ACS programs, services available in Ritzville area

The American Cancer Society (ACS) continues to serve Ritzville and the surrounding areas by providing a variety of programs and services to individuals battling cancer or who have previously been diagnosed with cancer.

Out of all of the programs, one of the more popular services is the Look Good… Feel Better program that helps women cancer patients with beauty techniques. It is for women who are in active treatment and helps them to overcome the appearance-related effects of cancer therapy.

The Look Good… Feel Better program is offered in Moses Lake twice a month and monthly in Spokane. It provides wigs, scarves and accessories, as well as teaching women how to apply their makeup during treatment.

Reach to Recovery is a one-on-one contact service for breast cancer patients that allows them to receive information and support from ACS volunteers. All of the volunteers in the Reach to Recovery program are breast cancer survivors who serve as role models and have continued to live productive lives.

The Road to Recovery program is a service that volunteers drive patients to hospital visits, treatment appointments and check-ups dealing with their recovery. Volunteers typically receive a gas card to help accommodate for the mileage, but it allows patients a healthy and comforting way to get to and from appointments.

The Lodging Program provides patients with places to stay when their trip for treatment is greater than 90 miles, round trip. Lodging Programs have been established in Wenatchee, Tri Cities, Portland, Seattle and many more locations.

Camp Goodtimes-East is a program geared specifically to children with cancer and to provide them with opportunities that every child deserves to have. The camp is weeklong and allows those children who are diagnosed with cancer, or with a history of cancer, to just be kids. The camp is no cost to the children or their family and even allows the camper to bring along a friend or a sibling for support.

ACS offers college scholarships for individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer previous to their high school graduation. Scholarship awards are up to $2,500 per year with a maximum grant of $10,000.

The Cancer Survivors Network (CSN) addresses the diverse needs of cancer, including newly diagnosed survivors, survivors in recurrence, long-term survivors and caregivers. The CSN offers a wide selection of topics on coping with cancer. The CSN can be reached by phone at 1-877-333-HOPE, or by visiting the ACS website.

Patients should also remember that there are services offered 24 hours a day either by calling 1-800-ACS-2345 or visiting the ACS website, http://www.cancer.org. A live Cancer Information Specialist is available by phone at anytime and the website helps to list information on local resources, programs, services, advocacy issues, research and events in the area.

ACS remains active in the Ritzville community and is currently planning the Relay For Life of Ritzville event set for July 13-14 at the Ritzville High School track.

For more information about the Relay For Life event, contact Jen Kronvall at 509-242-8303 or by e-mail at [email protected].