Community supports HMH Foundation's work for cancer patients

Three local community organizations recently gave more than $8,400 to the HMH Foundation (HMHF) in support of HMH Cancer Care Center patients. Representatives from Collier Title Company along with organizers of the Tails and Tatas 5K Walk and the Hardin County Schools ‘Pink Out’ joined Foundation board members at their November meeting to present funds raised from their respective initiatives.

“We are humbled and excited that our community understands HMH cancer patients need support,” said Joe Prather, HMHF Board Chairman. “There is no end to the good we can do if our community works together and follows the example of these three groups.”

During the month of October, Collier Title Company chose to donate $50 from each real estate closing they completed to the HMH Cancer Care Center. Collier’s Quin Lynch was on hand at the board meeting to present a check for $2,900 to the board.

“Cancer touches everyone’s lives in some way, so we wanted to do our part to help patients in our community,” said Lynch.

Like Collier Title, the team at Atria Senior Living wanted to lend their support knowing several of their residents received care at the HMH Cancer Care Center.

For the second year, Atria hosted the Tails and Tatas annual 5K walk in October to bring awareness to breast cancer and to give women hope through an event they could enjoy with their families and pets. The event raised $3,000 for HMH cancer care.

Atria Executive Director Cindy Bratcher said while the Tails and Tatas event raises awareness about breast cancer, the proceeds will help fund the new HMH Cancer Care Resource Center, currently under construction at the HMH Cancer Care Center on Robinbrooke Boulevard.

“We want to help make the cancer journey a little less stressful and this resource center can do just that,” said Bratcher. “The center not only will provide valuable information, but also fellowship and hope to cancer patients, their families, friends, caretakers, co-workers and even the general public.”

Along with Bratcher, officials from Hardin County Schools (HCS) presented $2,531 raised in conjunction with the North Hardin High School (NHHS) and Central Hardin High School (CHHS) ‘Pink Out’ football game last month.

The funds came from ticket and T-shirt sales along with various activities at each of the schools.
Everyone was encouraged to wear pink to the annual game, including the football players who wore pink HMH wristbands. During the game information was distributed about breast cancer awareness. Survivors were also recognized including North Hardin High School’s Computer Maintenance Technician Regina Harp. Harp participated in the coin toss along with HMH Cancer Care Center Oncologist Dr. Chandler Park, who is a graduate of NHHS and an HCS Distinguished Alumni.

Tanya Corder, Principal at NHHS; Tim Isaacs, Principal at CHHS; and Diana Jacobi, executive assistant to the superintendent of HCS, were on hand to make the presentation to the HMH Foundation. Jacobi, a breast cancer survivor and HMH cancer care patient, has been instrumental in leading this project for HCS the past two years.

Jacobi called the ‘Pink Out’ a labor of love and said the support faculty, staff, students and their families show is an inspiration.

“It is great to see our HCS community join in the fight against breast cancer and help patients right here in our community at HMH,” said Jacobi. “Their support and the success exemplify our ‘stronger together’ motto this academic year.”

Funds from the HCS ‘Pink Out’ will be used to purchase gas cards for cancer care patients.

Since re-established in 2015, the HMH Foundation has secured more than $3.3 million to improve patient care including $110,000-plus in direct support for HMH Cancer Care Center patients.