Christine's Full Story
Christine was the mom who did everything. She worked hard supporting her family and raising her two boys. As she puts it, “I brought home the bacon, fried it up, and even washed the pan.”
But when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, everything fell apart. Aggressive chemotherapy left her so weak she could barely get out of bed. She had to stop working. Her husband picked up a second job to help make ends meet . . . and then a third. And she was devastated when their son had to put college on hold to care for her—with his thirteen-year-old little brother helping, too.
Getting healthy food on the table for the family was a constant struggle. Without good nutrition, Christine continued to grow weaker . . . and began to lose hope.
With the family fully focused on Christine's recovery, and with Christine facing the physical challenges of treatment, the seemingly simple task of getting to the grocery store, affording enough groceries, and cooking meals had become a daunting task.
It was her cardiology nurse at Shady Grove that connected her with Food & Friends. Now, Christine and her family receive bi-weekly deliveries of groceries, including fresh produce, frozen meats and a variety of shelf-stable goods. Everything a family would need, from cooking oil to milk and everything in between.
On her better days, Christine can do light cooking in the kitchen, coming up with creative uses for the ingredients Food & Friends sends her. She says, "I still feel like I’m on a roller coaster with my health, your meals have helped me get stronger. I have the energy to get my own breakfast and fix dinner for my boys two or three times a week from what we find in the Food & Friends grocery bag. It makes me feel needed again to be able to cook for my family."
For Christine, help from Food & Friends made all the difference. Christine told us, “It was like we were handed the missing piece of the puzzle. Your volunteers are so caring and nonjudgmental. The food is wonderful. And though I still feel like I’m on a roller coaster with my health, your meals have helped me get stronger. I want you to tell your supporters that everything they do adds up. Food & Friends is an absolute godsend.”
Food & Friends was founded during the height of the AIDS epidemic, when men and women with the disease often only had weeks or months to live. As new treatments were developed and people with AIDS were living longer and healthier lives, Food & Friends was able to expand to serve neighbors with other illnesses, starting with breast cancer in 2000, and most recently, poorly-controlled diabetes. Stories like Christine's demonstrate the impact of that expansion and set the stage for further expansion to new illnesses in 2019. Stay tuned for more updates we deliver on our mission to improve the lives of those living with serious illnesses.
Want to help Food & Friends support clients like Christine? Learn more on our volunteer page or click here to donate!