Thursday 13: A Chemo Angels and Senior Angels Update

1.   Since it has been over two years since my last Chemo Angels/Senior Angels update, I decided it’s definitely time for another one.

2.    If you’re not familiar with Chemo Angels and Senior Angels, you can read my long post about them here.  (Other updates are here and here if you’re interested.)  The short version is that they’re programs that match patients undergoing chemotherapy and seniors (both known as buddies) with volunteers (known as card angels or chemo angels) who send them a card or letter at least once a week.  It’s strictly mail-based, and volunteers are matched with buddies based on interests.  I started volunteering with both programs as a card angel in 2019 (I did take about five weeks off right after Hurricane Helene hit), and I absolutely love doing it.

3.    As usual, with this kind of post, the photos are just a random assortment.

4.    Unfortunately, this update includes some sad news, so I will share that first, so we can end on a happier note.  My senior buddy (called Agnes for blogging) passed away in October last year.  I knew it was coming (she was in her 90s and was in hospice care), but I had been writing to her almost since I first signed up.  (I signed up in August of 2019 and started writing to Agnes in November of 2019).  I cried when I got the email and cried again when her daughter sent me a very sweet letter letting me know that she had passed away and saying that she enjoyed my cards right up to the end. 

5.    The other senior buddy I had (called Callie for blogging) also passed away last year.  She had Stage IV cancer, so it wasn’t a surprise, but it was still sad.  Her husband found me on Facebook and sent me a very sweet message. 

6.    I’m sure you’re ready for some happier news in this update, so here’s a happy ending for you.  The teenage boy (called Sam for blogging) who I was writing to the last time I posted an update, finished chemo and is now cancer-free.

7.    Whenever one of your buddies finishes the program for any reason (hopefully for finishing their treatment), they always ask if you want to get back on the list for another assignment.  That works well for me since I usually get a new buddy fairly quickly and can stay in the habit of writing to someone. 

8.    Chemo Angels had a shortage of volunteers last year, so I’ve cycled through a lot of buddies since my last update.  At one point, I got a new buddy just two days after a previous buddy finished the program.

9.    Four of the buddies that I had since my last update have written back to me.  They’re not required to write back, and volunteers are told repeatedly not to expect or ask our buddies to write back, so it always feels really special to get a letter from one of my buddies. 

10. Fortunately, all four of those buddies have finished their treatment and were cancer-free at the end of the treatment.

11. I currently have two relatively new buddies.  We’ll call them Adam and Josie for blogging.  I’ve only been writing to Adam for about six weeks and to Josie for about two weeks. 

12. I had another buddy finish this week, so I’m back on the waiting list for a third buddy.  I seem to stay at three buddies pretty consistently.  (I would be allowed to have more if I wanted to, but more than three gets to be hard for me to keep up with.  I’ve had four before when there’s a real shortage of volunteers, but I prefer to stay at three.) 

As I’ve said before, I learned about Chemo Angels when Bijoux and Betty shared their experiences on their blogs, and I’m so glad they did.  Volunteering with them feels like the perfect fit for me.  Now, though, I am especially grateful to them for sharing their experiences because I have a friend going through chemotherapy, and I told her about Chemo Angels.  She signed up as a recipient and absolutely loves getting her angel mail.  Seeing how much joy it brings her has definitely made me want to continue volunteering with them indefinitely.