Vermont Cancer Survivor Network Newsletter
April 2018
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Chili Cook Off a big success!
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Meet our Coordinator and new Board Members
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Kindred Connections trainings and connections
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Kindred Connections volunteer Eileen Foster
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Sally Fox gas card program update
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Golfers
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VCSN
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Get involved with VCSN
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David Cranmer elected to National Cancer Institute Committees
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Chili Cook Off – Huge Thanks to Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen!
The Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen in Barre threw a party with plenty of heat and spice on Sunday, March 4. The 6
th
Annual Chili Cook Off attracted 26 entries and hundreds of tasters! Brian Kerins of the Cape Cod band Flydown wowed the crowd with his vocal range (!!!) and selections—everyone’s favorites! Thanks also go to Lenny’s Shoes & Apparel, which sponsors this event each year.
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Mary Ellen Simmons got in on the fun when Cornerstone co-owners Rich McSheffrey and Keith Paxman awarded the Chili Cook Off’s grand prize to chef Kristine McSheffrey.
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Meet Our Coordinator and New Board Members
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Mary Ellen Simmons, Coordinator
(pictured right
with KC volunteer
Maria Calamia
)
Hello, my name is Mary Ellen Simmons. I have been the Coordinator for VCSN for a little over a year. In this time, I have primarily focused on the connections we make when we support people who have been touched by cancer. We support cancer patients, as well as caregivers, by connecting them with peers to help them through the journey. We also participate in strong support groups happening in Central Vermont.
When I am not connecting with cancer survivors individually or in support groups, I work at a school system helping to develop curriculum. I love to bike, sing, hike and read. I have traveled to many countries and plan on adding a few to my list within the next couple of years.
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Kristen Tuttle, Board Member
I am the RN (registered nurse) care manager for the oncology patients at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, Vermont. I have been a registered nurse since 1996 and have spent the bulk of my career in cancer care and hospice. My husband and I live on several quiet acres, embracing a rural Vermont life and raising most of our own food. I appreciate being able to work with VCSN to provide support, share hope and impart knowledge, while giving back to my community in a meaningful way.
Karen Davis, Treasurer
Karen is our newest board member. She has had 17 years’ bookkeeping experience with companies in central Vermont and is currently the owner and staff accountant of Abacus Bookkeeping and Tax Services in Montpelier. Karen lives in Northfield with her husband and two children.
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Lynne Balman, Board Member
I’ve been an educator for more than 49 years, and although technically retired I am still helping in Burlington classrooms. It’s a privilege to be on the VCSN Board, after serving Survivorship NOW for several years and being very involved with Dragonheart Vermont and their Breast Cancer Survivor team. My initial cancer diagnosis occurred at age 31, with two recurrences since then. The many lessons learned strengthened my inner being and my resolve to always be helping others in the cancer network. I plan to put my energy, enthusiasm and creativity to good use as a VCSN board member.
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Eleanor (Boo) Sinclair, Board Member
I’m a two time cancer survivor, who found out about Kindred Connection after my chemotherapy treatments. When I became involved with the program, I got firsthand knowledge of just how valuable Kindred Connections is for all cancer patients. I’ve worked at the University of Vermont Medical Center as a Reimbursement Specialist and Medical Technologist for 31 years. I’ve raised two amazing sons, Beck and David, who are the pride and joy of my life. I love outdoor activities and am an active member of Dragon Heart Vermont and the Hope Lodge.
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Kindred Connections Training and Connections on the Rise
Peer support. That’s what being a KC volunteer is about. Someone who has completed cancer treatment, with all of its emotional and physical challenges, supporting someone newly diagnosed with cancer. KC volunteers are trained to be active listeners, to focus on the other person’s story and needs.
And in the past year, 56 connections have been made. Connections are very individualized. Sometimes it means weekly phone conversations. Other times there are two or more volunteers providing support, taking the person out for coffee or on rides to get some fresh air. It
always
means a compassionate presence who can bear to hear whatever the person has to say, which is not always true with family and friends.
Would you like to talk to someone who has had cancer experience similar to yours? Would you like to be trained as a volunteer to provide peer support? Contact Mary Ellen at 802-552-8115 or coordinatorvcsn@gmail.com.
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Win a Weekend on Martha's Vineyard
VCSN supporters Prudy and George Burnes have once again donated a 3-night stay at Isabelle’s Beach House this October or November. Isabelle’s is a seaside inn known for the panoramic ocean views from its sprawling front porch. Raffle tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100. Get your tickets from Mary Ellen or any VCSN board member.
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Kindred Connections Volunteer
Eileen Foster
VCSN Board member Theresa Lever had a delightful interview with
Eileen Foster
of Williamstown, Vermont
(pictured right, with fellow KC volunteer Sandy Noyes at the Chili Cook Off
)
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What is your experience with cancer?
I was diagnosed in June 2010 with multiple myeloma. I started treatments at Central Vermont Medical Center with the idea of having a stem cell transplant at Dartmouth Hitchcock. I became much sicker in October when I also developed plasma cell leukemia. I was in DHMC for about 5 weeks trying to stay alive. At that time I was extremely ill with kidney failure and was on dialysis. I had liver failure and internal bleeding. I recovered enough to go ahead with the transplant, which was my only hope, in December 2010. As time went on I became stronger and healthier. I was in remission at that point and have been ever since. Because the leukemia is aggressive, I have ongoing treatments and will have them continuously.
