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Transcript

The Cancer Hope Network · Planet New Jersey

0:16
In place to be planning
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New Jersey.
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Welcome everybody to Planet New Jersey. I'm tell
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your host down this trip through the Garden
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State Parkway time and space. Joining me as
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always are my awesome c,
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Casey Sc and Randy Stevens.
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And today, we are going to be joined
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by Beth Blake of the cancer Hope network.
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We're gonna get started with an ice breaker,
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And if... This is a simple 1, very
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New Jersey based. What's your favorite boardwalk walking
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game or maybe you have some memories of
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playing these things?
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Beth go ahead. First of all, we wanna
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have everybody hear your voice for our audio
0:55
only audience. So why don't you start?
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Excellent. Thank you so much for having me.
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I appreciate it. It's our pleasure for sure.
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I am a Jersey girl. I was born
1:04
here. And went to school here and have
1:06
it left. So I have a lot of
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favorites,
1:08
but I think
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embarrassing enough the claw game her
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so embarrassing, but I love the claw game.
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My daughter is addicted to those. Like, everywhere
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we should we go. She's gotta do it.
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She's decent it, which really annoys me. Because
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it means no matter what. She's walking away
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with some kind of a toy.
1:30
Well, my my son did that 1 year,
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we played the claw game, and I think
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we ended up spending about 250
1:36
dollars or some 5 dollar something like way
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over on Amazon. So, you know, it happens.
1:42
And then they really do put, like, crazy
1:44
expensive things in there sometimes. And you just
1:46
know. There's no chance in hell. You're gonna
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pick up a your 10 switch
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That's the thing you might you have to
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have hope.
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Exactly. You never you never know. There there
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is this... I heard on Npr behavioral
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economics where if you think that's yours.
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Even though it's 5 dollars, and you end
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up spending 200 dollars for it. It becomes
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rational at that point because you really have
2:11
ownership on it. 500 percent think. I was
2:14
gonna say at that point, it's the sunk
2:15
cost fallacy. Like, if you don't if you
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don't actually get the thing, then you've put
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that money in for nothing, and and I'm
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it's hard to just walk away. I think
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the easiest 1 to when. I remember... I'm...
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I'm going back to dating days here Event.
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Maybe you can recall is when you, like,
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shoot the water into, like, the clowns mouth
2:31
off the box.
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Up. Yeah. I love Have won plenty of
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those and, you know,
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There's this chuck e cheese we go to,
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and they have it, and it's 2 of
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them, and I'll do 1 and my daughter
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will do the other, and 1 of them
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is like, half broken
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I always make sure to take that 1,
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and she talks like crazy smack when she
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does it. It should be like.
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Just like...
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I let you win that
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That's fabulous. I love it. How much you
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Casey?
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So you know the game where you... There's,
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like, a frog and you would hit this
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Lily play thing. And Up a Lily, we
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would play at Hershey park, and I swear
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that they would
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speed it up. I felt like, I'm sure
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it was just my poor marks shi, but
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I would hit that frog, and I'd be
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watching it because I'd be fairly obsessed with
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this. And as when, I would hit it.
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I'd be like, just totally gonna hit that
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Lily pad, and I feel like it would
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just speed up a little, or it wouldn't.
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I don't know. It could've been my mind,
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but I I felt like something was happening
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there.
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Don't know sports. I didn't play sports.
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I am oddly really good at that. Like,
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you know, I I have this way of
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just... I don't know what it is. Like,
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the physics of a Lily pad and a
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frog and a hammer. I'm just like, yep,
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This is what I got... Then you was
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a natural like golf. The first time you
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picked up the clothes on you're like... Sure.
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You are. You're a golfer.
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I I'll never get used to hear in
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that. It's true.
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I I would say for me, and this
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is kind of like a new love that
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I've picked up would be ski.
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I always hated ski. Because when I when
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I was in high school,
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I was volunteering. It was sort of, like
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a fundraiser.
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At a major
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major theme park in New Jersey, we won't
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name any names to protect the innocent. But
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I think there's only the 1 so.
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But yes. I was volunteering there, and I
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was doing the ski ball stuff, and somebody
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threw 1 over hand.
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Shade off the thing. Hit me in the
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head. I have a nice little dent here
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now. And I had a concussion at the
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time. And so for years, like, I... I
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just hated the idea of ski. Oh scars,
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man. Yeah. Right? Recently got back into it.
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I'm not awesome at it. It's not like
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the frog thing, but it is fun. You
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know
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It is live the tickets. Yeah. It's for
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your for your crazy nonsense. I I always
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just prior to having a a daughter. I...
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Just wound up giving the tickets away. That
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was always the fun thing. Like, you know,
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you find some kid. You're just like here.
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I have just made your day with this
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jumping stare
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tickets. Skin out. It's worth the big goals.
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Yeah.
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Well, that's that's our ice breaker.
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Actually, I'm up next I I completely forgot.
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So we're gonna... We're gonna learn a little
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bit about Beth. If you're watching this on
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Youtube, you'll be able to see her back
5:14
around. Otherwise, you're just gonna have to take
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my word for it. She has flank herself
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with all of her favorite books here? And
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so I'm gonna ask you to pick out
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1. What would you say your favorite is?
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Oh, that's hard. I love them all, But
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I I think
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I I love people of the book by
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Geraldine Brooks. It's
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a wonderful book. It crosses many different, periods
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of time.
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It's
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about an illuminated H book that has been
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passed on from, like,
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you know, Bc all the way through it
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follows the
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progression of the book and how it changes
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hands.
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Over and over and over again until present
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day, and it's just a it's a really
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beautifully written story,
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and I just love it. I love time
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travel and
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learning about different, you know, historic historical fiction,
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but learning about different periods of time through
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historical fiction. So... That's genres? That's a great
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answer. Thank you.
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Sure. What are you reading right now?
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I am actually in between books right now.
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I started listening to a,
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another historical fiction book, the frozen river, but
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I'm not deep into it. It it seems
6:26
like it's going to be good.
