Cancer Lifeline's Impact Celebration 2023 |
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Cancer Lifeline staff hosted our annual Impact Celebration on July 13 at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture. We were fortunate to have perfect weather, which helped to make the early evening event shine even brighter. We gathered to host, recognize and honor our amazing volunteers and facilitators with food, drink and awards for their outstanding contributions with the support of our wonderful sponsors.
I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating; at Cancer Lifeline, we know that we are only as good as our volunteers & facilitators – and that’s what makes Cancer Lifeline INCREDIBLE, because our team is amazing! All our volunteers – whether Board Directors, Advisory Board members, Lifeline volunteers, or facilitators – bring something special to our organization and help foster a true sense of community whether we are online or able to be in person.
We’re so grateful to each one of our 80+ volunteers/facilitators for having shared their time, talents, kindness, and love with us and those we serve. If we missed getting to see you in person, please know this: You each have the heartfelt thanks of the staff and I and those we serve, for helping us make Cancer Lifeline the best place for cancer support services and improving the lives of so many individuals affected by a cancer diagnosis.
Each year, we honor the best of the best with special recognition at our Impact Celebration. This year the following individuals were recognized for their outstanding contribution.
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Meryl Shier
Inspiration Award
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Meryl Shier, our amazing Vital Moves Instructor, was a recipient of the KARL & ELLEN ZAHLIS INSPIRATION AWARD
Basha says that Meryl personifies the Yiddish word “Mensch” and we are all inclined to agree. She is indeed a “Salt of the Earth” human being and a person you are honored to call friend.
Meryl is filled to the brim with compassion, empathy, and generosity for everyone who comes into her sphere.
At Cancer Lifeline the classes she facilitates, Vital Moves being the latest, doesn’t just have attendees; it is filled with loyal followers—one might say “Meryl Groupies!
Meryl is dedicated to excellence. Class participants can rest assured that Meryl has gone above and beyond to create movement classes that not only offer thoroughly enjoyable music, but also routines that she vets to ensure the safety and benefit for all her participants.
We are so blessed to have Meryl as part of the Cancer Lifeline family!
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Meghan Wilkins Melanson
Inspiration Award
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Meghan Wilkins Melanson, our beloved Program Director, was a recipient of the KARL & ELLEN ZAHLIS INSPIRATION AWARD
Meghan impresses everyone she works with by just being herself. She is positive and inspiring and shares a deep respect for each person she encounters. As our Program Director, she supported our staff with exceptional leadership and worked alongside everyone to find creative solutions with challenges and opportunities. She has inspired a generation of volunteers to learn, grow and continue good work. She lifts people up, expressing her trust and confidence and encourages everyone to use their skills so they can see how resilient they really are.
Meghan truly personifies inspired leadership. She is present, encouraging, trusting, dedicated, caring, and honest. All the characteristics that make for a wonderful learner, mentor, leader and friend.
We were terribly sad to see her resign her position as our Program Director this year as she works to build up her private counseling practice. But with the true grace we have come to expect from Meghan, she decided to continue on with Cancer Lifeline working a few hours each week as a contractor. We are so much stronger for having her in our Cancer Lifeline family and so grateful for the times we had more of her in our midst.
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Margot Saharic
Empowerment Award
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Margot hit the ground running when she started volunteering with Cancer Lifeline. She has been an eager learner and dedicated to making sure others know about the amazing services we provide. She takes Lifeline shifts, acts as a class moderator, has helped with our marketing committee and is a vibrant member of our Board of Directors.
Margot always has a warm smile for others and is always willing to come in to help with projects at the office. She is someone we can count on to arrive early, and to have great rapport with our clients, instructors, presenters. She keeps her schedule full and we are so grateful that she has chosen to squeeze us into her life!
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Robin Riveland
Empowerment Award
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Robin is one of our newest Lifeline volunteers and is doing phenomenal work to support our callers. Earlier this year at the launch of our annual Fundraising with Friends campaign, Robin jumped at the chance to provide critical support as a Fundraising Champion and blew past her personal goal and raised over $4,000! It was so amazing to see how driven and inspired she was to really embrace Cancer Lifeline and give back in every way she could. And to think, she is just starting out!
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Dr. Susan Baumgaertel
Volunteer of the Year Award
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To make the claim, “volunteer of the year” may sound audacious, but this year-it was very clear, and it was our privilege to recognize a true friend of Cancer Lifeline, Dr. Susan Baumgaertel, as our Volunteer of the Year.
Susan has been connected to Cancer Lifeline for over twenty years. First connecting in her professional capacity as Physician by providing guidance through our Medical Advisory Team.
When I first took on this job, our patron saint, Barbara Frederick, insisted that I meet Susan “right away” and I am so grateful for that introduction. Soon there-after, Susan began her incredible six-year run on our Board of Directors, culminating in a wildly successful term as our Board President.
During just the past year, Susan has honed her amazing networking skills to support Cancer Lifeline’s reputation, visibility and functions.
