A Past Program Carried On
- Oct 4, 2019
- 2 min read
I want to share a discovery with you. I had no idea! While doing some research for our upcoming 75th Anniversary Celebration, I found a connection between Associated Churches and Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana.
Cancer Services' program "Hope in a Handbag" started at Associated Churches in 2007. Our past Executive Director, Rev. Vernon Graham, and his wife, Ellen Graham, started it with their daughter, Kristina. (Read more about Kristina's story below.)
A few years ago, Ellen decided to hand off the baton to Cancer Services and they have found it to be a blessing for those that walk in Kristina's footsteps.
I was shocked to learn that Cancer Services is also celebrating their 75th anniversary. What a coincidence!
In honor of their 75th Anniversary, I would like to say, "Congratulations and thank you for helping individuals and families through the struggle of cancer."
More Information & Links
How to give to Hope in a Handbag
The Beginning of Hope in a Handbag
Kristina Alderdice was a young stay-at-home mom washing dishes when she noticed a nagging pain near her armpit. Her husband urged her to see her doctor.
Her doctor didn’t seem overly concerned, but wanted to do a biopsy anyway. It was cancer and the kind that wouldn’t yield to a simple lumpectomy. Kristina needed to have both breasts and nine lymph nodes removed. She would need both chemotherapy and radiation and wouldn’t be a candidate for reconstruction.
It was a lot to take in. She was rarely sick. The diagnosis was hard to believe.
Kristina and her mother, Ellen, launched Hope in a Handbag with seed money from her father, Rev. Vernon Graham. The inspiration came from a similar program in Connecticut. Each Hope in a Handbag contains items Kristina wished she had after her surgery. Kristina told a friend, “It actually is a way to give back and thank people who were so generous to me. It became a healing thing for me.”
During her ten-year fight against cancer, Kristina inspired and encouraged hundreds of women. The contents of Hope in a Handbag are practical and thoughtful items that all women value after surgery. But even more than that, Hope in a Handbag is a way to let women know that they are not alone and that others who have walked this path are reaching out to provide comfort and hope.
Some versions include different themes and environments Doodle Jump that change the appearance of platforms, enemies, and challenges.
That’s a really meaningful connection between Associated Churches and Cancer Services, and it’s interesting to see how the “Hope in a Handbag” program has continued to make an impact over the years. When I come across stories like this, I usually take a short break afterward to unwind, sometimes just playing the Subway Surfers game for a bit of light entertainment. It’s a simple and relaxing way to reset before getting back to the day.