Celebrating our Amazing Volunteers |
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April is National Volunteer month. We thank our volunteers for generously giving their time and talents, helping us fulfill our mission of optimizing the lives of all people living with cancer. Sincere hearts of gratitude goes to each of our incredible volunteers, from board members and committee members, to those who give direct emotional support through our telephone Lifeline and Lifeline Chat. We will be hosting a special event this summer to thank our volunteers in person- stay tuned!
When asked what the best part is about working on the Lifeline, Volunteer Tsering Yothok shares,
"After being on the Lifeline with a distraught caller, and they have calmed down, is now laughing and they thank you for being there for them, it's an incredible feeling".
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A Note from the Executive Director:
Gloria's Gamble
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Over fifty years ago a young, Filipina American mother, Gloria Gutkowski was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had surgery and was informed the cancer had metastasized-her prognosis was not good. She endured harsh radiation and chemotherapy treatments, and she and her husband and young daughter took what they thought might be her last vacation and went on a trip to Europe. Despite having a loving family and many friends, Gloria wanted someone to talk to about her fears and the dread around the many medical appointments. Like many mothers and wives, Gloria didn’t want to be a burden to those she cared for and had an innate understanding that those she cared for didn’t really understand what she was experiencing.
Painting of Cancer Lifeline founder, Gloria Gutkowski, 1973.
She declined offers from her oncologists to refer her to a psychiatrist, knowing that she might feel the need to talk to someone who truly understood what it meant to be faced with a life-threatening diagnosis, and she might need that support outside of a pre-scheduled appointment. There were no other options. Gloria set out to change that. And in 1973, she did just that. With the assistance, counsel and support of her oncology team, and her husband Ed Gutkowski, Cancer Lifeline was founded.
I recently had the honor of connecting to Ed Gutkowski, Gloria’s surviving husband. Ed has stayed in touch with Cancer Lifeline from his home in the San Juan Islands and graciously allowed me to interview him about that time so many years ago. Despite living with multiple myeloma and getting monthly treatments himself, Ed was exceptionally thoughtful, funny and straight-forward and the following are excerpts from our conversations. Read More.
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Join us Online Now: Fundraising with Friends Help us Meet Our Match Challenge |
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There are only 10 days left for Fundraising with Friends, our annual online giving campaign. We need all the help we can get to reach our $305,000 goal! Now is the perfect time to give. Donations are being matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $20,000 through April 24th! Double your impact and help people in our community facing cancer.
With your support we can ensure that Cancer Lifeline’s services remain free and available to anyone in need for another 50 years!
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Get Connected: Find the Support Group you Need |
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Have a place where emotions can be expressed and not judged
Can gain a sense of community and inclusion with others in a similar situation
Can find ways in which choice and control can be attained while living with cancer
Are provided with opportunities for education and information
Here is a selection of featured upcoming Support Groups:
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Client Story: Get to know Emmie |
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Emmie was originally diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2017. While she had a large caring community of family, friends, and neighbors, what she really needed and didn't have until years later, was a community of people like her who spoke the same language, shared the same struggles, and had the same questions about how life can be after cancer.
A few years later, her cancer returned, so a friend of hers knew she needed support and referred her to Cancer Lifeline. She had a few sessions of the Free Counseling Program and then decided to try a few exercise, nutrition, and creative expression classes. When asked what she wished she knew when she was first diagnosed- her answer was:
"Even though I know for fact that I am not the only cancer patient in the world, it can feel that way at times. Cancer Lifeline gave me a sense of community, taught me to have fun again and offered me practical information to apply to
my day to day needs. What I learned during my almost 6 years of this cancer journey is that we don't need to give in to fear about the disease, we just need to look up and to look around for help. I'm so glad I did."
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Cancer Lifeline in the Community: Pierce County Cancer Survivorship Conference May 31 |
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The Pierce County Cancer Survivorship Conference is an annual event to support and celebrate the community of cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers in the South Sound. This free event is presented by multiple community organizations and cancer care advocates.
