 |
| Betty and Whitney with Lois at Cole Haan |
“I found out I had breast cancer on Christmas Eve in 2009,” Betty said. “At that time, I was having all kinds of problems with money and places to live and someone told me about DBCC.”
As Betty found herself homeless during her treatment, DBCC gave her the support she needed so that she could continue it. Lois Wilkinson, DBCC Program Manager at the Dover Office, put her in touch with an oncologist to continue her treatment and DBCC was able to provide her with phone cards to keep in contact with her doctors.
Lois Wilkinson along with Connie Holdridge, a DBCC Program Manager at the Sussex Office, worked to find a safe place for Betty and her daughter to stay. They put Betty in touch with People’s Place and the organization was able to place her temporarily in a shelter in Dover before moving her to a hotel. After being on a waiting list for two years, Betty was finally given her own subsidized apartment for her and her daughter to call home.
 |
| Betty and Whitney (front) with Cole Haan Staff and DBCC Volunteers |
Once moved into the apartment, Betty and Whitney were without many appliances and little furniture. At that time, Cheryl Doucette, a DBCC Program Manager at the Sussex office, got a call from Cathy Gass, General Store Manager at the Cole Haan Outlet at Tanger. Cathy had just attended a manger’s meeting at the Tanger Outlets where Priscilla Rakestraw, DBCC Development Director, spoke to thank all of the stores that participated in this year’s “Tanger Style of PINK” promotion, which raised over $105,000 for DBCC. Cathy was inspired by Priscilla’s speech and felt that she and the Cole Haan store could do more for DBCC.
Cathy Gass proposed to Cheryl that Cole Haan could “Adopt-a-family” for the holidays and buy gifts for a family of a breast cancer survivor in need. With that, Cheryl knew just who could use that support and called Betty. Cole Haan employees were enthusiastic and ready to help! They collected furniture and appliances for Betty’s apartment from local businesses and friends and also bought Betty and Whitney some Christmas gifts. They also gave Betty a turkey and food for Christmas and donated a Christmas tree for her new apartment. Cole Haan employees surely helped Betty and her daughter feel right at home in their new place and gave them a wonderful Christmas.
 | |
| Betty and Whitney with their Christmas tree |
Cole Haan also held a special event, “A Night of Giving,” on December 12, 2010 which collected gifts for men, women, and children and were distributed by DBCC to families of breast cancer survivors in need. Cole Haan certainly helped make the holidays a little brighter for DBCC survivor families.
Today, Betty has a DBCC peer mentor and is working on herself. “Being a wife and a mother, you put worrying about yourself off. After this disease, I’m looking to work on myself and be the best I can be,” Betty said. Betty is planning to go back to school to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science. She plans to enroll at Wilmington University in the summer. “I want to go into counseling so I can help others,” she said. “I want to be able to put myself out there so others can hear my story so they know not to let this disease beat them down.”
To help Betty and her daughter get back on their feet, many people joined in to help. DBCC staff members, local businesses and volunteers all made this possible for the Duncan family and to help a wonderful woman through her breast cancer journey.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar