by Beth Eburn
If you are like most folks, you probably have a favorite pair of jeans you would love to wear all day every day. Those beloved denims are perfect for weekends, date nights, and the occasional casual Friday at work. For Chester County Hospital employees, the jeans present an opportunity to raise awareness and donations for breast cancer.
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October 1-21, 2018), Chester County Hospital invites its employees to wear jeans on Fridays throughout October by taking part in an annual campaign called “Jeans for Cancer Awareness.” Proceeds benefit patients at the Abramson Cancer Center at Chester County Hospital. For a donation of $10, staff can dress in jeans on Fridays and make a real difference in other people’s lives. They also receive a designed button to wear along with their jeans to signify their participation in the fundraiser.
“Our employees know how important our cancer program is to our community and how important our community is to our cancer program,” said Jenna Harrison, Talent Acquisition Specialist and leader of the 2017 Jeans for Cancer Awareness campaign. “Many have faced cancer or had family and friends who have faced cancer and were able to receive treatment close to home because the center is right here in our own neighborhood. They want to be personally involved in making the patient and family experience at the cancer center the very best it can be for everyone who needs its services.”
Jeans for Cancer Awareness supports local services at the Abramson Cancer Center that add an extra personal touch to the top-level medical care provided at the center. The proceeds fund some of the “details” that matter so much during the cancer journey. Last year, the program provided cancer patients with a variety of comfort items, including warming blankets. This year, the donations will fund the start of a new aromatherapy program at the center.
Aromatherapy uses fragrances from natural essential oils to help boost physical and emotional wellbeing. Although not a treatment for cancer, the National Cancer Institute1 suggests it can be beneficial in reducing cancer-related symptoms such as stress, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, and even pain. Fragrances may be inhaled or applied as lotions.
“One of the best things about the fundraiser is that it gives our employees an opportunity to help educate and inform the public,” said Harrison. “When a hospital patient or visitor notices an employee wearing jeans along with their button, it can start a conversation that leads to sharing information about cancer awareness, prevention, and treatment.”
Hundreds of Chester County Hospital employees participate in the Jeans for Cancer Awareness campaign and the number continues rising every year. Since its inception eight years ago, the fundraiser has consistently raised more than $2,000 each year. The campaign is open to employees in every department and service area, including the hospital campus and all satellite locations. Weekend employees are eligible to wear jeans on Saturdays if they do not work on Fridays.
1 Aromatherapy and Essential Oils (PDQ®)–Patient Version. Cancer.gov. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/aromatherapy-pdq. Published June 9, 2017. Accessed September 28, 2017.