This yr will mark the seventh yr that Laura MacArthur, of Suffolk, NY, has attended Most cancersCare‘s Lung Most cancers Stroll for Hope. “Yearly after I go, I really feel humbled,” she says. “It jogs my memory how grateful I’m that I had a spot to go after I wanted assist.”
Laura first got here to Most cancersCare for counseling with an oncology social employee after her mom, a non-smoker, handed away from lung most cancers at age 61.
Everybody copes with loss otherwise. Whereas a few of Laura’s members of the family didn’t wish to discuss concerning the expertise, Laura knew she wanted to course of her grief out loud.
“As a result of she was so younger, I used to be so offended,” Laura remembers. “And I wished to know – did I do every part I may?”
Talking with an oncology social employee as soon as every week helped Laura work via the questions and feelings that arose after her mom handed away. It additionally launched her to Most cancersCare’s community of assist companies – together with particular person counseling, assist teams, academic sources, monetary help and group occasions.
“I actually couldn’t consider all of the applications you guys supply,” she says. “I inform individuals, ‘I hope you by no means have to make use of these companies however if you happen to do, the individuals at Most cancersCare are superb.’”
Now in its fifteenth yr, Most cancersCare’s Lung Most cancers Stroll for Hope brings collectively lots of of Lengthy Island residents to stroll in reminiscence of family members misplaced to lung most cancers, honor survivors and assist those that are at present going through a lung most cancers analysis.
Funds raised on the occasion assist Most cancersCare’s Lung Most cancers Assist Program, the one ongoing program on Lengthy Island offering free counseling to sufferers, family members and caregivers affected by lung most cancers.
For Laura, the occasion is each a strategy to replicate on her previous and to assist others sooner or later.
“I stroll to honor my mother and father who each died due to lung most cancers. I stroll to boost cash for people or households to have the assist they want, to have the ability to discuss to somebody and vent or ask questions. Most cancersCare was there for me after I wanted to speak. I hope the cash I’m able to increase will assist another person in want.”
Study extra about Most cancersCare‘s Lung Most cancers Program.