by Gail Hamm, program director

This morning I was chatting with one of our clients who is a long-term cancer survivor with severe lasting side effects from the treatment. He is grateful that he is alive but his life has been changed forever. One of those changes is that he is nourished through a feeding tube. What I take for granted…that I can swallow without difficulty, that I can meet a friend for a cup of coffee, that I will gather with family for Thanksgiving…the joy of shared community through food, is not what he experiences. Those pleasant times of camaraderie over food are gone forever.

In spite of these losses, my friend tries to avoid isolation. His story has helped others come to terms with their losses and appreciate life. Is it easy? No. Would he wish that life were different for him? Absolutely. But he keeps coming back to Cancer Services because he is making a difference in others’ lives. He gives others hope. For that, I am grateful.