By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Editor
Next month marks another important milestone for Washington Park resident Joyce Jones.
She’ll celebrate her 17th anniversary as a survivor of stage-three breast cancer.
After her diagnosis, Jones underwent a modified radical mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Jones said she couldn’t have asked for better medical treatment, but she added that there was much more to her healing process.
“I had wonderful medical care in Beaufort County. I don’t think it would have been better had I gone to Johns Hopkins or the Mayo Clinic,” Jones said. “The rest of my story I call the ‘gifts of love.’ I had wonderful support from a loving family and friends, the church and mere acquaintances. You should never underestimate the healing power of a smile, a hug, a prayer, a ‘God bless you’ or friends to be with you for a radiation treatment.”
Jones also gives credit to the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center in Washington and its staff for what she calls their “gifts of love” programs.
Tonight’s Shaggin’ for a Cause fundraiser benefits the Shepard Cancer Foundation and allows the facility to offer free support programs to cancer patients, cancer survivors and their caregivers, according to Jones.
“This is the signature event to help the cancer center continue with their programs,” she said. “The people there are wonderful. They see that a person is not just a body, but a heart and a soul. It makes you feel loved, it makes you feel cared for.”
Those programs offered by the center run the gamut from restorative yoga and meditation emphasizing relaxation for the body, mind and spirit to Shepard’s Paws, a new therapy that allows patients to visit with Kasey, a trained dog owned by Lalla Sidbury, herself a cancer survivor.
“They visit the chemo bays every month to interact with patients,” Jones said. “Pet interaction has been proven to help improve people’s health and well-being.”
Another program, “Look Good, Feel Good,” addresses the most basic of needs encountered by many cancer patients.
“That program is for adult females coping with the side effects of chemotherapy and/or radiation,” Jones said. “It’s a hoot! It’s a lot of fun to get together with other ladies who are going through the same things. We all know ladies feel better when they look better.”
The cancer center also offers complimentary therapeutic massages, and several support groups have been organized, for cancer patients and their loved ones.
“I had so much good support when I was diagnosed, I felt like I didn’t need to join a support group,” Jones recalled. “But I decided to visit one, and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. Interaction with those people who have the same feelings and fears is very liberating.”
Because the center’s programs are free, the money raised by Shaggin’ for a Cause is especially important, according to Pam Shadle, director of marketing, public relations and development with Beaufort County Medical Center.
“The nurses who care for the cancer patients came up with the idea,” Shadle said. “They start planning it about six or seven months in advance. It is their event. The first year it raised $32,000.”
Funds raised by the event also support the patient-assistance program, Shadle added.
“A cancer diagnosis is a huge financial burden,” she said. “The patient-assistance program helps pay for such costs as medications and transportation to and from therapy. A lot of folks don’t have the means and don’t have insurance.”
Tonight’s fundraiser will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Washington Civic Center. The cost is $25 per person, which includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and dancing to the music of the Craig Woolard Band.
Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance at the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center, Lifestyles Medical Fitness Center, Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce, Washington Visitor Center and the Beaufort County Medical Center Coffee Shoppe.