Haven of Hope Cancer Foundation

 In Honor of Volunteer Month 

Renee, HOH Volunteer

On any given week, you may see Renee in the hallways greeting patients, tidying up and putting out magazines in the waiting rooms, or passing out refreshments and blankets in the chemotherapy infusion room.  Over the past five years Renee has also volunteered in our Community Resource Center and with our Haven programs and fundraisers.

Renee is a former school educator, mother of two, grandmother of one and a 10 year cancer survivor.  After her diagnosis of thymoma cancer, she felt alone and confused.   There were no colorful t-shirts or specific support groups for her type of cancer.  After learning about Haven of Hope in 2007, Renee began participating in several programs such as yoga, walking club and art therapy workshops.  She found the programs to be lifesaving in learning how to live a productive life as a cancer survivor.  Shortly after she learned about volunteering opportunities and felt this would be another way to help herself and hopefully help others living with cancer. 

When she is not participating in Haven programs or volunteering, she is very active with her church serving as an usher and greeter and ministering to the sick and shut-in as a deacon.  She is also a member of two book clubs and loves to write letters and cards by hand “the old fashioned way!”

Five years have gone by quickly and Renee hopes to continue volunteering for Haven of Hope for at least the next five years.  And the Haven of Hope staff does too!