October Positive Change Recipient – Cancer Resource Center

A Note from GreenStar:  Cancer Resource Center was selected by GreenStar members to be among our twelve 2024 Partners for Change. Cancer Resource Center is the October Positive Change recipient.

Submitted by Carla Baudrons, CRC Donor Relations & Marketing Coordinator

“You were right to come in, this is definitely concerning,” were the words my OBGYN said in her gentle, low voice as she palpated the upper left quadrant of my right breast. So many of us can recall exactly what our doctors said to us when it became clear that cancer was the culprit. I don’t think you ever know how you’re going to respond in a situation like that, and I’m sure everyone responds differently, even at different times of their lives. But there is one thing that we all feel at one point or another during our cancer experience, and that is powerless. 

The effect of feeling powerless can sometimes be a good thing, or at least it can lead to a good thing, but initially, I think most of us experience it as a kind of mourning. We used to think we had some kind of control over our bodies, or at least that we could if we wanted to, but now it’s too late; that illusion is gone, and in its place is a strange vacuum. At that point, we often find ourselves in existential fight-or-flight mode, trying to cope with the sudden loss – either by throwing a fit, getting as fit as possible, focusing on a higher power, or losing your focus altogether.

It’s not a great time to learn that your heat is being shut off because you can’t afford to pay the bill. Not a great time to hear, “You can expect all of your hair to fall out, even your eyelashes and nose hairs.” Not the best time to be forced to decide whether you want to have kids or not. The timing is never good, and that’s why the Cancer Resource Center exists.

We meet you where you’re at, because we know that each person and each cancer is different. The majority of our staff are cancer survivors themselves, so we have the unique position of being able to provide one-on-one experiential and compassionate support. Our 30-year-old agency has amassed hundreds, if not thousands, of valuable resources and referrals to help cancer patients and their families in any circumstance. Our Peer-to-Peer program connects individuals who have been newly-diagnosed with survivors of their specific cancer, so they can ask detailed questions and learn from their experience.

Our peer support groups are open to people experiencing all kinds of cancer, even caregivers. We offer different kinds of wellness activities (depending on demand), like yoga, meditation, mindfulness, walking, crafting, etc. Our donor-advised funds provide financial assistance for people experiencing hardships related to their cancer treatment, like bus fare to NYC for treatment, gap fundin towards housing, and more. The Emily Virkler Boutique offers specialty products like wigs and mastectomy bras, as well as professional services like eyebrow and nipple tattooing.

All of this and much more, we offer to anyone affected by cancer in the Finger Lakes region, absolutely free, thanks to the generous support of our community. Together, we are truly changing lives. https://crcfl.net/