Initially beginning with just one person, Cindy’s Fund now has 10 Patient Contacts. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Debbie Workman, Teresa Domenick, Tim Miller, Teresa Harvey and Kathy Skipper. Back: Robin Tasker, Ramona Thomas, Patty Plessinger, Sandy Bell, director, Mitzi Wiltison, Brenda Reckner and Kasey Lambert, patient contact c oordinator.
Initially beginning with just one person, Cindy’s Fund now has 10 Patient Contacts. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Debbie Workman, Teresa Domenick, Tim Miller, Teresa Harvey and Kathy Skipper. Back: Robin Tasker, Ramona Thomas, Patty Plessinger, Sandy Bell, director, Mitzi Wiltison, Brenda Reckner and Kasey Lambert, patient contact c oordinator.
OAKLAND — Cindy’s Fund has continued to grow in the last 20 years, a process needed in order to serve Garrett County people with cancer. The growth can be seen in the number of people served, the amount of money that has been paid in cancer expenses, the number of fundraisers held to meet the demand and the number of volunteers.
When Cindy’s Fund receives a referral of someone needing assistance with their cancer expenses, a patient contact is assigned who gets in touch with them, explaining how Cindy’s Fund can help them.
This patient contact follows them through their treatments, offering options, providing them gas cards, paying expenses and basically holding their hand while providing support and a listening ear.
Initially beginning with only one person, Cindy’s Fund now has 10 patient contacts. The current list includes Debbie Workman, Teresa Domenick, Tim Miller, Teresa Harvey, Kathy Skipper, Robin Tasker, Ramona Thomas, Patty Plessinger, Mitzi Wiltison, Brenda Reckner and Kasey Lambert, patient contact coordinator.
These are hand-picked, reputable people in the community, many of whom have experienced cancer in their own family and realize the importance of having someone the person with cancer can lean on.
“It’s so helpful that we have so many patient contacts since we are continuously receiving requests for assistance,” said Sandy Bell, director of Cindy’s Fund. “We don’t want our people to suffer burnout.”
At the end of 2022, Cindy’s Fund had paid over one million dollars in cancer expenses for over one thousand people. That number continues to climb.
“We have been blessed that there has never been a time when we could not cover all the expenses requested,” Bell said. “We need to consistently hold fundraisers to bring money in so that we can pay it back out. We never know what each person is going to need in assistance. It can be as easy as a few gas cards or thousands of dollars in medical expenses.”
Some of the fundraisers held during the year are the annual Great Strides Walk, the Lip Sync Event, the annual Art Beckman Breakfast and a mailing that takes place in November.
Plans are in the works for a fundraiser in March or April.
Funds are also received by people in the community who hold their own fundraisers and the many donations that come in throughout the year.
“Our community and businesses are amazing in the support they give us,” Bell said. “We couldn’t exist without their support.”
Cindy’s Fund is grateful to have been able to provide services for the past 20 years to so many people. The goal is to continue the mission of “People Helping Garrett County People With Cancer Expenses.”
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