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It has
6:29
a little bit of everything that I enjoy,
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a mid midlife, a murder,
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a mystery,
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and it takes place. I think I'm I'm
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trying to figure it, but I think it
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takes place, like, roughly,
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revolutionary times. So...
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Alright. Now before we started, I I was
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asking you you were saying you're also, like,
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maybe a little into movies. Where you somebody
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that... In, like, let's say you hear
6:53
on the, you know, the grapevine that 1
6:55
of your books is being adapted into a
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film. Is that something that excites you or
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no? The question.
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It does. It does. I'm I'm always interested
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to see how other people interpret
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a book, you know, whether that's... Know, through
7:08
a conversation in a book club or how
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they interpret un film. I really enjoy seeing
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that,
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and I'm not 1 of those people that
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you know, such a p with the Book
7:20
that I get angry if it doesn't follow
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the book exactly it's it's people's interpretation. Everybody
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has the right to interpretation and it just
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becomes a different story in my mind if
7:29
fun... If it's, you know, presented differently in
7:31
a book. But I am, I just finished
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watching
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the tattoo of auschwitz.
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The... That was turned into a limited series.
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And so we're
7:44
Oh, I can't remember the other 1,
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similar, you know, about the the holocaust. And
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both of those were
7:51
different from the book.
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We were the lucky ones was the other
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1. Both of them were, you know, different
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from the book, but they were beautifully
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done,
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really
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emotional obviously, and, just very, very interesting and
8:06
in how different they were presented cinematic. So...
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Yeah. Yeah. Then can we ask that and
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reverse? Can we, like, can Max that and
8:13
reverse? Like, are films that you seen Beth
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that you were like, oh, I didn't read
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that book and you wanna go, you know,
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you know I'm saying so you watched the
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film first heard about the book and then
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went and pick that up.
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I haven't done it yet, but I'm really
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looking forward to reading where the cra sing.
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I saw the movie and
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was great, And I was like, I now
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I've gotta read it. So... Yeah. So... But
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III don't remember anything
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recent where I did the reverse. Now Awesome.
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That 1 struck me though. That was a
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great. And the book... And just like you
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said,
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the adaptation is is that filmmakers
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adaptation, the book is it's is the book.
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So it's it's definitely worth reading even if
8:53
you watched it. Yeah. That's it's fantastic.
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Historical fiction just while around real quick. Did
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you read West it's for giraffes?
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I did. That was such a great book.
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That was so
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fantastic. I I loved that 1. What's it
9:08
about? For it... So it's about... Now. I've
9:12
read it a while ago, but it's about...
9:15
There's AAA
9:16
guy who is...
9:18
Move... They're moving a draft from 1 coast
9:21
to the other.
9:23
It
9:24
yeah, I guess, it was a truck or
9:25
a train, whatever it was, but it it
9:27
was just... It was this magic story
9:32
where... You know, there's... There's a love story
9:33
and Paul, but it was this magic story
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about this giraffe being
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moved across the country
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early on, like, you know, cars were newer,
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you know, cars were newer, transportation was obviously
9:45
different
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ease of transportation was different, but it was
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just...
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I was gonna say I would imagine that
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would be harder to do today than then
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because today, you have all kinds of under
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bad isn't everything. Yeah. Good point. You gotta
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really plan the round world so that you
10:00
don't hit something where you're like, off week
10:02
go in there. That's true. That's true. And...
10:04
But it was interesting right, because historically, the
10:07
dust bowl is also here.
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And Oh, that's right. It was that time
10:12
period. Yeah. So there's lots of, like, American
10:15
in it that Yep. I'd speak to it.
10:17
And then when you go to, if you
10:18
wanna go down the rabbit find the actual
10:21
article, the drafts that made it to Arm.
10:24
That was a the Fabulous 1. Yeah. That
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1 was really interesting. And then I I
10:28
actually write after or right before I read
10:31
4 wins, like corona. So I was kind
10:34
of in this, like, weird little dust bowl
10:36
era,
10:37
in my reading
10:39
journey. So... But, yeah, It was good. It
10:42
was very good. Yeah. That's a great 1.
10:44
Very, very cool. Randy,
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if you wanna take us into a beth
10:48
professional journey, Let's hear it. Absolutely. And, and
10:51
Beth I mean, I know. You know, pre
10:52
show or prep production, however you would officially
10:54
say it. You were telling us that, you've
10:56
been a Jersey girl, your your whole life,
10:58
what area what region if you don't mind
11:00
sharing that with this. Sure. So I was...
11:02
When I was born, my parents were living
11:04
in Highland Lakes, which is deep up in
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Sussex County,
11:08
we lived in Highland Lakes until I was
11:10
in third grade, and then we moved, still
11:13
in Sussex County, but we moved to Sparta,
11:15
and. That's where I went to elementary school
11:18
middle to school in high school, graduated from
11:20
Sparta High school, and then I went to
11:22
college at rutgers.
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Lot. This so...
11:25
And I I went to Rutgers
11:27
in New Brunswick,
11:28
At that point in time, Rutgers Crews was
11:31
still separated into the 5 different campuses
11:33
in New Brunswick, so I was a Livingston
11:35
College.
11:36
Graduate. So... The the b the Bi and
11:39
us, can appreciate someone with such deep rooted
11:42
Jersey roots and, you know, keeping your career
11:44
here. Like, we we greatly appreciate
11:46
That that's good. That's good to hear.
11:49
And I'm Jersey. I love it here. So
11:52
we have everything. You've got 3 witnesses, You
11:54
know, we all agree.
11:56
Hundred percent. I was just having a conversation
11:59
actually, Randy the other day.
12:01
With 1 of my colleagues who lives out
12:02
in Washington.
12:03
And I was saying, you know, people don't
12:06
realize at at our office, which is in
12:08
Chester, New Jersey,
12:10
you know, we're right in the middle of
12:12
all of the different farms in the area,
12:14
and we've had some really interesting visitors.