Susan transformed Cancer Lifeline’s LinkedIn presence, increasing our followers by 200%! She helped us by putting forward several great potential Board Director candidates while mastering the byzantine process of making sure that Cancer Lifeline is rated as a top charity with the Better Business Bureau, Guidestar/Candid and Charity Navigator…and really, that’s just the prologue!
Her attention to detail is incredible and her fundraising is extraordinary! As is her compassion for those who are hurting.
I realized that when I was drafting this, I could never capture all the amazing milestones Susan has met, because she’s constantly raising the bar, meeting it and then she knocks it down and resets it 10 feet higher before she goes again.
She is always striving to do better on behalf of Cancer Lifeline and we are so grateful for every moment of time she shares with us!
Thank you for everything, Susan-we adore you!
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Mary Ellen Shands
Lifetime Achievement Award
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On July 13, at our Impact Celebration, Cancer Lifeline also recognized the incredible contributions of our retired colleague, Mary Ellen Shands and awarded her the special Barbara Frederick Lifetime Achievement Award. Mary Ellen, a nurse by training, retired during the onset of the pandemic after providing 25 years of outstanding service with Cancer Lifeline through her work with countless individuals and families. It was finally our chance to give her the sendoff party she deserved.
As you might imagine, in her 25 years at Cancer Lifeline, Mary Ellen did a little bit of everything, and she always excelled at what she did. Whether training potential Lifeline volunteers, recruiting and supervising our support group facilitators, or providing direct services to those impacted by cancer, Mary Ellen gave her heart-really gave her all- and she set a high standards bar for the rest of us to learn from and aspire towards.
Mary Ellen’s passion for our mission was infectious and I was personally inspired by how tirelessly she would work on behalf of those we serve. She cared for patients, survivors and their families as if they were her own. We know this because during the time Mary Ellen was at CL, we got to see the children (Lauren & Colin) she and her husband Roger had grow into wonderful young adults. Her whole family has been our family and we have been better for the experiences.
Mary Ellen understood that the experience of being diagnosed with cancer was traumatic and it was life altering and that people needed help identifying and expressing their feelings about cancer and it’s wide-ranging impacts on the lives of the patient, the caregiver and the family members.
Thankfully, Mary Ellen’s version of retirement may not fit the standard mold, and we have been fortunate and thrilled to have her continue working with Cancer Lifeline (albeit in a much more limited time frame) to ensure we have the best back-up support group facilitator in town!
It has truly been an honor to work with Mary Ellen, to learn from her, and to see how one person can indeed make a phenomenal difference in the lives of others.
To quote the Boss, “A good song takes on more meaning as the years pass by” and in our estimation, so does a good human.
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Art Show at Cancer Lifeline |
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Collage and writing have been integral components of Cancer Lifeline programming since we opened our doors as a center in 1999. Both modalities are readily accessible and inexpensive tools for unpacking and processing the emotional turmoil of cancer, from diagnosis on.
For much of the Cancer Lifeline's fifty-years, we have held art shows, a wonderful way of showcasing the moving power that creative expression can convey to participants and the larger community.
We are honored to welcome the Northwest Collage Society to their fourth show at Cancer Lifeliine. Individual members of the Collage Society have adopted a poem, prose piece, or journal entry written by cancer patients, survivors, or their caregivers. Each written offering is on display next to its particular collage. The visual interpretation of the written word adds to its poignancy and power.
Opening Reception: Thursday, August 17, 6-8pm
Viewing Hours: Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 AM - 2 PM through November 9, 2023
Artwork will be available for sale through the Northwest Collage Society. 10% of each sale will be donated to Cancer Lifeline.
In consideration of our immune compromised clients, we ask that you wear a mask while visiting the center.
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Thank You Starbucks Foundation |
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Thanks to Starbucks partner, and Cancer Lifeline staff member Veronica Dalton, we were awarded a neighborhood grant from The Starbucks Foundation! We are grateful for the many Starbucks Partners (employees) who voted for Cancer Lifeline. Thank you to The Starbucks Foundation for recognizing Cancer Lifeline and the impact we have by improving the quality of life for our community members living with cancer.
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Your Support Changes Lives |
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As Cancer Lifeline celebrates 50 years of providing compassionate support to cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, we also celebrate generous people like you who made this significant milestone possible.
We invite you to donate today to ensure that those affected by cancer will not make the journey alone.
A gift of $150 provides one counseling session to help support the mental health of patients, caregivers, and families living with cancer.
A gift of $300 provides Lifeline assistance for 20 callers seeking cancer information, resources, and emotional support.
A gift of $500 funds three support group meetings for Black, indigenous, and people of color facing cancer.
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Cancer Lifeline Support Groups & Classes |
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All classes and support groups are FREE for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Check out our website for online access instructions and current program listings.
Here is a selection of featured upcoming programs:
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Register Today for August Classes & Support Groups
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All classes and support groups are FREE for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.
