The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) Central Valley chapter donated eight boxes of blankets and “well packages” to Doctors Medical Center oncology patients earlier this month. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society provided the blankets in partnership with the Subaru Loves to Care initiative and Subaru of Modesto.
The blankets are useful and appreciated because, although it may be hot outside, cancer patients can get very cold during treatments. Since chemotherapy sessions can last from one hour to several hours, blankets can ease patient discomfort during that time as they often get cold and cannot be mobile during the session. Additionally, the blankets are visually supportive – not only because they represent comfort in rooms that are clinical in style, but because the donations let the patient know that there are people who care about them, even if they don’t know them personally.
DMC Cancer Care includes a 25-bed inpatient oncology unit, as well as an eight-chair outpatient treatment center on the unit and is accredited as a Commission on Cancer-approved program by the American College of Surgeons. DMC’s Cancer Care has a multidisciplinary team that includes oncology-certified registered nurses endorsed by the National Oncology Nursing Society to coordinate available treatment options and Nurse Navigators, who understand the healthcare system, provide information and education, coordinate tests and services, help with medical team communication and connects patient families to local resources, support services, and much more. DMC also participates in a cancer registry that collects data on cancer type, stage, and treatment results – with lifelong patient follow-up – and provides educational programs on cancer prevention and early detection.
During June, Subaru and its retailers partnered with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and local hospital cancer treatment centers, like DMC, to give warm blankets and encouraging messages of hope written by retailers and Subaru customers in its stores to support patients facing cancer. For those who donate to LLS in June, Subaru will match the donation dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000, according to the Subaru Loves to Care website. Donations that are eligible for matching can be made at lls.org/Subaru.
Doctors Medical Center, part of the Central Valley Doctors Health System, is the largest full-care hospital between Stockton and Fresno, and from the Sierras to the San Francisco Bay Area, with a 394-bed general acute care and a 67-bed inpatient psychiatric capacity. Doctors Medical Center offers a wide range of services including cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, emergency and trauma services, minimally-invasive and robotic surgery, women and children’s services, medical/surgical, behavioral health, oncology and critical/intensive care.
