Angel Care

Earlier this week I met a new friend, Lisa. She is a volunteer with an amazing organization called Angel Care. The volunteer, non-profit organization is kind of like e-harmony for women who have experienced and are newly experiencing breast cancer. I called and told them my story and I was matched with Lisa, a survivor who will encourage me and share her story with me. We met at Starbucks and it was sort of like a blind date I guess. My mind was racing -- I hope she's nice.. What if she's weird?... Well, it's just coffee.... Do I really need this?.... What if she doesn't like me?... All these questions. Well, Lisa is an amazing strong woman and I feel like I've know her for a long time. There was no weirdness, we hit it off and are going to be friends. She is a good hugger like me! She is there for me and will take me to chemo or go to doctor's appointments if I'd like her to. She gave me a copy of the wonderful Angel Care calendar, which is similar to the calendar produced in the movie "Calendar Girls" -- topless women holding flower pots, buns or cantaloupes in front of their chests. It's very well done and professional, but makes me smile. All of these women are breast cancer survivors like Lisa and me.

[Angel Care is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 1997 by Jan Harris, a breast cancer survivor, to provide caring support to individuals diagnosed with breast cancer. The Angel Care Breast Cancer Foundation is made up of breast cancer survivors who truly understand how it feels to be given this diagnosis. For those afflicted with breast cancer in the greater Puget Sound area, we provide free person-to-person emotional support, important resources to help inform breast cancer patients, networking with others about surgery options, and we help patients recover emotionally during treatments. Angel Care is an approved United Way agency. Angel Care volunteers help with empowerment, knowing which questions to ask the doctor, knowing how to recognize a helpful support group, finding beneficial reading material, networking with others about surgery options , recovering emotionally during treatment, etc. Angel Care exists to fill a need within the greater Puget Sound area, an area with one of the highest breast cancer rates in the nation. Our volunteers, breast cancer survivors themselves, empower the newly diagnosed as they struggle for survival, enhancing their emotional recovery while still going through treatment. We hope to reduce the fear that surrounds breast cancer—to a level where it motivates toward wellness instead of paralyzing with fear. Knowing survivors helps to give a powerful message of hope at this critical time. We are living proof that there is life after breast cancer. Care givers will offer encouragement and hope, helping the newly diagnosed deal with various emotions, offering someone they can turn to for support. The newly diagnosed need a network of survivors to assist them. E-mail: angelcare@angelcarefoundation.org]