
Dear Friends of CPS –
Happy August! I hope you have been able to experience joy this summer.
The idea of joy has become a bit of an obsession with me. (Just ask my staff and board members. I even have it written on the wall above my desk!) I have been talking a lot about how Cancer Patient Services can help our clients and families restore joy after a cancer diagnosis. I will admit joy is not something you would normally associate with a cancer. Cancer is scary and messy. We know that. But our goal here at CPS is to help cancer patients and families navigate their cancer journey, reduce stress, and give them opportunities to restore some joy. It is indeed a pretty lofty goal. But I believe that every person deserves to experience joy in their lives.
I like this quote by Henry Nouwen:
“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”
I think the reason I like this quote so much is because it suggests making joy a choice. We can choose to find joy, to see joy, to be joyful. But that is hard when you are faced with a life changing diagnosis of cancer. The programs and services offered by Cancer Patient Services makes it a little easier for your friends and family diagnosed with cancer to find a little joy.
August is a joyful month for Cancer Patient Services. We are celebrating our 71st anniversary. Seventy-one years of providing comfort and support to local cancer patients. As an independent nonprofit, we cannot provide our services without support from wonderful people like you! As friends of CPS, we want to include you in our celebration.
Anniversaries are joyful occasions usually filled with celebrations and sweet treats. We have some fun surprises coming up in the next month, culminating with a special birthday event on August 31st. Keep track of our fun on Facebook and in your inbox. You don’t want to miss out!
In the meantime, I challenge you to find a little joy in your daily journey. Enjoy some ice cream. Enjoy a day at the beach. Spit some watermelon seeds! I would love to see pictures of you finding joy this summer, so please share them with me!
Joyfully yours,
Carol