This year the conference will be held in-person at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma on Wednesday, May 31st, from 9 AM -
2 PM. Cancer Lifeline support group facilitator, Michelle Massey, MSW, LICSW, OSW-C, will be presenting on Fear of Recurrence. Be sure to stop by our information table
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Sadly, on April 9, 2023, Cancer Lifeline’s former Executive Director Dr. Angela Beard died from cancer. She was 59.
While Angela was only with Cancer Lifeline for a brief period (2013-2015) she surely had an impact. She began a new era that had a greater emphasis on sharing joy in the office by relaxing policies to allow dogs in the workplace. She led the pack with her two beloved dogs, Tinsel & Poppy, creating laughter as they went. Angela also helped to create an important new tradition at Cancer Lifeline, our annual Resources for Hope campaign. Resources for Hope raises funds each year to provide financial assistance for lower income cancer patients who are having to make tough choices about paying co-pays or buying groceries for their family.
Angela departed Cancer Lifeline to share her fundraising and leadership wisdom with a new generation at Seattle University, Everett Community College and then the Fundraising Academy at City University. We are fortunate that one of her first “students” leads the fund development charge for us today!
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Pictured: Angela & Tinsel, bottom, far left |
There was so much more to Angela, so for more information about her life and many accomplishments, please click on this link.
The team at Cancer Lifeline are sending our gratitude for your time with us, and wishing you Godspeed, Angela.
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GIVEBIG to Cancer Lifeline May 2-3 |
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There’s a good feeling we get when we show up for others, whether it’s a family member, a neighbor, or a local nonprofit we care about.
And it’s not just about good-feels~ volunteering or donating money to support nonprofit groups helps everyone in the community. Great things happen for everyone when you give what you can. That’s what GiveBIG is all about.
On May 2-3 individuals and organizations across Washington will come together for GiveBIG, our state’s biggest two-day giving event. We hope you will consider giving BIG to Cancer Lifeline. Every dollar we raise will help ensure that our emotional support programs will remain free of charge for thousands of cancer patients, survivors, family members and caregivers. Learn more.
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Your Opinion Matters to us! Please take our short survey to help us provide the content and communication methods you enjoy. Thanks in advance!
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Sponsor Spotlight: Marshall & Sullivan |
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We welcome back and are very grateful to Marshall & Sullivan as a sponsor for 2023. Not only does your service helps to relieve the pressures of day-to-day wealth management, your support enables us to help and serve many people living with cancer.
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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 welcomes myMDadvocate as one of its newest sponsors. A virtual consultation service for patients in Washington state, myMDadvocate is led by our board chair Susan Baumgaertel, MD.
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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 members of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center organization on so many levels - for our current Board Directors who are on the staff at Fred Hutch: Bethany Murphy, Joanna Diallo, and Reetu Ghumman, and for so many informative presenters over many years.
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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 welcome Multicare as a new sponsor, 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 event sponsor thanks to the stewardship of Board Director Elizabeth Zech.
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Cancer Lifeline welcomes 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.
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The Commerce Bank of Washington has been supporting Cancer Lifeline since 1995. Several bank staff members have served on our Board, including former TCBW staff, Steven Gerlock and Susan Finneran, who now sits on our Advisory Board. We are grateful for The Commerce Bank of Washington's ongoing partnership.
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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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We are grateful for the steadfast support of Lilly as a sponsor of our fundraising events over the years. Our thanks to Advisory Board Member Nate Miles.
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(formerly Cornerstone Advisors) has been a steadfast sponsor of Cancer Lifeline's events. Our thanks to Cancer Lifeline Advisory Board Member Dave Drews and Pathstone for their continued leadership. We welcome them back for 2023.
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On the recommendation of our board member Sue Drummond, we welcome back Michael Weichbrodt wit Morgan Stanley to Cancer Lifeline's group of 2023 Sponsors.
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Thanks to the leadership of former Board Director Ben Hicks, Cancer Lifeline welcomes back Soundmark Wealth Management as a sponsor in 2023.
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We are thrilled to welcome back Genentech as a 2023 sponsor. 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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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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