We Appreciate Our Volunteers

We Appreciate Our Volunteers

Bag It Volunteers

Volunteers are the heart and soul of Bag It’s team. Our volunteers include cancer survivors, their families, their friends, and a number of others in the community who have big hearts and a willingness to support individuals diagnosed with cancer.

We’ve highlighted below a few of our fabulous volunteers.

Anne
Believing in the Bag It mission was the main reason Anne joined Bag It in 2004. From helping with miscellaneous office jobs, mini projects, inventory, taking on the role of the hike registration coordinator, a Bag It Ambassador at community events, and helping Bag It spread their awesome work in the community, we can honestly say she has done it ALL – Anne has given so unselfishly of her time and talents to us which we greatly appreciate! While volunteering her time through the years, she can’t name just one favorite experience although she has made strong friendships with staff and others that are also involved with Bag It and those friendships have been life changing!

THANK YOU ANNE FOR ALL THE TIME YOU HAVE GIVEN!
Aunt B
Aunt B started with Bag It in 2019 and already has donated over 50 chemo caps! She chose to give her time to Bag It because she believed her knitting talent was given to her in order for her to use it to bless others. Knitting and crocheting caps for Bag It to send out with the bags during the winter months allows her to volunteer her time when it is convenient for her. Her favorite volunteer experience has been seeing the faces of the various staff members light up when they look through the chemo caps that she has made.  Since creating various hats of colors and patterns Aunt B has created her own original pattern called the Peppermint Twist – you guessed it – it looks just like candy!

THANK YOU AUNT B FOR SHARING YOUR TALENTS!
Donn & Andy
Back in 2016 Andy & Donn reached out to Bag It to let us know what an important part we were in Andy’s cancer journey and inquired how they could give back part of what the Bag It bag gave to them. They attended the 2016 Take a Hike for Bag It and have been very busy helping Bag It ever since! They have enjoyed getting to know other volunteers and helping newly diagnosed scared patients who are looking for help. They have been willing to share their story and explain to others how they used the Bag It bag. Knowing that they can help others, see the little bit of apprehension and fear leave them and the comfort when they realize they are not alone in what they are facing has been a wonderful gift to them, Bag It, and many others.

THANK YOU ANDY & DONN FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO GIVE BACK!
Joan
Joan doesn’t recall when she actually started volunteering but believes it was back at the 2012 Take a Hike for Bag It, however she does recall she chose Bag It – because it is a worthwhile cause and she has lost loved ones to cancer. Volunteering for the hike and working with the registration team has been her number one volunteering event. Joan has worked as a hospice nurse and understands the impact Bag It has  to patients and family members. She believes in giving to the community and helping others in need and Bag It has been the beneficiary of that!

THANK YOU JOAN FOR BELIEVING IN BAG IT!
Michelle
Like many of us when a close friend, co worker or family member asks for your help – you are eager to lend a helping hand. So for Michelle it all began back in 2016 – when a friend asked and she said yes! While Michelle has been part of the Registration team at the Take A Hike for Bag It she has been willing to help with other miscellaneous projects. She likes all aspects of giving her time to Bag It and believes her time volunteering has made her a better person.

THANK YOU MICHELLE FOR SAYING YES!
Natalie
Natalie has been a consistent hike volunteer since 2014 – well actually that is her best guess – funny how time flies when you are helping others!  She has continued helping Bag It because she understands that it is a great cause and provides an invaluable service for those impacted by cancer. Trail sitting has been her main focus during the hike although a few years back she began taking photos of the hikers and WOW- has she captured some great photos of our hikers with the scenic mountain backdrop. Natalie loves knowing that giving a small amount of her time can help a lot of people.

THANK YOU NATALIE FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO TAKE A HIKE FOR BAG IT!
Sandra
One never knows where a parent/teacher friendship will lead you…for Sandra that is where it all began. Back in 2003 Sandra began volunteering with Bag It to help out her daughter’s teacher. Sandra was one of the first group of volunteers to assemble the first version of the Bag It bag in Sherri’s home. Fast forward and she still is actively involved because it has been extremely rewarding knowing how many people Bag It has helped. She has given her time with Bag It by doing many projects however, one of her favorites is when she volunteers at a health fair. This gives her the opportunity to meet so many people, and hear their stories. She finds it so rewarding to be able to tell them about the Bag It binder or listen to how they are already using it. Sandra states-I think volunteering is so important. It makes me feel like I am making a difference in someone else’s life, not just mine. I love volunteering for Bag It. It is my passion, and I hope to continue to do so for many more years.

THANK YOU SANDRA FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT!
Stan & Heather
Stan and Heather joined the Phoenix group of volunteers back in 2015, they became involved because they understood what a significant resource Bag It was for empowering folks to participate in their treatment. We are very appreciative of their willingness to help share Bag It as it allows us to attend many more Phoenix health & wellness fairs and other opportunities where we would not be able to send a staff member. They have met many cancer survivors, and many Bag It users who have shared many praises of the bag. Stan and Heather do a lot of volunteer work and feel volunteering has enriched their lifestyle.

THANK YOU STAN & HEATHER FOR SHARING BAG IT IN PHOENIX!

Beacon Group Assembles Bag It Bags

Beacon Group Assembles Bag It Bags

Written by Beacon Group…

For the last eight years, Beacon Group has assembled bags for Bag It, one of the country’s leading resource centers for cancer recovery that provides resources, tools, and services for patients, caregivers and advocates. The resource bags that Beacon puts together include a wide variety of materials that need to be collated, inserted and packaged in a specific way.

Beacon assembles over 8,000 bags per year, and that number is expected to grow as Bag It expands distribution across the country.   Teamwork was a big part of the process, especially when major changes for Bag It’s organization required production adjustments for a new bag design.  Flexibility and communication strengths from both sides contribute to the success of the arrangement.   Bag It’s executive director, Mindy Griffith, explains ”I like the idea that we are supporting individuals with disabilities of course.  But your service is phenomenal!  If we have questions, they are answered quickly.  If there are problems, they are taken care of.”

Read more…

Surviving, Thriving, & Empowering Others: Sherri’s Story

Surviving, Thriving, & Empowering Others: Sherri’s Story

Mindy Griffith and Sherri Romanoski from Bag It

Mindy Griffith and Sherri Romanoski from Bag It

By: Lori McNeill, Arizona Oncology

Sherri’s Story

“I was shocked.” This, perhaps not surprisingly, was Sherri Romanoski’s response to being told back in 2000, at the age of 48, that she had breast cancer.

“I was shocked.”

“It hit me hard. I was full of fear,” said Sherri.

Along with that fear can sometimes come a sense of powerlessness—how do I combat a disease I don’t fully understand?—and a lot of questions. What’s my cancer treatment plan? How long will it take? What can I do outside of the doctor’s appointments right now to help make a positive difference? How do I tell my family? What do I share, if anything, at work? What do I do about side effects? How am I going to pay for all these medications?

Read more . . .

Hope Helpers: Bag It

Hope Helpers: Bag It

Bag It is proud to be recognized in a new blog post by the Cancer Hope Network. Check out their blog post about our newly updated Bag It resources and exciting things to come.

Bag It has just released the newest version of our Bag It Bag, which features updated booklets, and all-new resourced titled Paths to Survivorship, and a new My Companion Guidebook with updated tools and strategies for organizing your information. Be sure to checkout our new Bag It resources. 

All-new Bag It resources