Volunteer Spotlight: Linda Houben

Linda (center) with her daughter and son

Read this Q & A with Linda Houben of Wilmington, DE. Linda is a 6-year breast cancer survivor and a DBCC volunteer and trained Peer Mentor. Linda volunteers at the DE-feet BreastCancer 5K, Annual Emile Henry Warehouse Sale and various outreach events. She also volunteers at the Northern Lights of Life gala, and modeled in the 2007 gala's fashion show. Read below to find out how she got involved with DBCC.

What led to your involvement with DBCC?

I was looking through a magazine one day in my oncologist’s office about a year after my breast cancer diagnosis when I saw an article on DBCC.  My first thought was “Wow, I wish I had known about this when I was first diagnosed.”  I didn’t go to any support groups when I was diagnosed and didn’t have a breast cancer survivor to talk to. Some of the questions I had were small personal ones, and now I know there are mentors who could talk to me about their experience.

What made you decide to become a peer mentor?

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I didn’t know this organization was available to me.  Once I saw the article in the magazine about DBCC, I knew I had to get involved.  It’s very uplifting and it warms my heart to “Pay it Forward!”

What have been some of your favorite volunteer opportunities with DBCC?

My favorite part of being a volunteer with DBCC is all the men and women I’ve met over the years who are survivors.  Some that have crossed my path have not survived and I’m thankful each day for having known them. 

What is a memorable moment you have had being a mentor to someone else through their own breast cancer journey?

Each call with a recently diagnosed person is memorable.  I’m there when needed at a very delicate time in someone’s life.

Anything else you would like to add about DBCC or yourself?

The DBCC staff is like my extended family. I always have a good time volunteering and I enjoy knowing that I am helping to educate people about breast cancer. I even run into a lot of the same people while volunteering and that's nice.

For information about how you can become a DBCC volunteer, click here. For more information about the Peer Mentor Program, click here.