12:18
To the little patch of brass outside our
12:20
window. We had a, white peacock walking around
12:23
the other day. No. And then we had
12:25
a wild turkey that really wanted to work
12:28
at Cancer Network. And he just tried to
12:31
follow my colleague in
12:33
several mornings, Turkey he wouldn't leave, and then
12:35
you decided the intersection right there by our
12:37
office was a good place to hang out
12:39
and cause all kinds of traffic problems.
12:43
But, yeah. It's
12:44
it's it's such a beautiful state so many
12:46
people think of New Jersey as, you know,
12:48
this, you know, Right. Urban,
12:51
you know, dirty area, and it's just it's
12:54
it's farm country. It's trails. It's, you know,
12:56
the beautiful beaches. You you really
12:59
can't get a nicer state in my listen.
13:01
All in favor of given Beth herb. Planner
13:03
New Jersey residency card immediately, pushing that through,
13:06
like, say, I, there you go.
13:08
Yeah. Take it.
13:10
Cock are Hilarious. I I was on a
13:13
film shoot once, and there was 1 that
13:15
was following me around and everything, And I
13:16
asked the guy, Like, what's up with this
13:18
peacock? And he goes, oh, He's got crush
13:20
on you and Was like what
13:22
These thing just followed me around, like, the
13:24
whole day. I think I was just me,
13:26
then. I thought I was dealing with it...
13:28
For dude.
13:30
No. No. You have a a hack to
13:32
compete with.
13:33
And you don't. Threaten their stuff.
13:36
Oh, man. That's that's that's good to hear.
13:38
It's very very interesting too. And I'll just
13:39
say this too before I move on. I
13:41
grew up in Mercer County so kinda of
13:42
central Jersey.
13:43
Yeah about 3 to 4 years ago, we
13:46
relocated to Southern Jersey real just farmland, like,
13:49
I'm... I've been saying this for the last
13:50
couple months to where my wife is only,
13:52
like, we do a lot of form stands
13:53
and that sort of thing. I said, like,
13:55
in a lot of our vegetables are like,
13:56
form a table now. Like, Yeah You know
13:57
I'm 1 I'm 1 of those people now,
13:59
so I appreciate a good form stand for
14:00
sure. I love Jersey. So now here's a
14:03
real question for you.
14:05
What do you call the little things that
14:07
you put on top of your ice cream?
14:09
Do love all sprinkles. I've always called for
14:11
share. Alright. So you haven't been ind as
14:14
a South Jersey boy white yet.
14:17
What they what what's amazing?
14:20
Yeah. When I... When I went to Rutgers,
14:22
I didn't realize that for a small of
14:23
a state, New Jersey is. To wildly different
14:26
North Jersey
14:27
absolutely. I learned, you know, Jimmy versus sprinkles
14:30
or
14:31
And subs. I think is a another when
14:33
you hear people kinda debate bow a little
14:35
bit. Which 1? Bogey and subs like hug
14:38
and subs? Yeah. Taylor ham yeah. Versus
14:41
have that conversation vacation. U.
14:44
Bow it's crazy. Right? Well, you've kept a
14:47
little of the Central Jersey and You... In
14:48
New Jersey access it immediately granted to beth.
14:51
I mean, we look we know for already.
14:53
We we love her already. So III got
14:55
a more formal question for you. I was
14:57
playing around on Linkedin a little bit and
14:59
just inspiring your career, your steps and your
15:01
paths.
15:02
So from corporate
15:04
positions in leadership to profit management? Like, how
15:07
was that transition? And and or was there
15:09
something that kinda led to a pivot you
15:11
know, in such different spaces.
15:13
So there were a couple of pivot.
15:15
The first, I I started my career in
15:17
in the corporate world,
15:19
and I did that. Honestly, because I didn't
15:22
know that there were any other options.
15:24
You know, you go to college, and they
15:26
tell you, you know, the goal is to
15:29
come out of college and be successful, make
15:30
money be successful, and I thought a job
15:33
in Corporate America was the way that you
15:36
did it.
15:37
But I never felt
15:39
connected to the work that I was doing.
15:42
I I really... I've always felt called to
15:46
do something that made a difference.
15:48
And
15:49
I met my husband while I was working
15:51
in the city. I I worked in the
15:53
city briefly. And
15:55
he worked in the nonprofit sector, and he
15:57
really introduced me to the nonprofit sector and
16:00
it's like, I I thought that was just
16:02
for people. Who had a lot of money
16:04
and time on their hands to volunteer. I
16:05
didn't know That was something that I could
16:07
do as a career.
16:08
Mh. And
16:10
who I made the transition at that point
16:12
when I was young enough to do so,
16:14
you know, financially, there's obviously a big difference.
16:18
In terms of what the compensation structure looks
16:20
like in the
16:22
corporate side versus the deposit side, especially, you
16:25
know, at the entry point.
16:28
But, you know, we were young. We didn't
16:30
have any, you know, financial responsibilities,
16:33
like, we have as adults and,
16:36
it worked out and at that point in
16:39
time, what I learned and what I continue
16:42
to learn through my journey in the profit
16:44
world was it was an opportunity to
16:47
allow my passions to dictate my career path.
16:50
Like I.
16:52
I could do the things that I loved
16:55
and those things,
16:57
you know, could align with the different organizations
16:59
I was working for. So my first job
17:01
in the non profit sector was with Lincoln
17:03
Center for the performing arts.
17:05
And I'm a huge huge proponent of the
17:08
arts,
17:09
especially the performing arts. And Right your alley
17:12
case, I see you smile not.
17:14
It was, you know, the idea that I
17:17
could, you know, use my skills, particularly my
17:20
right. I I love to write.
17:21
Goes along with my passion for reading. And
17:24
the idea that I could use my writing
17:26
skills to, you know,
17:28
do grant writing
17:30
for the arts was
17:32
mind boggling to me like, I could get
17:34
paid to do this so you kidding me.
17:36
And it was it was amazing.
17:39
And
17:40
I was with lincoln Center
17:42
through
17:43
09:11,
17:44
and
17:45
that was a pivot point for me.
17:47
It was 09:11 and then shortly thereafter the
17:50
blackout in New York City,
17:52
and I was living in New Jersey this
17:53
whole time I never lived in the city.
17:55
I was always a jersey girl, like I
17:56
said, I was commuting in, and
17:58
it was
18:00
it was just too much. It was too
18:01
stressful. I was afraid all the time and,
18:04
you know, I was young. I was in
18:05
my twenties. Mh. And
18:07
to
18:08
feel sick to my stomach every time I
18:11
got on a bus worrying whether or not
18:14
it was gonna die that day. I, you
18:16
know, it it was just very scary. So
18:18
I said, I'm gonna stay in New Jersey
18:20
now. I've had my fun.
18:22
I'm going home.
18:24
And and I did... I went home. I
18:26
went to... I went to Rutgers, and I
18:28
worked for the Rutgers University
18:30
Foundation. I worked for my alma mater. And
18:32
again, I was able to put my time
18:34
and talents towards making a difference
18:36
for the university that gave me so much.
18:39
And that was wonderful.
18:42
And then I missed the arts though. So
18:44
I, ultimately left
18:47
rutgers, and
18:48
I was the director of development for the
18:50
Mayo theater in Mars town for a while.
18:53
Until my daughter was born. And then at
18:56
that point, I
18:57
left and I started my own nonprofit consulting
19:00
business, which I did for about 13 years.
19:02
So that I could be master of my
19:04
my own calendar, and I could be home
19:07
with my children while also,
19:10
you know, have
19:11
having a career
19:13
contributing to our financial needs at home, but
19:16
I could be primarily there with my children,
19:20
I, I tell young professionals all the time,
19:21
and it's just just from my own experiences.
19:24
Like, there's nothing like a sense fulfillment Right?
19:26
Like, we all. There's no avoiding that unless
19:28
you... Just talk at a draw and, you
19:30
know, inherit a nice trust fund or something
19:31
like you have to work. So nothing like
19:33
a sense of fulfillment in doing what you
19:34
do. Like, an and hearing your store kinda
19:37
supports that as well. And, just before I
19:39
pass it over to Kc to dig into
19:41
a little bit more about cancer hope network.
19:43
I just wanted to say, like, a little
19:44
bit transparent transparent. Yeah. That's the right word
19:47
last year, I lost my grandfather to battle
19:50
with cancer. And I'm here hear. Just yeah.
19:52
The when I was starting to look up
19:53
with Cancer Hope Network and who they are
19:55
and what they do. Like, I'm like, oh,
19:56
that just amazing to be able to connect
19:58
people. In terms of offering support systems through
20:00
that process. So, that's major, looking forward to
20:03
a little bit more of your, your conversations
20:05
and answers in case you can take it
20:06
away.
20:07
Thank you so much, Randy. And that is
20:09
kinda perfect. I mean, me, you know, like
20:11
many people's
20:13
everywhere. Have a lot of family members that
20:16
been affected by cancer. Mh And so I
20:19
think this speaks to everybody. We all have
20:21
somebody. Absolutely. Yep.
20:23
So I did wanna learn a little bit
20:25
more about the cancer Hope network.
20:28
Just tell me a little bit more about
20:29
the organization itself. Sure. So, you know,
20:33
likewise,
20:34
I've had, personal... I've been personally impacted by
20:37
cancer, and that's actually how I ended up
20:38
at the organization. So when I was running
20:42
my business, and my daughter was an infant.
20:44
My mom was diagnosed with cancer, and
20:47
I went from, you know, being the person
20:51
receiving care from my mom
20:54
to being the person or, you know, or
20:56
1 of the people on her care
20:58
team.
21:00
And that was that was a another pivot
21:02
point, Randy where, you know, life changed very
21:05
quickly.
21:07
And when I was in that position of
21:09
being a caregiver with
21:11
an infant and, you know, trying to run
21:13
a business,
21:15
It was very isolating.
21:18
I had great friends. I had an amazing
21:20
family,
21:21
all of that, but nobody had relate. To
21:24
what I was going through exactly. I didn't
21:26
have none of my friends
21:28
had
21:29
a similar situation where they were going through,
21:31
you know, deep caring for a parent
21:33
while also caring for a new baby and,
21:36
you know, trying to run a business. And
21:38
I didn't know that 1 on 1 pure
21:41
mentorship was something that was there and available
21:44
to me. And I also didn't know that
21:46
it was something that was there and available
21:47
to my mom, something that I could recommend
21:49
to my mom who,
21:51
a a support group
21:53
situation just
21:55
isn't
21:56
her thing. It it wouldn't have, you know,
21:58
matched her personality or her needs at that
22:00
time.
22:01
But perhaps speaking to somebody with a similar
22:03
diagnosis who had gone through a similar treatment
22:06
experience
22:07
might have been helpful to her. Mh. So
22:12
I didn't know
22:13
she, fortunately, you, she went through her experience
22:16
and she ended up getting well and
22:20
you know, life life continued.
22:22
And then years later a couple years before
22:24
I joined the cancer hope network team, she
22:27
was diagnosed again.
22:28
And my kids were... I by that point,
22:30
I had 2 kids. They were in, and
22:32
I think middle school at the time.
22:35
And
22:37
again, here I am
22:38
running a business and
22:41
taking care of 2 kids, being a wife,
22:43
you know, mom, daughter,
22:46
concurrently, my father was dealing with some health
22:49
problems as was my husband.
22:51
So now I'm hit from all of these
22:53
different directions.
22:55
And I needed somebody. I needed to talk
22:58
to somebody, but I wasn't
23:00
looking for a mental health professional. That wasn't...
23:03
What I needed at at that time. I
23:05
just needed to talk to somebody who could
23:07
say,
23:08
I get it. I've been there. Mh.
23:10
You know, Guy ahead had tell me about
23:11
it. I I understand. And I didn't know
23:15
that that was a thing. But it is.
