The Grapevine: PWA Spreads Some Thanksgiving Cheer to UHC Cancer Patients
By Rosalyn Queen on November 28, 2024
Last week as I was driving to a meeting and had the radio on a song came on and I cannot remember the title of it but the words in it said, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.”
It made me think about the Progressive Women’s Association current project of filling Thanksgiving baskets. Generally, you think that recipients of those baskets are families that are considered low income or those who make weekly visits to the food pantries.
This year our club made the exception. With my experience and Betty Waddy’s get up and go, we chose to fill baskets for cancer patients. We worked with the Cancer Navigators and staff at UHC and they confirmed that this was a great idea. 
My experience as a cancer survivor reinforced our decision as a good one. What cancer patient has the energy to go grocery shopping for Thanksgiving dinner? When you get done with chemo or radiation treatments and you are suffering the effects of these treatments and you are exhausted, you are constantly nauseated, you have a case of daily diarrhea, most of your hair is gone, most of your time is spent in treatments and your mind is constantly worrying over the success of these treatments.
Then there may be the added expense of travel and medication. So, this only reinforced our decision to fill baskets for cancer patients as a good one. We all hoped that this would add a bright moment to their lives.
Last week we traveled to United Hospital Center Cancer institute to deliver eight baskets filled with the traditional turkey and all the fixings for a great dinner. Expressions of Love supplied the turkeys while food was supplied by the Italian Festival, Chamber Leadership Class, Pet Supplies and the PWA Pantry. The generosity of these groups helped contribute to making a local family enjoy a great dinner.
The PWA hopes to be able to continue this service for Christmas. If anyone wants to contribute to this project, please contact Betty Waddy at the PWA. We sincerely thank everyone who helped make this project successful.
Please offer up a prayer for those fighting cancer and a Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers. Until next week “Now You Have Heard it Through The Grapevine.”
Editor’s Note:Pictured are Bill Boyles, WVIHF, Betty Waddy, PWA president, Megan Westfall, Cherie Gum, Melissa Floyd, Jenna Enke, Nurse Navigators, Meredith Williams, Director, Tori Hall, Cancer Program Facilitator, Elinda Carson, PWA Director. Front row John Shifflet, Pet Supplies, Rosalyn Queen, PWA Treasurer and Megan O Dell, Pet supplies Manager as they delivered Thanksgiving baskets for cancer patients.
