FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(GRAND BLANC, MI) “Everyone is touched by cancer in some way; that is why we chose to raise money for cancer programs at Genesys Hurley Cancer Institute (GHCI),” announces Nancy Elledge of Grand Blanc.
She, along with more than 75 seniors from the Grand Blanc Senior Center, pooled their resources, time, creativity and money to host a day of exercise and fun with 100 percent of the proceeds going to GHCI patient programs.
“Every year, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we conduct some type of activity at the center,” Elledge reports. Usually it is on a much smaller scale. We’ll bake pink cupcakes or make signs to support a loved one with cancer. This year, we decided to go much bigger. We hadn’t organized a fundraising benefit before
“We were amazed at the outpouring of support!”
The event included a silent auction for dozens of gift baskets filled with items the senior center participants donated, a raffle for gifts packed inside pink bags, and an hour of exercise, followed by food, refreshments and a check presentation to GHCI for $1,184.38.
These funds will be used to support programs offered free of charge to patients at Genesys Hurley Cancer Institute. Programs and classes include:
- Creative Expression: an art class to relax the mind and have some fun
- Advance Care Planning: a class to help you plan for your future medical care and give you and your family peace of mind
- Beginning yoga and chair yoga
- Cooking with Anne: food demonstration classes designed to help improve nutrition knowledge
- Get it Out: express your thoughts, feelings and life experiences through journaling
- Yoga: to manage stress, pain and fatigue
- Look Good … Feel Better: helps women cope with appearance-related side effects of their cancer and regain their self-confidence
- Lymphatic drain massage: improve flow and drainage by stimulating the lymphatic vessels
- Meditation
- Nutrition and cancer: learn to eat the right kinds of food during treatment to help you feel better and stay strong
- Scrapbooking
Sue Root, director of Quality of Life programs at Genesys Hurley Cancer Institute, was presented with the check, and expressed her thanks to the crowd of some 75 people gathered to support the fundraising event at Grand Blanc Senior Center. “I am so touched by the efforts of the seniors in our community who selflessly chose to help our patients. They devoted countless hours to make this event successful. The check for $1,184.38 will help greatly in Genesys Hurley Cancer Institute efforts to offer a variety of free programs for our patients to help them during their treatment, recovery and healing process.”
The Grand Blanc Senior Center event was free. The money raised came from the raffles and gift bags, and “many people just stopped in to make a cash donation,” Elledge notes. “We were overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people in our community. There are so many good people in the world.”
Elledge and her fundraising team say they are going to do another fundraiser next year for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s going to be even bigger!” she announces.
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