Where did you find support when you were first diagnosed?
I had my husband but didn’t have a support group, and, being British, my family was far away. I didn’t know about Kindred Connections at that time. I was actually feeling like I had to fight it all myself. After going into remission, and feeling brighter but not able to return to work, I became isolated. I went to a cancer survivor celebration at Central Vermont, where I met people and learned about Kindred Connections. I thought I didn’t want to hang out with sick people, surrounded by reminders of my cancer. But then I went to a potluck and met other people with multiple myeloma. It was uplifting; I realized they were out there living their lives and I saw that being with people with cancer wasn’t depressing. Instead, it was a nurturing community.
What motivated you to become a Kindred Connections volunteer?
I’d heard other people’s stories of the support they’d had through KC. I realized how much better it would be to have that kind of help, someone you can speak to on the phone or meet in person, someone who would just check in on you. I thought, “I’d like to do that for other people” so they won’t feel alone through this journey that can be so overwhelming.
Exactly what do you do as a volunteer?
I’ve had 5 or 6 connections. Some I’ve reached out to by phone or social media. We’ve talked about their experience and mine, how they’re alike and different. I’ve seen them in person when they were getting infusions or in the hospital. I like to take them crystallized ginger—the best thing for nausea—or a book and CD of uplifting music. If they need more practical help—not just talking—I can visit and take them to treatment, or to do errands, or just to get out.
What would you tell other people considering this?
You make friends through your connections. It might be someone you wouldn’t have thought you’d be friends with; the connection helps you become close. It’s nice that you make a difference in their life, but it’s made a difference in mine as well. It helps me to not look inward all the time. I can get downhearted at something silly but when I connect with people at the beginning of their journey I can remember what it was like and then little things aren’t so bothersome anymore. And having connections keeps me from dwelling in the past; it helps me move forward.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
One of the benefits of having a Kindred Connection is that you can feel free to say whatever you need to say. People always asked me, “How are you keeping your sense of humor?” I was doing it because it helped me but even more because it helped those around me. I didn’t want to act miserable and sad because it would bring everyone down. But sometimes you have to let things out, show your anger and despair. If you do this with your Kindred Connections volunteer, you’re validating those feelings in yourself without upsetting your family.
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Sally Fox Memorial Fund for gas cards
When Vermont Senator Sally Fox died of cancer in 2014, VCSN was the beneficiary of her memorial contributions. With the help of her husband, Michael Sirotkin, we established a gas card fund in her name. Social workers and Kindred Connections volunteers can request $25 gas cards for individuals traveling 50 miles or more round trip for treatment, up to 3 times per recipient in 12 months. In the past 18 months, VCSN distributed 94 gas cards. VCSN gratefully accepts donations year-round for this fund, one-hundred percent of which goes directly to the purchase of gas cards.
Click here to make a donation.
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VCSN welcomes your involvement!
Let us know if you’d like to:
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Volunteer at an event
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Be trained to provide cancer survivor peer support
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Be trained to offer support to caregivers
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Consider joining our all-volunteer Board
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Help us fundraise
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Join our program committee
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Brainstorm ideas for reaching and serving Vermonters affected by cancer
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Golfers
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VCSN
The first annual golf tournament benefiting VCSN was held last September at the Sugarbush Golf Club in Warren. Thirty-two golfers braved the heat (remember those 90+ degree days?) to play the beautiful Robert Trent Jones golf course. What a fun day it was, as well as profitable! We're looking forward to the second annual tournament, scheduled for Sunday, September 23rd. Will you join us?
The $125 entry fee includes range balls, greens fees, box lunch, "aprés golf" refreshments, and prizes. Tournament format is a scramble with 4-person teams. For more information about entering the tournament, being a sponsor (levels range from $200 to $1500), or volunteering to help, contact Sharon Kellermann at
sharoninvt@madriver.com
or 802-793-8362.
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VCSN’s President, David Cranmer, elected to
National Cancer Institute Committees
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced the election of David Cranmer of Williston, VT to a two-year term as a Patient Advocate on the NCI's Leukemia Steering Committee.
Cranmer, a Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant survivor, is the co-founder and president of the Vermont Cancer Survivor Network, a Montpelier-based volunteer organization that provides support and resources for Vermonters living with cancer. In addition to his NCI role, he volunteers as a Patient Advocate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the University of Vermont Cancer Center.
The NCI Leukemia Steering Committee meets monthly to address the design, prioritization, and evaluation of concepts for phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials in adult leukemias. The committee addresses unmet clinical needs, important unanswered clinical questions, and potential new approaches to disease treatment.
NCI's Patient Advocates develop recommendations and provide input on strategic directions and policy issues. Cranmer will be involved with assisting in the development and enhancement of programs by providing a patient's voice, which can help identify barriers to implementation.
Cranmer was also named as a member of NCI's Patient Advocate Steering Committee. This committee works to ensure that Advocates who are members of NCI committees and task forces are effectively integrated into the development and evaluation of clinical trials.
Click here
for more information from NCI's website
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