Hospital Volunteer Shares Message of Hope

On a chilly February night, Frank Peters stood inside the crowded lobby of the CHI Saint Joseph Health Cancer Care Center at Flaget Memorial Hospital and nervously read his story of hope.

At first, it didn’t seem like a hope-filled story. In fact, it seemed like anything but that – Frank’s wife Patsy had died from an aggressive cancer in summer 2017.

But Frank was flooded with memories of how the volunteers and staff at the cancer center at Flaget Memorial Hospital treated him and his wife of 52 years. His voice halted as he looked over at Marty Mercer, one of the center’s volunteers, and shared memories of how much Patsy had adored her.

“I can’t say enough about that woman,” Frank said about Marty. He then extended his gratitude to, “all the nurses.”

But the cancer center team, superb treatment and quick scheduling made their experience a little easier, he said. Frank now volunteers at the hospital, where he greets people many afternoons as they walk through the main entrance, and he’s a supporter of Project Hope. He also spoke in February at the foundation’s Stories of Hope tour.

“If I had cancer, I’d come right back here,” Frank said.

About Project Hope

The Flaget Memorial Hospital Foundation is on a mission to raise $1.1 million for two of the most critical projects in Nelson and surrounding counties: expanding the cancer center to have more infusion rooms and its own pharmacy, and adding 3D mammography. Project Hope is helping to make this possible.