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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2000)
Walk For Life benefits breast cancer patients Social worker Gretchen Matsuoka (left) talks with Jennette Chase, who will participate in the the annual Walk for Life event on Oct* 14 The walk benefits local women battling breast cancer, providing services like child care and housecleaning. ■ The Willamette Valley Cancer Center and local Soroptimists plan an annual fundraising event in Eugene By Rebecca Newell Oregon Daily Emerald For cancer patient Jennette Chase, mother of five, the Walk For Life fund offered not only financial help, but a support system. “They’ve helped me with sup port, paying the bills along the way, helping me with things we needed when I wasn’t able to work,” Chase said. “The organiza tion is great and it would be a shame if something happened to it, because there are a lot of people who depend on it. They’re right there if you need them.” Local Soroptimists and mem bers of the Willamette Valley Can cer Center gathered Sept. 29 to kick off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Soroptimist International is the world’s largest classified service organization for executive and pro fessional women, with over 100,000 members in 112 countries. Soroptimists have raised over $100,000 to assist local women since founding the walk in 1993. The highlight of the month is the Oct. 14 Walk For Life, the seventh annual fundraiser sponsored by the WVCC and the Eugene, Spring field and Junction City Soroptimist branches. “We sponsor the walk and set up the fund at Sacred Heart,” said Vic ki Simrell, chairwoman for the Walk For Life 2000. “Social work ers administer the fund to women who have been breast cancer or re productive cancer patients and whose insurance doesn’t cover it or other costs of living.” Walk For Life funds are distrib uted to single mothers and women in Lane County who aren’t eligible for the Oregon Health Plan or Med icaid. Funds are distributed as per sonal emergency grants to pay for child care, uninsured medical treatment or grief counseling. The fund also provides rides to treat ment, help with housework and grocery shopping. “The Soroptimists have helped me keep up my health insurance since I’ve been off work,” said Lin da Painter, a cancer patient and former Sacred Heart employee. “Several contributions from the Walk For Life have come directly from Sacred Heart specifically for me. The hospital had a pop and pizza feed to raise money for me after I was first diagnosed.” The three-mile-long walk begins at 10 a.m. at the Eugene Water and Electric Board Oct. 14. The cost is $20 per person and includes the entry fee for the walk and a sweat shirt. “Our goal is to raise $25,000,” Simrell said.’ “We just want everyone there. It’s a real fes tive event. The more walkers, the more festive it is.” Teams of walkers from compa nies or organizations — containing a minimum of five walkers — can participate for $100. Each team re ceives a sign displaying their name for the duration of the walk. Dona tions can be brought to the event or sent to Walk For Life, SI-Eugene, P.O. Box 10664, Eugene, 97440. For more information, call 343 0737. How to keep yoi/jf Sign up for health insuraWl It’s easy - just go to the^ But don’t miss the deadline) And you’ve got insure on our web meeJi: having a cow. d you to do. Remember? * at 13th and Agate, now through Oct. 6th. So check them out -uoshc) 007191 Questions? Call us at 346-3702. Because we (and your parents) don’t want medical bills to stop you from getting your degree. U N I V E RSIT Y HEALTH CENTER We’re a matter of degrees ▲