23:16
That's what cancer Hope Matt is. So we
23:19
were founded in 19 81
23:22
actually as a project of the Elizabeth plain
23:26
field junior league. So when there was an
23:28
oncology nurse out of
23:30
overlook hospital, Diane Paul,
23:32
who is 1 of the most extraordinary humans
23:35
you will ever meet. She's actually still on
23:37
our board. She's very involved with the organization.
23:39
She's the Chair of our Medical advisory board,
23:41
and I love her to pieces,
23:44
but she was getting ready to join the
23:46
junior league and Chair with the junior league,
23:49
I'm I'm sure you probably know this. You
23:51
have to do a a community service project
23:53
as part of that.
23:54
And she... She's told us the story where
23:57
she went in and everybody was kind of
23:59
raising their hands about what community service projects
24:01
they were going to do. And they were
24:03
lovely community service projects, you know, some people
24:05
were saying, she you know, a garden or,
24:08
you know, raising money for to beautify the
24:10
community, whatever that looked like and Diane as
24:13
an oncology nurse at the time had patients
24:15
who would come to her,
24:17
almost daily
24:18
saying,
24:20
I'm really afraid of chemotherapy, which was the
24:23
course of treatment most use used at that
24:26
time and say, I I'd I'd love to
24:28
speak to somebody Do you have anybody that
24:30
you've treated.
24:31
Who's gone through this experience and lift.
24:35
Because, you know, at that time, you know,
24:37
whether or not you're going to live through
24:39
treatment was
24:40
you know, a question.
24:42
And there was nothing out there like this
24:44
at that time, she did a research. There
24:46
were support groups,
24:49
but there were no 1 on 1 peer
24:51
mentorship programs. So for her
24:54
community service project, everybody's giving their ideas and
24:57
she raises her hand and was like, gonna
24:59
start a 1 on 1 peer mentorship program
25:01
for adults impacted by cancer. Well, you could
25:03
hear pin drop. I'm sure. Right? And it...
25:06
But she said it was 1 of those
25:08
moments. It was a magic moment,
25:10
where
25:11
people came together and there was other
25:14
women in that group, the who
25:16
were also healthcare professionals, and they said,
25:20
I'm in. Let's do it.
25:22
And cancel... So Cancer Hope network we were
25:24
originally founded as Chemo care,
25:27
and
25:28
that's, you know, that's the organization we were
25:31
part of the junior league of Elizabeth Plain
25:33
field for think about 4 or 5 years
25:36
until we became our own 05:01 c 3
25:39
nonprofit
25:40
organization. Right We were based in West fields
25:42
for a while, and now we're in Chester.
25:46
But it's it's such a beautiful story and
25:49
to hear her tell is just
25:51
it's really amazing. You know, when you think
25:54
about it in terms of
25:57
what opportunities were available to women, in the
26:00
late seventies and early eighties. And for
26:03
somebody like Diane. And if you meet her,
26:04
she's, you know, this... She's a she's a
26:06
very tiny woman
26:07
But when you meet her, it's like, you
26:09
know you're around a giant. Right. You're know
26:12
you're in the presence of
26:14
somebody who made. Just such a tremendous difference
26:18
in the world.
26:19
And
26:20
it's it's really remarkable.
26:22
But... So, you know, we are... We are
26:24
Jersey grown,
26:25
but we have grown into a national
26:29
organization. So while we're based here in New
26:30
Jersey,
26:32
over time in... To the early nineties, we
26:35
rebranded as cancer hope network because that's exactly
26:37
what we were by the nineties. We had
26:39
grown into a network
26:41
of to people who
26:43
had been through a cancer experience and who
26:45
were volunteering as mentors,
26:48
a network of providers in the cancer space,
26:51
other nonprofit who who are doing a extraordinary
26:54
work,
26:55
who could meet the other needs of people
26:58
who are going through cancer who were coming
26:59
to us for peer mentorship, but could also
27:01
use financial support or could also use help
27:04
with transportation or, you know, all of these
27:06
at different aspects that impact people when they're
27:09
going through a cancer journey. So really became
27:11
a network and that was intentional in the
27:14
re brand.
27:16
And
27:17
over time, we grew... So the first year
27:19
that first year that we were founded. We
27:21
helped 7 people. Since then, we've helped close
27:24
to 60000
27:25
people. Yeah so gone through cancer. So it's
27:28
a really
27:29
incredible
27:30
organization doing incredible work, we have about 500
27:35
mentors all across the country. And when I
27:37
say mentors, these of people who have either
27:40
gone through a cancer experience themselves and our
27:42
survivors or post treatment survivors
27:44
or the caregivers or, you know, people who
27:47
have cared for a loved 1 during a
27:49
cancer experience. We also have people within our
27:53
survivor community who are
27:55
metastatic patients who are on,
27:58
maintenance therapies. So what we do... We ask
28:00
all of our mentors to be at least
28:02
1 year post treatment
28:04
more on maintenance therapies so that we can
28:06
make sure that the support...
28:09
That we're providing is safe. Right? We wanna
28:11
make sure that our mentors are
28:14
far enough to remove from their
28:16
active experience
28:18
to be able to provide support
28:21
safely to others that they're in the right
28:23
place emotionally
28:24
and mentally,
28:26
to provide that support
28:28
you know, and that... That it's emotionally safe
28:30
for them to do so and for the
28:32
support seeker.
28:33
So we have about 500 people across the
28:35
country.
28:36
They range in age from 19 to 94
28:39
years old. Wow.
28:41
So it's it's really interesting. Our program is
28:43
for adults So it's you know, really runs
28:47
the gamut in terms of age.
28:49
Collectively,
28:49
our mentor speak 15 languages.
28:53
And
28:55
they represent about 90 types and subtype types
28:58
of cancer. So that's about... If you look
29:00
at the American cancer, society packs and figures.
29:03
It's about 98 percent of the cancer types
29:05
that will be diagnosed this year. Wow. So
29:08
it's it's very
29:10
extensive.
29:13
And it's very meaningful.
29:14
It's, you know, to go through a cancer
29:17
experience
29:18
with somebody who is willing to walk that
29:20
path with you,
29:22
who's been there and who can understand
29:25
can make a really big difference.
