The Jefferson County Unit of the American Cancer Society is looking to recruit some volunteers for its Cancer Resource Center located in the Tony Teramana Cancer Center at 4000 Johnson Road, Steubenville.
Volunteers help patients at the center have access to ACS programs and services, according to Marlene Nese, who has been a volunteer since the resource center came into existence more than 10 years ago, operating out of different locations before having a presence at the cancer center.
Currently the center is staffed by only Nese, Marge DeMark and Marlene Ray, the latter of whom is there through training with the senior program at the Community Action Council of Jefferson County.
A presence of two or three hours a week would be helpful, they said.
"You may answer the phone, talk to patients or help them get info. Our office is across the hall from the coffee room, so I always greet the person going in and ask if they need help. The waiting room is always busy," said Nese, who first had breast cancer in 1996. "I thought this was something I could do. I feel I can help patients by giving them info and talking to them," Nese said.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer would attend a two-hour training session of general guidelines. It will be held at the cancer center on Feb. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. Prospective volunteers should call the center at (740) 264-5519 or Nese at (740) 264-6702.
"It gives me a good feeling to know in some small way that I am contributing a very important service to the patients," Nese said.
DeMark, a volunteer through the Jefferson County Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and Ray agreed, noting it gives them a sense of satisfaction to help others, too.
"I do feel fulfilled and that it's something I can do for the cancer society," DeMark said.
"I really enjoy being here," added Ray.
Ideally, the Cancer Resource Center would be staffed Monday through Friday, they said.
The Cancer Resource Center offers a variety of literature, including information about support groups and programs. A few of them are:
Reaching Out - Woman to Woman, a breast cancer support group available to all women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and want to discuss their concerns with other women and health care professionals. It meets the first Tuesday of the month at the cancer center, beginning at 5:30 p.m. It is sponsored by Trinity Health System and developed in cooperation with the ACS.
Its goal is to foster support through discussion and understanding on different aspects of breast cancer, including physical effects of the disease process, stress management, coping with the physical changes, taking care through proper nutrition and exercise and helping family members understand. For information, call (740) 283-7407.
Look Good ... Feel Better is a free, non-medical, product-neutral program offered in partnership with the ACS, the Professional Beauty Association and National Cosmetology Association and the Personal Care Products Council Foundation, a charitable organization supported by the cosmetic and personal care products industry.
The program is held at Trinity East on the second Monday of the month at 10 a.m. Questions can be directed to Sister Pauline Herbert at (740) 283-7407.
Man to Man is a prostate cancer education and support program that provides a forum for men to learn about prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment options as well as coping and everyday living through interactive presentations and materials.