Click here for a downloadable pdf of our current catalog.
Check out our website for access instructions and current program listings.
Registration for Sept-Dec 2023 will open August 30th!
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Sponsor Spotlight:
The Commerce Bank of Washington
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Since 1988, The Commerce Bank of Washington has enriched local businesses with highly personalized banking from local, experienced bankers dedicated to long-term relationships.
We are grateful for The Commerce Bank of Washington's ongoing partnership which began in 1995. Several bank staff members have served on our Board, including Wade Black, an active member and Susan Finneran, who now sits on our Advisory Board.
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Our Sponsors Make It Possible
Cancer Lifeline is grateful for the leadership and support of the following sponsors:
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Cancer Lifeline thanks myMDadvocate and Dr. Susan Baumgaertel for her ongoing support. myMDadvocate is a virtual consultation service serving patients as an advocate, guide, advisor, coach, resource, consultant, collaborator, educator, navigator, and partner.
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We are grateful & thank Jeannie & Bruce, one of Cancer Lifeline's long-time supporters for their ongoing support and sponsorship.
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We are grateful for the support of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center organization on so many levels - for our current Board Directors who are on the staff at Fred Hutch: Joanna Diallo, and Reetu Ghumman, and for their sponsorship!
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We began our formal hospital partnership with Overlake Medical Center in September of 2017, but our relationship reaches back to 2004 when Cancer Lifeline had office space in Bellevue. We are grateful for Overlake's ongoing support of our events.
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We appreciate Multicare who have been caring for Pacific Northwest communities since 1882. They are dedicated to providing vital health and wellness services to individuals and families from all walks of life.
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One of Cancer Lifeline's hospital partners, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health has locations in both downtown Seattle and Federal Way. Cancer Lifeline is grateful for Virginia Mason's sponsorship of our events.
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Over 18 years ago, Cancer Lifeline was invited to host a support group at EvergreenHealth. That was just the beginning of our strong partnership. Cancer Lifeline thanks Evergreen for their continued support.
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Freestone Capital, an independent wealth and advisory firm, returns this year as an event sponsor. Our thanks to Cancer Lifeline Board Director and Treasurer Bobby Gentry.
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Mercer joins Cancer Lifeline again year as a 2023 sponsor thanks to the stewardship of Board Director Elizabeth Zech.
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Cancer Lifeline thanks wealth advisor, D A Davidson as an event sponsor. Our thanks to Advisory Board Member Jane Caron for her leadership.
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As we expand our services to serve cancer patients and their families in Pierce County, Cancer Lifeline is grateful for our collaboration with Northwest Medical Specialties and for their support.
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We have counted on ROI Technology Inc. to keep us safe, secure, and active on the internet since 2015. Cancer Lifeline salutes ROI Technology for their ongoing support of our events.
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Dedicated to promoting the economic benefits of life science business and research for Washington state's economy and patients around the world, We Work for Health seeks to educate our elected leaders, the news media, and the communities they serve about these key contributions. Cancer Lifeline welcomes We Work for Health Washington back as a sponsor.
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(formerly Cornerstone Advisors) has been a steadfast sponsor of Cancer Lifeline's events.
Our thanks to for their continued support
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On the recommendation of our board member Sue Drummond, we thank Michael Weichbrodt with Morgan Stanley as one of Cancer Lifeline's sponsors.
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We thank Genentech as one of our sponsors. While this biotechnology corporation is committed to advancing science for the greater good, they are also committed to supporting our local cancer community.
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Thank you to Marshall & Sullivan for their ongoing support. By taking a hands-on approach to wealth management, Marshall & Sullivan are committed to helping their clients experience peace of mind around their financial futures.
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We welcome Seagen as our newest sponsor. They've been focusing on accelerating breakthroughs to transform cancer care and impact in patients lives for 25 years. We appreciate their support and passion for helping those living with cancer.
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Thank you to our 2023 sponsor Eli Lilly. Led by their core values of Integrity, Excellence, and Respect for People, Eli Lilly unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. Our thanks to Advisory Board Member Nate Miles for bringing us together.
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Cancer Lifeline thanks Windermere Foundation for their support. Windermere Foundations commitment to building thriving communities has helped them grow into one of the largest and most respected real estate brands in the country, with more than 300 offices and 7,000 agents throughout the Western U.S. and Mexico.
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A huge thank you to Safeco Liberty Mutual Insurance for their support. Since 1923, they have been in the business of protecting families and individuals, making it simple to protect what matters to you most.
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For the sixth year in a row, Jennifer Evans and her Farmers Insurance agency have been a sponsor of our annual Fall Fundraiser, Resources for Hope. We are so grateful for Jen's ongoing support.
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One Dog Media helps businesses with website design that reinforce brand identity, e-commerce solutions, graphic design and more. We thank Lisa Oliver, in-kind sponsor, for this important work that allows us to reach and stay connected with the people we serve.
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Inquiries regarding opportunities to sponsor events and programs can be directed
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