29:29
So yeah. That's that's is. It is incredible.
29:32
You know, as extensive as your network and
29:35
and your reach nationally is,
29:38
and and the caregivers
29:40
cancer itself is,
29:42
so far reaching, because it does reach the
29:45
caregivers and the family,
29:46
that surrounds it. I mean,
29:49
it's so, I never knew that there was
29:52
a peer network. So we. And so we
29:54
started chatting about it. I mean, my my
29:56
mother is the last surviving sister, all her
29:59
sisters, 4 sisters all passed away from cancer,
30:02
and she's only 65.
30:04
You know.
30:06
They... She's the oldest living sibling. Everyone passed
30:09
away from cancer before they hit 60. So
30:12
just... She was a caregiver. So just that,
30:15
kind of sharing
30:16
is invaluable.
30:18
Yeah. Because you need someone who can understand
30:21
like you're saying that walk, which
30:24
He's just incredible. I mean,
30:26
and it it brings me to your
30:28
you're matching process that you touched on.
30:31
How you need to, you know, you're you're
30:33
looking for safe matches.
30:35
Exactly. And that... And you're And I I
30:38
know we chatted a little bit before the
30:39
show, a about partnership with Atlanta Health
30:43
and and the
30:45
mentoring.
30:46
Yep. And and the and the pure process
30:48
there, if you could talk to talk just
30:50
a little bit about that. Sure. So so,
30:52
again, our
30:54
our... Program, we match
30:57
support seekers with trained peer
31:00
volunteers who are part of our network,
31:02
we are very proud of in in New
31:04
Jersey where our Roots are. We are very
31:06
proud of the partnership that we have with
31:09
Atlantic Health system.
31:11
It's an incredible,
31:13
partnership, and it's 1 that reflects both cancer
31:16
hope networks and Atlantic Health commitment.
31:19
To providing a whole person patient centered care.
31:24
The program is really focused on the breast
31:26
cancer.
31:28
Group at Atlantic Health, but we do provide
31:32
support to any cancer type. But within the
31:35
con of this partnership,
31:37
we're actually, offering an in person,
31:40
1 on 1 peer mentorship program at all
31:42
of the Atlantic health. Cancer centers in the
31:46
state. So it's been wonderful to work with
31:49
them.
31:50
We work with a multi
31:52
disciplinary team that includes their social workers,
31:55
breast nurse navigators,
31:57
integrative support services,
31:59
their oncology managers,
32:01
community
32:02
volunteers, and then our staff of course. So
32:05
Very proud of that work and and grateful
32:07
for the opportunity to work with the Atlanta
32:10
health team.
32:11
And then, you know, in terms of the
32:13
matching, process, Casey, what we do is we
32:16
can match on a number of different things.
32:19
So
32:19
oftentimes somebody will call us and say, I
32:22
have been diagnosed with you know, stage 2
32:25
breast cancer.
32:26
And they might be looking to speak with
32:28
somebody who's
32:30
has a similar diagnosis,
32:32
but we can also provide,
32:34
matches based on treatment
32:36
or
32:37
if they're looking to talk to somebody who's...
32:41
Considering different surgery options, and they wanna talk
32:44
about
32:45
what those experiences look like to really understand
32:48
from somebody who's been there,
32:50
what the implications are what the experience looks
32:52
like. So we can match on, you know,
32:55
again, diagnosis and treatment, but we also match
32:57
on psycho social factors,
32:59
So we may have somebody who comes to
33:01
us and says, I'm a single parent. I'd
33:04
like to talk to another single parent. Who's
33:07
gone through this experience to talk to them
33:09
about
33:10
what that looked like and what it felt
33:12
like. Or I'm a teacher, and I'm going
33:15
through Chemo, but I do have to work
33:17
through treatment.
33:18
So I wanna be able to talk to
33:20
another teacher about how to tell the kids
33:23
in my classroom
33:24
to not to be afraid when I lose
33:26
my hair or, you know, the, like, all
33:28
of these different parts of our lives
33:32
that are
33:34
part of, you know, the the cancer experience
33:36
or become part of the cancer experience. We
33:38
can provide connection based on those
33:41
those areas of our lives that... And
33:43
it can also be cultural,
33:46
linguistic,
33:47
spiritual, you know, any of these,
33:50
parts of our lives that are important. Wow,
33:54
cultural and linguistic
33:56
support is really important. To cancer hope network.
33:59
We actually have a program
34:01
called cancer hope network in
34:03
Because
34:05
making sure that culturally and linguistic accessible care
34:09
is available to the Spanish speaking community is
34:12
so so important in terms of addressing barriers
34:16
to care in the cancer community,
34:20
there are
34:23
exponentially higher rates of cancer,
34:25
you know, depending on the the cancer type
34:28
within the hispanic Hispanic Latino community,
34:31
and
34:32
there are just not enough resources that are
34:35
accessible
34:36
linguistic or culturally
34:38
for that community. So
34:41
We created this program
34:43
with some grant support from Gilead,
34:45
and we're very, very excited about it Very
34:47
proud of it We launched it in October
34:49
of last year, but
34:51
anybody from the Spanish speaking community who's looking
34:53
for support will get that support in Spanish
34:56
from their initial point of contact with our
34:58
organization. So our website, has been trans,
35:01
which means that the messaging has been translated
35:05
not the words on the page because oftentimes,
35:07
especially in this space or any health care
35:09
space when you do a direct translation, It
35:11
doesn't make sense. We worked with an agency
35:14
who specializes in trans creation to make sure
35:17
how our messaging
35:19
was culturally appropriate.
35:22
We also have,
35:23
on our programs team, which is made up
35:25
of health care and social work professionals. We
35:27
have 2 native Spanish speakers, where there to
35:30
answer the phone to do the initial intake
35:32
call for both the patient or caregiver speakers
35:36
and the mentor,
35:37
we provide our training in Spanish, and it's
35:40
a really important part of what we do.
35:43
It sounds like... I mean, it just sounds
35:45
like something that, you know, like I said,
35:47
so many people can relate to.
