Dear Runners, Supporters and Friends of BWC,
As a nurse in The Gynecologic Oncology Collaborative, I see first-hand the benefits of our partnership with The Baltimore Women’s Classic. Patients come to Mercy Medical Center for our physician expertise, clinical nurse practitioners who help women through their journey of treatment, surgery and recovery, and to receive a level of care that sets Mercy apart from many others. Through our partnership with BWC, we are able to elevate that standard of care to an even higher level, providing our patients services and amenities that meet their everyday needs as they face the challenges of a gynecologic cancer diagnosis.
Through our partnership with The Baltimore Women’s Classic, a comfort bag is given to each patient while receiving chemotherapy. The canvas tote offers patients many essential items they will need during chemotherapy sessions. The bag includes a cozy fleece blanket to keep her warm during her treatments, an anti-microbial water bottle to keep her hydrated and healthy, as well as hand sanitizer to keep her germ-free. The BWC tote also includes a note pad to journal words of hope, track important information or record instructions that may be pertinent to her cure plan and progress. The comfort bag is a tangible reminder to patients that they are not alone in their treatment process.
In addition to the comfort bags, Mercy patients often receive assistance with their daily chores and responsibilities from the Race proceeds. Our patients are extremely appreciative of BWC volunteers who offer a willing hand to help with a load of laundry or those who provide child care during a treatment session. Handling grocery shopping or providing a family meal is often a treat for any working mother, but for a cancer patient these are unspeakable gestures of kindness. BWC helps reduce the daily stresses of life and allows the patient to focus on her recovery.
On behalf of our physicians, nurses, staff and, most importantly, our patients, I want to extend my personal thanks to BWC for the many contributions they make. I believe that, together, The Gynecologic Oncology Collaborative and The Baltimore Women’s Classic give women hope in the fight to conquer cancer.
Sincerely,
Teresa Rowley, R.N.
Gynecologic Oncology Center at Mercy
