A Letter From Robin Aiken

I am writing to you, our dedicated donor, to make you aware of a funding dilemma and to ask for your help.

Like most Americans, I am sure you are feeling the economic burdens caused by runaway inflation. The cost of gas, food and basic necessities has put a strain on many.

Now, imagine that you are working as hard as you can, and being forced to make tough choices to stretch your budget. Then, your world is rocked with a cancer diagnosis.

Sarah Beth Averette, our HOPE (Helping Oncology Patients Everyday) Fund Coordinator, looks into the eyes of these anxious patients every day. She continues to meet with each new patient on their first day of treatment. While these patients do not always ask for help initially, she makes them aware of the assistance available because of support of the HOPE Fund.

In my role as Chair of the HOPE Fund Advisory Committee, Sarah Beth and I meet regularly. Recently, she shared with me her concern over the growing number of cancer patients seeking assistance. People who would not normally need help are now in dire straits and must seek aid for basic human needs. Patients are coming to her with these burdens and seeking relief. She wanted me to share with you this recent experience she had with a dear patient.

Loretta gently tapped on the door to Sarah Beth’s office in the HOPE Resource Center. They had met several months earlier on the day of her first chemotherapy treatment for Stage II Breast Cancer. Sarah Beth carefully explained areas that the HOPE Fund assists and made sure that Loretta knew to call her if any problems arose throughout the duration of her treatment.

Many months later, as Loretta sat in front of her, Sarah Beth was overwhelmed with emotion.

At first, Loretta, a single mother of three from Manning, thought she would be fine and could continue to care for her family on her own. It did not take long for her to understand some additional challenges she would face on her cancer journey.

The chemotherapy treatments made her incredibly sick, and she was frequently absent from work. When she learned that her radiation treatments occurred every day for 35 days, she was extremely concerned that she could not afford the gas to drive back and forth from Manning.

Because of donor support, Sarah Beth was able to encourage Loretta while allowing her to preserve her dignity. She provided her with gas cards to ease the burden of the cost of her transportation. She knows that if her journey to survivorship gets worse, HOPE donors are there as her safety net.

I hope this story touches your heart as deeply as it does mine. Since the HOPE Fund’s inception in 2014, the HOPE Fund family of donors have generously provided for patients who are in urgent need of assistance. We turn to you now to ask you to help cancer patients who are doing everything they can to make ends meet but cannot shoulder the financial burden on their own.

Please consider this urgent need. We are counting on you to send your personal gift.

Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent funding need. I hope as you close this letter, you will make your loving gift so that you will be there for patients like Loretta.

Gratefully yours,

Robin Aiken
Chair, HOPE Fund Advisory Committee

P.S. Please know that you are appreciated by all who compassionately care for our cancer patients. We are counting on you to be a part of our HOPE Fund family of donors. Please make your gift today.