The Clearfield Progress By Dianne Byers Apr 18, 2017
CURWENSVILLE — A local group is raising funds to help cancer patients pay expenses not covered by their health insurance.
The Clearfield County Cancer Support Inc. group is a 501©3 non-profit volunteer group, started by Mike and Sonya Green of Curwensville. The couple said they got the idea for a group to raise funds to assist cancer patients when Sonya Green was recovering from stage 2 breast cancer. “I found through personal experience that even though I had good health insurance I had a lot of expenses that were not covered by insurance. Receiving (cancer) treatment is challenging enough. In many cases even when people do have health insurance, they aren’t able to work because they don’t feel well enough as a side effect of their treatment yet they still need funds for gasoline to get to appointments, rent, lights and food – all things that are not covered by health insurance,” Sonya Green said.
The couple said the group will accept applications from patients from the Hahne Cancer Center, DuBois or the Nathaniel D. Yingling Cancer Center, Clearfield. “We are currently not yet dispersing funds. We believe we will be ready to do that later this year but we want people to know all funds raised will stay in Clearfield County,” Sonya Green said. “Receiving funds is not income-based. Income is irrelevant,” Mike Green said.
The group meets on the third Monday at 6 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Curwensville. New members are welcome.
To raise money the group is sponsoring an inaugural 5K Run/Walk May 20 beginning at the Curwensville Community Center. Last minute registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with the race to begin at 8 a.m.
The registration fee for those age 13 and older that register by Monday is $20 each and includes a t-shirt. Those who register after Monday will be charged $25 and will not be guaranteed a t-shirt. Children age 12 or younger can participate for a $15 fee if they want a t-shirt or $5 each if they don’t.
For additional information contact the group at sonyag2@atlanticbb.net or by calling 577-0577. The group also has a Facebook page and a Go Fund Me account. All donations to the group are tax deductible. It will also be participating at Curwensville Lake Recreation Area’s Dog Day April 29.
