range of women’s health and well-being support groups, offers a wig boutique for cancer patients. Its casserole ministry, stocked by local church groups, is open to anyone in need.
As it has since the beginning, the center still is a 100 percent volunteer organization open to the community. The center receives support from United Way, Carpenter Foundation and donations.
“We charge for absolutely nothing,” Hester said.
The center’s pink ribbon roots remain strong. The group still sponsors an annual scholarship for a student who has lost a close relative to breast cancer.
There are little comforts available for breast cancer patients like under arm pillows to cushion sites where lymph nodes were removed to check for spreading cancer and aprons to hold drain tubes that are still in place when women go home after breast cancer surgery. They have prothesis available for women who have gone through mastectomy surgery.
“It’s women helping women any way we can,” Abraham said.
michaela.morris@journalinc.com
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Cut-A-Thon for a Cure
• 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 17
• AJ’s Salon, Pulltight Road, Saltillo
• Minimum donation $10 for cut and style. Participants enter prize drawings.. All proceeds go to Women First Resource Center here in Tupelo.
• Call (662) 869-7115.
Vendor’s Cottage benefit
• 4to 7 p.m. Nov. 13 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Women First Resource Center, Tupelo
• Vendors will have cosmetics, jewelry, food, clothing, bakeware for sale.
• Space is still available for vendors.
• Call (662) 842-5725.
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WOMEN FIRST RESOURCE CENTER
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday
• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday
• 215 N. Gloster St., Tupelo
• Free services include: wig and prothesis boutique for cancer survivors, casserole club open to those in need, support groups, assistance finding community resources, scholarship for children who have lost a close relative to breast cancer. Meeting space available for women’s groups.
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SUPPORT GROUPS
Four support groups meet regularly at the Women First Resource Center in Tupelo. Call (662) 842-5725
• Ovarian cancer support group – 5:30 p.m., first Monday of the month.
• A New Day support group – 5:30 second Monday of the month. A socially focused group for women who have lost husbands.
• Women with Cancer-Tupelo support group – 5:30 p.m. third Monday of the month. Fibromyalgia support group – 5:30 p.m. fourth Monday of the month.
• Caregiving on Call – one-on-one support for caregivers is available by appointment.
• An affiliated Women with Cancer group meets in Amory. Call (662) 315-0721.