Cheerful Heart helps out cancer patients

Cheerful Heart is nonprofit organization that helps Lake County cancer patients who are currently in treatment by providing non-medical services at no cost. Services include transportation to treatment or medical appointments locally and in Missoula and Kalispell, running errands, preparing meals, walking dogs, or other tasks as requested.

The organization provides volunteers for the Oncology Clinic in Polson at St. Joseph Medical Center. Their services include serving soup on Tuesdays.

St. Luke Healthcare in Ronan schedules appointments at their infusion center throughout the week. Both clinics carry inventories of head coverings, Knitted Knockers (breast prosthesis) and ComfyChemo shirts available at no charge to patients.

Cheerful Touch is a personal care program offered by Cheerful Heart to cancer patients currently in treatment. The program provides massages and skin, nail and hair care by local cosmetologists and massage therapists.

Call Cheerful Heart with questions or to schedule an appointment at 406-883-3070. Patients should consult their doctors before using these services

Cancer Support Group

A cancer support group meets from noon to 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month in the Chapel at St. Joseph Medical Center. The group is for anyone affected by cancer and is led by Pastor Matthew Connally of the Ronan/Polson Nazarene Church.

The chapel is located inside the front entrance to the hospital.

Cheerful Heart has served cancer patients in Lake County since 2002. For more information, call 883-3070, visit www.cheerfulheart.org or email cheartinc@gmail.com.