ECWC on Erie Gives Day 2026

Cancer. A single word that has the power to completely turn your world upside down and change all context of your life to before diagnosis and after. This holds true whether you are the person receiving the diagnosis or are the caregiver to someone who is. Most likely you have been affected by cancer, either yourself or someone you you know.

My godmother was diagnosed more than 10 years ago.  Thankfully she survived and has been in remission.  My dear friend’s mother was diagnosed and lost her battle with cancer after years of treatment.  Then 4 years ago, 3 of my closest family members were diagnosed within 7 months of each other.  I am happy to say they are all survivors, but that year was the year my life as I knew it changed. 

I had observed this journey from a distance until it became part of my inner world and everyday.  It is hard to describe what that feels like, especially the sense of helplessness.  As hard as it was for me, it was that much harder for the person sitting in the chemotherapy chair, lying on a radiation table or in a hospital bed.  Cancer still lingers in our minds everytime we wait for the results from the CT scans and bloodwork. 

Erie Cancer Wellness Center had just opened its doors and Sarah was such a wonderful support for me. I have been a volunteer there for over 3 years now, teaching a class. The participants have given so much more to me than I have to them. Words cannot describe the energy within those walls and the community that is felt from the moment you walk through their doors. I have learned so much more about the cancer journey outside of my own experience of being a caregiver to someone.

February 2027 will mark the start of a new expansion of the Erie Cancer Wellness Center to a larger space with more wellness rooms, more programs, and more people who can be served by this amazing community. This is an organization close to my heart. Please join me in raising funds to support this initiative on Erie Gives Day.