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Cancer Relief group celebrates 20 years
By Ralph Pokorny
Nevada Daily Mail
"They helped with my co-payment and my prescriptions," 81-year-old Betty Crose, said. "A couple of weeks ago my dentures got cracked and they paid to have them repaired. They're always asking me if I need anything. I know there have to be others who need this kind of help and word of mouth is the best way to get the information out."
Crose, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 21 years ago, said that she found out about her recent bout with cancer after having hip surgery.
"I have something to tell you," her doctor told Crose, after the hip surgery.
"We found breast cancer in your hip bone," he said.
Crose recalled telling the doctor that he had to be kidding.
"Do you know how far my hip is from my breast?" she said she told her doctor.
Crose, whose father had bone cancer, said that she had 10 radiation treatments, and the doctor told her that she would probably need to have treatments for the rest of her life.
"We have spent $12,000 over the last 12 months to help 25 Vernon County residents who were undergoing cancer treatment," Marie McCullough, Vernon County Cancer Relief board member said.
That money was used to help those cancer victims pay for their gasoline to travel to Joplin, Kansas City, Columbia or St. Louis for treatment, pay for prescriptions and doctor appointments, surgical dressings, lift chairs and other assistive devices. utility bills and even to put food on their tables, McCullough, one of the five charter members of the Vernon County Cancer Relief board of directors. The other original members were Carol Branham, Jody Renwick, B.G. Wolf and Jerry McBeth. All of them -- except for Renwick, who died in January 2006 -- are still on the board.
On Sept. 23, the Vernon County Cancer Relief will be marking the 20th anniversary of an idea developed by Jody Renwick and Carol Branham to help Vernon County residents who have been diagnosed with and are undergoing treatment for cancer.
Branham said that she had seen what cancer had done to her sister and her family several years earlier, as well as seeing a cancer patient stop his treatments because he could not afford his prescriptions.
"Jody was also seeing people needing help," she said. "Not for treatment, so much, but to pay for food, utilities and prescriptions."
McCullough said that several of the patients they are helping now have jobs with no benefits and when they have to take time off from work for treatments they have no income. With no money coming in they need assistance paying for transportation to their treatment or for certain living expenses.
They also help patients to connect with other resources that are available through the various hospitals and state agencies.
Since cancer can affect anyone, regardless of their financial circumstances, Branham said that when they wrote the by-laws for Vernon County Cancer Relief they made sure they were broad enough to include any Vernon County residents who are undergoing cancer treatment, as well as their families.
This organization is strictly controlled by Vernon County residents, and they do not answer to any national umbrella organization.
The Moss Trust gave them a $10,000 grant to provide the seed money for the organization. The rest of the money they have spent over the years has come from other donations.
These donations have come as gifts provided in wills, family members making memorial donations and other donors. Because this is a 501-C3 organization, donation are tax deductible.
McCullough said the fuel vouchers they provide for patients going to treatment are through Tim's Conven-ience store. Recently, one of the cashiers there contacted McCullough about making a donation to the organization in memory of her brother, who had recently died.
When McCullough asked if the woman's brother had died of cancer, she was told no. The woman told her that man's family wanted to make the donation because of all the people this group helps and their brother would have been pleased to see the money go to such a worthy organization.
McCullough said that all the money they distribute are gifts to the patients and they do not expect any repayment, although a number of patients have "given back" to help others.
"This organization was Jody Renwick's passion and while she was able she did most of the work. After she died we all had to step up and take over all of the jobs she had done herself," she said.
Branham said that they have had a number of people contact them about helping and in the near future they plan to meet with those people and try to get them involved.
"Most of the current board members have full-time jobs and do not have the time that Renwick had to devote to this, so they are planning to establish some sub-committees to help with some of the work that needs to be done," she said.
Current board members are: Jerry McBeth, president, Carol Branham, vice president, Marie McCullough, Mike Turnbull, Susan Barrett, Barb Renwick, B.G. Wolfe, Jill Maxfield and Betty Easley. Any Vernon County resident needing assistance can call Marie McCullough, (417) 448-4594 or Carol Branham, (417) 448-4529, or write to Vernon County Cancer Relief, P.O. Box 24, Nevada, MO 64772.