Cheerful Heart offers time, love to cancer patients in need one wig at a time

By Jennifer McBride / Leader Staff

Losing your hair isn't easy for anyone, especially someone who's already struggling with exhaustion and depression. Luckily for chemotherapy patients across Lake County, there's an organization of people who know exactly what they're going through.

Like 60 percent of ovarian cancer patients (according to an article in the Jan 15, 2004, "American Family Physician") Betty Bjork's doctor didn't find out she had the disease until her cancer had spread outside her ovaries. The average five-year survival rate for women with stage IV cancer is less than 20 percent. Twelve years later, Bjork is cancer-free and handing out soup to the 25 or so patients in St. Joseph hospital's chemotherapy center. Bjork, who attributes her recovery to "faith, prayer, my family, my friends and my oncologist," is one of the Cheerful Heart volunteers who offers to give rides, perform chores and buy groceries for cancer patients. And pass out the two pots full of streaming soup in and outside of the hospital.

Like Bjork, most of Cheerful Heart's volunteers have been affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly, and Bjork calls her experience "a huge incentive to get involved."

According to Valerie Lindstrom, a former board member, the organization was founded by Julie Kinsel and her husband, who was diagnosed with brain cancer. The couple developed the concept together and Kinsel founded Cheerful Heart shortly after her husband's death, based on the idea, Lindstrom said, that "people who don't spend their energy coping with chores will spend it on getting better."

Lindstrom was already involved with the American Cancer Society's (ACS) Relay For Life, a non-profit that raises money for cancer research. She jumped at the chance to do something a little more locally-focussed.

"I believe in ACS for the larger picture, but I thought it would be nice to work with the folks in Lake County," Lindstrom said. "Cheerful Heart actually puts the money down locally."

From one couples' dream, Cheerful Heart now hosts 25 to 30 active members who logged 500 volunteer hours last year. While Lindstrom said their goal is to "not throw ourselves at their feet," the volunteers are "an undercurrent of support for people all the time." Cheerful Heart members deliver soup to cancer patients, walk their dogs, pull their weeds, run their errands and clean their houses at no cost. They also maintain a lending library in St. Josephs near the chemotherapy room. Beside the books, Cheerful Heart offers drawers full of wigs, hats and scarves, available no questions asked for as long as a patient needs them.

"People don't even need to bring them back," Bjork said.

Bjork still remembers what it was like to lose her hair. When she relapsed five years ago, Bjork shaved her head so she didn't have to watch herself go bald for a second time.

"Having your hair fall out is really hard. It's just devastating," she said. "I thought that it would be the least of it, but it was hard."

Bjork said the wigs, hats and scarves program wasn't available when she was undergoing chemotherapy, but it does helps today's patients. Bev Bonamie has breast cancer and has undergone three rounds of chemotherapy since she was originally diagnosed in 2003.

"They thought they caught it early," Bonamie said, "but it wasn't even two years later when it appeared again."

Bonamie said she is very grateful for the hospital staff, who make a special effort to keep patients' spirits up. She also thanks the volunteers, who have helped her through her illness when the once-weekly chemotherapy has left her feeling frail.

"I do feel really weak," she said. "Not sleepy-tied, but your body feels drained, like you have no energy."

Bonamie enjoys the hot soup Cheerful Heart serves every week and has borrowed a cap and books from the lending library. While she is treated, Bonamie will also sometimes wrap herself up in blankets donated by the organization.

"I can't say enough about Cheerful Heart. They've been really wonderful," she said.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reported that cancer is the second-highest cause of death in Lake County, so it's not surprising that Cheerful Heart enjoys a lot of community support. That's especially true especially when it comes to their Treasure Fest sale, which Lindstrom said is scheduled for May 3 at the New Life Christian Center. Bjork, who is keeping track of all the donated items, said they've already filled up two warehouses with second-hand goods.

But Lindstrom said that doesn't mean they don't need more assistance: the non-profit is always looking for people willing to help, especially in the summer.

"We're always in need of more volunteers as people are on vacation," Lindstrom explained. "As many as half of them are gone at any one time."

Volunteering has certainly enriched Bjork's life. Since she knows what someone else is going through, she said she always loves giving people a hand to hold.

"Most of the time you feel pretty good. [Volunteering] lifts you up and inspires you," she said.

Other days are not so pleasant. One of the chemotherapy patients died a few days before Christmas. It was hard for Bjork because she had gotten so emotionally involved.

"There's a really special closeness with the patients," she said. "You get to know them right down to the nitty gritty. There aren't very many walls between the patients and the volunteers."

Sometimes Cheerful Heart members even find themselves on the other side of ladle, accepting help instead of giving it. Bjork's relapse put her in the arms of her former fellow volunteers.

"That's the way it is," she said. "Sometimes you take care of them and sometimes they take care of you."