Never one to resist hard work, Robert Kohl had been a truck driver and a welder by trade. After retiring, he worked another ten years delivering product for Nolts Auto Parts in Lancaster before a cancer diagnosis sidelined him.

Like so many, Robert was having some problems but didn’t go to the doctor as soon as he should have. When he did it was weeks, many tests and a lot of poking and prodding later when he finally learned of the bladder cancer. Surgery was followed by 24 radiation treatments only to learn a month later that the cancer had spread.

For three months Lydia Otero had been heating hot water to wash her hair and bathe. Most times, it took her hours just to wash her hair. Referred to us by a Wellspan social worker, Lydia applied for support and when our evaluation committee heard of her broken hot water heater, Vickies Angel Foundation was determined to set things right.

The whining is ramping up.

You’ve heard it, right?

“My sister got her stimulus check, but I didn’t.”

“Why can people fish but I can’t play golf?”

“Why can’t small shops open and let in 10 people at a time?”

I understand. It’s getting old being cramped up all day long.

So, let me tell you about the Fessenden family. After hearing their story, maybe you’ll feel a bit better about your situation.

I “met” Johanna Fessenden sometime in the past year. It wasn’t really a meeting, but a long phone call. Occasionally I write short articles for Vickie’s Angels, a charity that helps people with cancer pay their bills.

By Nancy Eshelman

Hearing a cancer diagnosis is like throwing a rock in a pond. The ripples spread, touching everyone and everything in life.

For a caregiver, it can feel like a tsunami.

Jay and Johanna Fessenden have been living with Jay’s cancer diagnosis for eight years. Jay, who is 39, has undergone several surgeries. As a result, he’s become disabled and suffers seizures that must be treated immediately with medication.

For Johanna, 37, that means sticking close to home.

My cousin and I formed a team thirteen years ago named “Scrap Happy Angels”. So far we have been able to raise over $45,337.00 for this wonderful Foundation. We came up with the team name since we are both avid scrapbookers. We decided to have a scrapbook day named “Scrap Happy Angel Crop” each year with the monies being donated to the Angel Walk. We contacted all our fellow scrapbookers and were able to raise approximately $700 the first year of our event.

Vicky and I both lost our mothers in 1998 due to cancer. Each of us was fortunate enough to be able to give our mothers the best of care without having to worry about how to pay for the many services needed. We are also both lucky to have a very dear aunt who treated both of us as her own daughters. About seven years ago our aunt became very ill and it was then that we found out she also had cancer.

We are so glad to have given more than 70 gifts to 32 families affected by cancer. Special thanks to gift donors from Select Medical, The Medicine Shoppe, McKonly & Asbury, LLP and our wonderful volunteers and staff. Thank you all for helping us make the holidays brighter for these families!