‘Provide HOPE, education, encouragement, support, inspiration’
Vangie Rich is the executive director at R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation and the Bloch Cancer Hotline, which is the oldest cancer hotline in the nation.
“Speaking to newly diagnosed people and caregivers each day is my inspiration. I can ease their cancer journey through information, emotional support, connecting them with a survivor of their type of cancer, and especially making them laugh. At times, it's sad, but most often I leave here feeling wonderful about helping others. The Blochs created something wonderful.
“The Bloch Cancer Foundation started National Cancer Survivor Day (now in over 700 cities worldwide) and have hosted the KC celebration for 30 years. We’ve also built cancer survivor parks and provide services to newly diagnosed patients and caregivers. Annette Bloch has provided funds for development of cancer treatments centers in the KC area, but our most important program is the cancer hotline where a newly diagnosed person can speak with a survivor of their type of cancer, get info on financial assistance and cancer-specific information.
“We have over 500 cancer survivor volunteers who make the survivor, patient or caregiver calls for us. They have survived one or more cancers. We also have access to the mentors from other cancer hotlines. We hotlines want to find the right match for the caller.
“My first call, 17 years ago, came after hours. Somehow, she knew my son through a friend of a friend. She was German and had been visiting or studying at KU. She had a very aggressive breast cancer with metastasis to her liver, and the doctors in Germany had not offered any hope. The drug she needed for a remission was not yet approved in Germany or the U.S. I did research for her and found that the drug was being released by the FDA for use here, but not for a month or so. She had a cousin in San Diego who is a doctor. He took my information and contacted the pharmaceutical company and arranged to pick up the drug the day it was released, and he was flying to Germany to a doctor there who was doing a study on this drug. In the meantime, her doctors were giving her chemo and radiation to hold back the cancer. It was a valiant effort on everyone’s part to help her. She was so young and so enthusiastic and so hopeful. She sent me a postcard thanking me for giving her hope again. I am reading it now. I’ve kept it all these years to remind me of her. I am sorry to say that the drug came too late for her. I don’t think I’ll ever part with this card.
“There are so many stories. We are saddened at the discrepancy in care per state, income levels and ethnicities. We cheer them on, we make them smile or laugh, we pray for them, and we weep for them. They are not just a voice at the other end; they are a person who is frightened and feeling adrift. They are reaching out for something positive.”
Vangie’s six words to describe her work with cancer patients and caregivers are “Provide HOPE, education, encouragement, support, inspiration” Share your six words here.
Vangie’s words, which were shared digitally through Tell KC, have been lightly edited for clarity.
As part of a local reporting project around the upcoming Ken Burns documentary series, Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, KCPT presents Cancer in KC.
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