Bonney Bence - "State-Of-The-Art-People"

Bonney Bence - Volunteering in the Resource Center at TCCC

On Valentine’s Day I was asked to talk about my journey with the Tri-CitiesCancer Center, which I felt was ironic since it is a subject that is very near and dear to my heart.

My journey began in 2005 when my I brought my mother-in-law, who was in her 90s, to the Cancer Center for radiation treatment. Breast cancer that had been diagnosed and treated 21-years earlier had metastasized to her skeletal system. We will always be grateful for the tender and compassionate way she was cared for by everyone at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center. During that time I became a member of the TCCC Guild, a selfless organization whose only focus is the comfort and well being of the patients. This led me to become a volunteer in the Resource Center and the radiation waiting room, helping patients any way possible. Then (surprise, surprise) in the spring of 2009 I became a patient fighting cancer myself. The diagnosis of cancer is not only a physical diagnosis, but carries an emotional impact that can be overpowering to those experiencing the disease as well as their families and support groups. At the Tri-Cities Cancer Center I was not only treated for the cancer within but very importantly for my emotional well being. I knew about the state-of-the-art equipment being used in my treatment. It didn’t take me long to realize what amazing “state-of-the-art people” were planning, overseeing and administering that treatment. While volunteering, the patients I have the privilege of meeting frequently share with me how thankful they are to be in a facility where they are treated in a very special way, not just as a patient but as a person with individual needs.

Thank you Tri-Cities Cancer Center for being here, giving treatment beyond compare, physically and emotionally, to all of us who have faced and those who are now facing a most devastating diagnosis.

Bonney Bence