Ten acute care patients in Canora Hospital were among many clients of Sunrise Health Region to receive a special gift from the “Breast Friends” group of Foam Lake which produces cookbooks as a fundraiser for cancer research.
Sunrise Health Region volunteers and staff, on behalf of Breast Friends, delivered Breast Wishes for Christmas cookbooks to clients in hospitals in Yorkton, Canora, Kamsack, Preeceville, Melville and Esterhazy. Cookbooks were also gifted to clients receiving treatment in the Yorkton Regional Health Centre Chemotherapy Department between Christmas and January 15.
In Canora, Maxine Stinka, a volunteer with the health region, accepted the task of presenting the cookbooks to acute care patients in hospital during Christmas. A volunteer with Sunrise for many years, Stinka’s main duty is the operation of the magazine cart, a job she does with Dianne Stinka. Magazines and books, which have been donated, are distributed to patients and the public areas in the hospital.
Breast Friends is a group of 10 women from Foam Lake that has donated $1.8 million from the sale of their cookbook series to cancer causes over the last 10 years. Most of their funds are directed toward system gaps or unmet patient needs, especially for patients in rural areas. Their cookbook series has raised not only funds but also awareness for both breast cancer and prostate cancer with their fifth, award-winning cookbook, Breast Wishes for the Men in our Lives.
“This is our region and we wanted to give back to our community for the support of our project and our cookbooks,” said Patti Hack, a member of Breast Friends. “The volunteers graciously offered to deliver the books to everyone that was staying in the hospital on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.”
“This was a very thoughtful gift,” said Suzette Szumutku, director of volunteer services for Sunrise Health Region. “I think it lifted the spirits not only of the patients who were in hospital during the holidays, but also of the volunteers and staff members who did the delivery.”
Cookbooks are also available for purchase in the gift shop at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre and all proceeds from the sales of the book go directly to the Health Foundation.