35:49
And I'm sure people would love to learn
35:51
more about it. And get more involved. I
35:53
know you have a gala coming up? We
35:55
do. I'm very excited about it. Thank you
35:58
for bringing it up on September 20 first
36:01
at the New Country club in B.
36:04
We are hosting our C list Gallo Royale,
36:07
a night in Monte Carlo
36:10
So it's going to be a very fun
36:12
event. It's going to include, basically the casino.
36:17
Opportunities
36:18
to engage with us. And also,
36:21
we have a strolling magician and mental who
36:23
will be
36:24
walking around and,
36:26
know, doing some sleigh of hand and but
36:29
they're magic I are so fun. It's so
36:32
fun. We're really excited,
36:34
and then, you will have, you know, Dj
36:36
and dancing,
36:38
live silent auction,
36:41
paddle raise,
36:42
and, you know, some other, you know, fund
36:44
fundraising,
36:46
opportunities to get to know the organization to
36:49
support the organization and, hope you all will
36:52
consider joining us,
36:54
for any information about cancer hope network, whether
36:57
it's... If you're looking for support,
36:59
If you are interested in getting involved in
37:02
a as a volunteer
37:03
or
37:04
joining us for our event, it's all up
37:07
on our website, which is cancer hope dot
37:09
org.
37:10
But I'm I'm thrilled for the opportunity to
37:14
introduce our program to your audience and really
37:16
appreciate This. Thank you. Oh, thank you that.
37:19
Thank you so much. Mh. It is just...
37:22
It's
37:23
it's new to me. And I'm sure it's
37:25
new to a lot of people that this...
37:27
Like, you were saying exists. So thank you
37:29
for bringing it out
37:31
and to introduce it to a wider audience.
37:34
Thank you. And we appreciate it. Alright. So
37:36
Vin, you're gonna bring us to our game
37:38
chef. I I feel
37:40
I feel so weird, like, transitioning. From what
37:43
we've just been talking about to a game.
37:45
It feels almost offensive, But this is the
37:48
format of the show I swear.
37:50
No. Know what... Yeah. You have to...
37:53
We
37:54
we work in a very serious industry, obviously,
37:57
and the 1 thing that I've learned,
38:00
more than anything in working in this industry
38:03
and working with just some
38:05
amazing and extraordinary folks who have gone through
38:08
a cancer experience themselves or who cared for
38:10
a loved 1 as you have to to
38:12
have humor.
38:13
You're right? You have... You still have to
38:15
be able to laugh and, you know, it's...
38:17
So let let's laugh. Let's have some fun.
38:20
My answers is gonna be the funniest part,
38:22
but I don't too
38:25
case.
38:27
Randy?
38:28
Do you wanna tell Beth and the rest
38:30
of our audience? What today's fabulous prizes won't
38:32
entail for whoever wins this? Oh, no.
38:37
Is that me? Is that me? I'm sorry.
38:38
I said, Ricky? You didn't wanna you Well,
38:40
you you you didn't say Dan. So I
38:42
kinda got little confused that part of the
38:44
show. So what we I have when we
38:46
were first starting
38:47
Randy, you know, that we're doing this on
38:48
Zoom. I'm giving you a little behind the
38:50
scenes magic. Randy has his name on the
38:52
bottom of the screen is Randy D Stevens.
38:54
And I caught that d out of the
38:55
corner of my eye and said Dandy, so
38:57
I started over.
39:00
All good. Yes...
39:02
Be Girl, hopefully, you can appreciate this. There's
39:05
definitely a w gift card you know, on
39:06
its way to you if you win.
39:08
We get pretty competitive with this thing. So...
39:11
Yeah. But we we make sure that our
39:12
guests always feels welcome. We we send them
39:14
1 regardless. So... Let's talk with you
39:18
While while opening right down the street from
39:19
me. So okay.
39:22
Speaking of pretty competitive. We ran the numbers.
39:25
So far, Casey and I are tied. You
39:28
don't have to share this vin. You you
39:31
Casey and I have 5 a piece, Randy
39:33
has 2. And actually, if you were to
39:36
combine all the correct answers among our guests.
39:39
The guest is technically winning at 6.
39:42
So no pressure, Beth, but here we go.
39:47
Alright. Question 1. Now, you... What you're gonna
39:49
do is you're gonna write your answer on
39:50
the piece of paper.
39:51
We'll wait a few seconds then I'll tell
39:53
you all to hold it up, and I'll
39:54
let you know which... Chance. 3 for 3
39:55
for me today. We're gonna tie this thing.
39:57
Alright. I I believe in you Randy. I
39:59
believe.
40:00
The light bulb, the record player, and the
40:03
motion picture projector,
40:04
we're all invented by Thomas Edison in what
40:07
New Jersey city. This is where he's known
40:09
to have his lab.
40:12
This is where we could really use some,
40:14
like, Jingle music like Generate or something line.
40:17
Mh What casey on it. Yeah.
40:21
Everybody have an answer locked in regardless of
40:23
whether or not It's correct?
40:25
Yes. No. 1 second Coming now.
40:30
I I wanna give you enough time to
40:31
write it down. Not enough time to Google
40:33
it. How's that? Alright. Let's go. Yeah. We're
40:34
good. Start showing me start show me what
40:37
you got.
40:40
Okay. Actually, Edison would have been, like, my
40:42
guess just because why wouldn't they name the
40:44
talent. But I have another... I have another
40:46
guess, but I think it's completely...
40:48
Bo baloney. Baloney. Let's hear the other guest.
40:51
I Ogden.
40:53
Is that a real tam? It is. In
40:55
Southeast County, but I think that's complete Malone
40:57
baloney. I don't know why I have that
40:58
in my head, but go ahead. Alright. So
41:00
Beth said Edison and Ogden.
41:04
Which... I'm sorry is not correct. Randy with
41:06
Trenton, which also is not correct. And Casey,
41:08
who has the correct answer is ben in
41:10
Park, which Oh, see my other... How'd you
41:13
know that? Thought it was down there. Okay.
