Caring for Cancer volunteers - David Topper, Lori Kungl, Marlene Topper, Gail Jamieson, Lynn Vandewaal, Jackie Earle, Jessica Durka, Linda Tracey, Mary Weber.
By Brenda Moser
It takes a special type of person to tackle a large task and it’s even harder sometimes to make it work. It takes time, dedication, patience, true commitment and belief in the task they are undertaking. Enter just that person… Jessica Durka.
Durka, a cancer survivor, has been an active advocate for the cause and took on a tremendous task starting South Coast Community Caring for Cancer in January 2021. She is very appreciative of all the care and treatments she received through Hamilton Health Sciences during her own journey fighting Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and wanted to make others’ journeys a little better.
Durka realized, first hand, some of the little things that could make someone’s day just a little better and she turned this into a pet project. But, as in all projects, it takes others with the same passion to step forward to lend a hand… and step forward they did! Durka got the word out and the response was overwhelming, not only from other survivors, but businesses as well wanting to do anything and everything they could to help and the Cancer Care Bag program was ‘born.’
When the group started in 2021, Durka had no idea it would grow so much. Since its onset they have delivered over 1,200 bags.
“It’s crazy busy… I never dreamed it would get this big but it soon snowballed. It sort of exploded with crazy community support and requests for bags - we dropped off 30 bags to Campfire Circle, the local camp for children and their families fighting or have fought cancer.
“We have about 1,800 followers on Facebook and most are very active and it’s growing all of the time.”
There are bags geared to men, women and children and they include personal care items, snacks, puzzle books, candles, journals, neck pillows, mastectomy pillows (if needed) sewn and stuffed by volunteers, Tim Horton gift cards and five parking passes to any of the Hamilton Health Sciences facilities, including Juravinski. If they receive treatment in London they are given a $50 gas card.
“The bags are amazing!”
To get these bags ready and out it requires not only the many generous donations but also ‘many hands to make light of work’ and lots of hands they have!
“We have an internal group of about 10 to help get the bags ready and to deliver them. We also need space to assemble these bags and store extra supplies and bags and Waterford United Church graciously stepped in to offer space there. A huge thank you to Waterford United!”
Just to clarify these bags they receive are not just ordinary bags. They are Thirty-One bags donated by Sherri Graham, and when full are worth about $350. These bags come in handy when they are emptied.
If you or someone you know is fighting cancer and could use one of these bags, let them know. You can contact them at communitycaringforcancer@gmail.com, www.cccsouthcoast.ca, @cccsouthcoast or Google Caring For Cancer Community – Southcoast.
Not only does the group donate these bags to those in need, they also sponsor three or four families at Christmas with $250-$300 in groceries, a turkey or ham – graciously donated by Dekonings - and gas cards and gift cards as well. Food baskets are delivered two or three days before Christmas and you can nominate someone you might know who is fighting the fight and in need, especially at this time of year.
Durka has such a positive attitude and passion for this cause and recognizes that she couldn’t do this without her army of volunteers. Kudos and hats off to each and every one of them! If you are looking for a cause to support then maybe you could consider a donation to this great cause that has touched so many lives locally.
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