As a company focused on providing research tools to study the underlying mechanisms of cancer progression, we wanted to plan a volunteering event to offer a helping hand to support the community impacted by this disease.
We decided to partner with the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Network in Boston that operates nation-wide to provide a home away from home for cancer patients who need to travel for their treatment. The Lodges are warm, inviting spaces that allow patients and their families to retain their independence while offering them the support and camaraderie of a community. Volunteers are welcomed into the lodges to liven the atmosphere by providing entertainment, planning group activities, improving the facility and grounds, or preparing a meal.
We cooked up a dinner of lasagna and chicken with broccoli and ziti, and meatballs and salad. After we had finished serving, we each grabbed a plate and joined the residents at their tables for conversation.
One of our volunteers sat with a husband and wife who were staying for their second time this year. The Lodge allowed them to be together while she went through her treatments and gave them the opportunity to enjoy local sites like Gloucester and Castle Island. Another volunteer listened to travel stories of brighter days with a woman whose husband was recovering upstairs following a bone marrow transplant. As we were cleaning up, a gentleman approached one of the CST volunteers to thank her for a wonderful dinner and for all that we had done. Seeing how happy the dinner had made him was enough to make her day. In fact, happiness seemed to be felt by the residents and the volunteers alike. There was lots of food and laughter and the residents lingered to chat while we cleaned up—one of the residents even divulged her secret fudge recipes with two volunteers as they loaded dishwashers.
Whether behind the microscope or in the kitchen we were glad to have made a difference in the lives of those impacted by a disease we are all united to combat.
We were privileged to spend an evening with the residents and families of Hope Lodge Boston and we send them our best wishes for strength and healing.
Click here to learn more about how you can get involved in Hope Lodge.
