Winner Update: Bettie Jane Cancer Foundation

We started as I said back in 2011 and we were able to only help a few patients. We were up to 25 applicants this year. We had approximately $30,000 in aid that we’ve given out to people, and some of the things that we’ve done from age 2 to 90, that’s kind of the impact we have. We don’t have any limitations on age. All of our patients are either in the Frederick County area, Washington County, or Allegany County, and having treatments in this area. And we’ve been very fortunate to touch them in many ways. I mentioned the last time we have a two-year-old who luckily is cancer free, but from the treatments, her hearing was impaired. So we bought hearing aids, and if any of you have had anybody wear hearing aids, they’re very expensive, so we’ll continue to help her as she grows. Our oldest applicant was about 90, and she needed a ride to her treatments, and Miss Bettie Jane here actually gave her a ride in her own car a couple of times. We provide gas cards. We provide co-pays. Any kind of medical expenses. You name it. We’ve done it. Utilities, gas cards. We’ve helped travel to Mayo Clinic. Some different things that we’ve done to help are, yeah, wigs. You don’t want to be worried about your finances. You have enough stress in your life, and so by helping people with grocery cards, we usually do a certain amount per member in the family. We’ll do gas cards. We’ve had even childcare. We had one of our applicants that was going to John Hopkins for a treatment. She had three little ones, three boys, and they were very active boys but to have somebody to take care of them. She wasn’t able to work, so her income was down, and so we helped them with that daycare and also providing gas cards and co-pays. Our impact in our community is that we’re helping people that have needs.