A staff member was visiting with clients in our clothing bank last month when one of them, Jenny, pulled her aside. She has been battling cancer for over a year and her treatments are intrusive and intensely painful. Jenny is the mother of two young children and she wants to live long enough to see them grown and settled. Because of her illness, she has had to quit her job. Her husband’s wages pay the rent but hers had covered most of the utilities, food, and the needs of her children. At our clothing bank, Jenny is able to find what they need for school but they have become accustomed to doing without the extras.
This particular day had not been an especially good one for Jenny. She had left the oncologist’s office earlier that morning with the news that she would need to resume the difficult treatments. “I don’t know how I can go through that again,” Jenny said, “but I have to.” In her hands, she clutched a pair of colorful sandals and a matching sweater. “I found these today,” she said, a smile lighting up her worried face. “My children will be so happy to see me wearing these. They tell me that when I look pretty they forget that I am sick. This will help them when I tell them I have to have the treatments again.”
Because of you, our clients are experiencing better days. Even if this is simply by way of pretty shoes and a lovely sweater.