41:15
I know that because my father laws is
41:18
science
41:19
supervisor in Edison in high school for 30
41:20
years. And even biggest students. So you had
41:23
shy information.
41:25
It's like
41:27
slum dog millionaire where the guys happen to
41:29
know, like, all the answers. Because it jail
41:31
history.
41:33
Just that 1.
41:36
The first drive in movie theater
41:39
was opened where, and I'm gonna give you
41:41
a hint. That's in New Jersey.
41:43
Oh, I looked.
41:45
Oh. 0. No.
41:48
Actually don't know if it's still open. I
41:50
know there are a couple in this area.
41:52
I was just at Becky,
41:53
which I wanna say is in Pennsylvania.
41:57
Maybe last month, we saw inside out too
42:00
and the new Garfield movie. And while they're
42:02
right after their answers.
42:04
I'm just gonna tell you Inside out too
42:06
is the exact same movie is inside out
42:08
1. We see. While he... Oh, they they
42:10
introduced new emotions, but we'll talk about that
42:12
app. Yes. And the it's the exact same
42:15
movie somehow.
42:17
Alright. What do you guys got?
42:20
God. I just heard this somewhere and I
42:22
could completely forget. Ad field.
42:25
Del Ran
42:26
and
42:27
with
42:28
Ads very park. Unfortunately, all 3 of you
42:30
are incorrect. The answer is Camden.
42:33
I know Jersey. I know what
42:36
I know They're, I know Warwick, the Warwick
42:39
drive. I've been up there in New York,
42:40
but I had no idea we had 1
42:42
down there.
42:43
Still there or not.
42:45
There is 1 in new Jersey that's still
42:47
going. Yeah. And it starts with it... I
42:49
drove by it when I was doing some
42:51
work, something with a d.
42:53
Some something. I can't remember some more thing.
42:57
Yeah.
42:59
As it sounds good. I got 1 more.
43:02
So this is this is on the origin
43:04
of the name. So
43:06
the original Jersey for which New Jersey is
43:09
named is what?
43:11
A, a peninsula,
43:13
b an island or c and if.
43:18
The question again, vince. Is the original Jersey,
43:21
Like, we are New Jersey, the original Jersey.
43:24
Okay. Or which New Jersey is named for
43:26
is what. A, a peninsula, b an island
43:30
or c in is. No matter where you
43:31
go at this 1. You got a 33
43:33
percent chance.
43:34
Right. Right. Maybe even some would say a
43:36
33.3
43:38
percent chance. I didn't there's no math involved
43:40
in this.
43:41
66
43:42
percent for me because I don't know how
43:43
to spell, so I'm... All you have to
43:45
do is right A b or c.
43:47
There you go.
43:50
Alright. Everybody locked in? I guess so. I'm
43:53
waiting for the the papers to
43:56
hey.
43:57
Oh, we we have a we have a
43:59
defined winner here. So it is b an
44:02
island.
44:04
I thought it was Island. Got this It's
44:06
actually called, like, the the channel aisle of
44:08
Jersey. Yeah. I was just gonna say Aisle
44:10
of Jersey. Right? And you're... I if if
44:13
you're not watching this on Youtube You missed
44:14
out? Casey, can you hold that up again?
44:16
She like, drew island.
44:19
Did you know that or was that a
44:21
guess?
44:21
No. So my daughter went to school like
44:24
London, and another
44:26
go he'd have to visit the real Jersey.
44:29
Just like, that is so far on an
44:30
Island and I was like, I looked it
44:32
up after the naughty. Alright fantastic. So I
44:35
I get her points for the artwork. Yeah.
44:37
I. Yeah. I kidding. Extra points. She got
44:40
she
44:41
tropical. I don't think it's historically accurate that
44:43
is true. I I don't think I don't
44:45
think anything out there is is too tropical.
44:48
Understanding england it's just basically, like, you know,
44:50
an overcast
44:52
rainy. I I don't know.
44:54
Yeah.
44:56
I went to London and was expecting that,
44:59
and the entire time I was there. It
45:01
was beautiful and sunny. Wow.
45:05
I didn't know what to do with it
45:06
because I did not pack appropriately
45:08
for.
45:09
Kinda like rain particles and raincoat codes and
45:12
umbrellas and your goes. It was beautiful. So...
45:15
Oh my god. Alright. Well, that's our game,
45:18
Beth, you... You're gonna get a a gift
45:19
card to Huawei. Courtesy of New Jersey. They're
45:22
ag, We we feel like the need to
45:23
say this every time. They're actually not sponsors
45:25
of this show. We just feel do it.
45:29
Speaking of sa sponsors. I I feel bad.
45:31
I forgot to mention in the beginning of
45:32
the show that this show is sponsored as
45:35
a matter of fact, by New Jersey manufacturers,
45:37
insurance,
45:38
checked out N mj for all of your,
45:40
you know, insurance needs, snow jingle, no mascot
45:43
all service. Right?
45:45
That's great.
45:47
Beth just 1 last question.
45:49
If somebody wants to get a hold of
45:51
the cancer hope network, maybe learn more, sign
45:54
up or check out the gala. Where can
45:56
they go for more information? Sure. So they
45:59
can go to our website, which is cancer
46:00
hope network dot org or they can call
46:04
us if you're looking for support or looking
46:06
to volunteer as a mentor, you can call
46:09
our toll free number, which is 877
46:11
Hope net.
46:13
Awesome.
46:14
So...
46:15
Alright. Well, that's our show. Beth, thank you
46:17
so much for joining us so much. So.
46:20
It was so nice meeting you while. I
46:22
appreciate it, and Make you bad. Maybe we'll
46:24
see you at our gala. Oh, Figure forget
46:26
to share that link with us or or
46:27
some sort of press so we can get
46:29
it out as well. Okay? Absolutely. I will.
46:31
Thank you so much.
46:32
Alright. So thank you to Beth. Thank you
46:34
to N j, and thank you all for
46:36
listening until next time. Night Bye.
47:03
Place
47:06
new