Light a Candle Helps Ease Stress for Cancer Patients
On the second floor of Gritman Medical Center, the Cancer Resource Center houses a variety of wigs, prostheses, educational materials, and other resources for recipients of the Gritman Foundation’s Light a Candle program.
The Gritman Foundation Cancer Resource Center, located on the second floor of Gritman Medical Center
Light a Candle was established in 2012 as a program designed to help cancer patients on the Palouse by providing various resources for everyday needs to help ease the pressure that comes with facing a cancer diagnosis. Designed to ease some of the burdens that come with cancer, Light a Candle helps with services like grocery assistance, wigs, massage therapy and gas cards.
Patients who have been diagnosed with cancer, are in active treatment, and have a physician referral are eligible for the program.
When referrals are sent over by providers or submitted online, they are first received by Administrative Assistant Millie Ensley, who organizes them and prepares the initial paperwork.
On average, there are close to 80 Light a Candle Recipients at any given time on the Palouse and beyond.
Every Wednesday morning, volunteer Jim Matuska picks up recipient case files from Millie before settling at his desk in the Gritman Foundation’s Cancer Resource Center, where he personally reaches out to each Light a Candle program recipient to learn about their needs.
“Everything is on a case-by-case basis,” Jim said. “I let them know that people do care. There’s resources out there.”
Jim acts as an empathetic guide by using his mental health and psychology background to get to know patients and help them explore their options. He starts his conversations with open-ended questions to figure out where they might need support.
“I ask patients, ‘What do you want to do today? What is stopping you from being able to do it? What if we could help you make it happen?’” he said.
The Cancer Resource Center contains a variety of wigs and hairpieces.
His goal is to support patients and help them come up with a plan, so they can come away from the conversation feeling more empowered while facing cancer.
After speaking with Jim over the phone, many patients meet with him in person at Gritman’s Cancer Resource Center, where they have access to a variety of resources, including free medical supplies, three-day food bags, prostheses, hair pieces, head coverings and informative pamphlets for specific kinds of cancer.
As wigs are donated to the Light a Candle program, Gritman volunteers brush and style them before they are put on display, ensuring that they are ready for daily wear.
Millie often accompanies patients to the Cancer Resource Center’s wig room, where she helps them try on and test hair pieces in a variety of colors and styles. Light a Candle program recipients are able to take home up to two wigs or hairpieces of their choice for no cost.
Most Light a Candle participants receive gas and grocery assistance in the form of gift cards, which program administrators say are the two most requested services.
“When I talk with recipients, they are so grateful even for just the little things,” Millie said. “We provide support for mundane, everyday needs that helps alleviate some of the stress.”
The Light a Candle program has also been able to provide recipients with transportation and places to stay for appointments and treatment away from home.
For patients in rural communities, Jim coordinates with local fire departments to find drivers to get patients to and from appointments. In one case, Jim was able to help a patient purchase new tires through the program.
Jim keeps a book of resources for commonly requested services that he updates consistently. If a request falls outside of the Light a Candle program’s scope, he does his best to guide patients in the right direction.
The Light a Candle program is made possible through the generous financial gifts by individuals and businesses in our communities. Money raised from the Gritman Foundation’s signature Pink Tea and Pink Cocktail event helps fund the program and support breast cancer screening, detection and treatment for patients across our region.
For more information, contact lightacandle@gritman.org or 208-883-5520.
Visit gritman.org/give to support the Light a Candle program. Your support is greatly appreciated and vital to improving quality of life for cancer patients in our community.
For patients who would like to request assistance, Light a Candle has a simple, one-page form, available for download at gritman.org/lightacandle. More information is available by contacting lightacandle@gritman.org or 208-883-5520.
