Cancer Patients and Supporters Enjoy Cookout and Connection
This past sunny Saturday offered a slight reprieve from the season’s heat and humidity for a group of cancer patients and their families and friends.
Along with staff from the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, the delicious aroma of grilled burgers and hot dogs greeted the 40 or so guests who met for lunch and a get-together on the beautiful veranda at Gilda’s Club Louisville.
The quarterly gathering is sponsored by the board of the JGBCC, the Regional Cancer Center Corporation, and offers patients and those who care about them some time to connect with others on the cancer journey and participate in some spirit building and fun activities. For more photos from the day’s activities, visit our Facebook page.
Margarett Foster, 72, is currently undergoing treatment for lung cancer at the JGBCC and this was her first time to attend the gathering. Margarett said she was initially attracted to coming because it was something welcoming for her friends and family to attend as well.
“I knew I could bring my grandsons and my close girlfriend, who is also my caregiver,” she said.
Once she experienced the games and camaraderie of the day, Margarett said she truly enjoyed the community of friendship and felt it was a good experience for her whole family.
“It’s always good to be around people who are going through or have gone through the same kinds of problems you are going through,” she said. “At Gilda’s Club, it’s such a warm and healing environment where you can feel at ease. It takes away your fears underlying this illness you have. It gives you hope and encouragement. “
For oncology social worker Kim Williams, she believes the Gilda’s Club gathering away from the cancer center “gives the patients and staff an opportunity to be together and NOT be patients and staff,” she said.
“We want the patients to know we care about their emotional needs, as well as their physical needs. We acknowledge and care about the effect on their families, their friends and every aspect of their lives as they go through this cancer journey.”
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