My team
My Story…
This is my first time running the Falmouth Road Race after years of saying "I'll do it next year!". Having grown up visiting my grandmother on Martha's Vineyard and working on the island for many years, the island has always been the most special place for me, and I understand the restorative effects it has on people, especially in times of need. I found Vineyard Havens just a week after my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and my own family retreated to the Vineyard to be with her and each other. To be able to help other families going through this incredibly difficult time find some peace and create lasting, meaningful memories on the Vineyard means a lot to me and my family who understand just how special it is.
Description
A cancer diagnosis, along with its vigorous treatment protocols, can be traumatic for both patients and caregivers. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that as many as 1 in 4 recent cancer patients have PTSD while caregivers can also develop PTSD. According to the ACS, one study found that almost 1 in 5 families with teenage cancer survivors had a parent with PTSD. It is Vineyard Haven’s mission to ease the trauma, isolation and fear of cancer for patients and families by replacing thoughts of cancer with the joy, peace and happiness that comes with a very special week away.
The Jimmy Fund Clinic assesses their current patient-families for a respite week away based on both medical criteria (i.e., ability to travel) as well as “family backstory” which includes financial means, level of trauma (from diagnosis through surgery, treatment, relapse, etc.) and overall desire to “get away from it all.” These families are then referred to Vineyard Havens for intake where we match the family to an amazing beach house and begin to help the family’s dream about their week away on Martha’s Vineyard. For some families, monopoly on the back porch and grilling out on the deck is sheer joy and more than enough.
One teenage boy with relapsed leukemia, a first generation American, had only lived in apartments with a stove - never an oven - so his dream was to bake real chocolate chip cookies in a real oven at the beach house. For others, they want to try everything: fishing, clamming, a sailboat ride at sunset or a biplane ride around the island. But no matter which kind of respite families choose, they all share a few things in common: each family gets a beautiful beach house for the week, professional family beach photos, round trip car ferry tickets, and a refrigerator stocked when they arrive to their vacation home - all paid for by Vineyard Havens.
Recent Donors
| Donation date | Donor name | Donation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 15 | Jeanne DeSanto | $11.75 |
| Jul 25 | The Grubers | $55.35 |
| Jul 15 | Molly Ock | $28.10 |
| Jul 10 | Galina Grinblatas | $55.35 |
| Jul 10 | Elena | $33.55 |
| Jul 10 | James D Sullivan | $68.11 |
| Jul 10 | Anne Bellefeuille | $109.85 |
| Jul 10 | Grace Brown | $28.10 |
| Jul 10 | Sharon and Jeff Zisk | Undisclosed amount |
| Jul 10 | Joseph G | $28.10 |
