Gurnee woman's 'chemo bags' deliver a touch of comfort and a lot of hope to cancer patients
The decorative bags Susan Pucin and her neighbors delivered Wednesday for cancer patients at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital contain more than supplies.
Along with comfort items like ginger candies, warm fuzzy socks and healing ointment, the “chemo bags” contain cards from schoolchildren - a sign of community support for those about to undergo an uncertain journey.
Patients are given a bag when they meet with a “nurse navigator” to discuss their chemotherapy treatment plan. Besides a review of how the items in the bag can help with side affects there is an explanation of the sentiment behind them.
A Gurnee resident, Pucin made her first delivery of 22 bags eight years ago. With Wednesday's drop-off, she estimates the total is now near 1,000.
“The purpose is for the patients to feel the support of those in the community and have some comfort supplies to get them started as they begin their chemotherapy,” she said.
Pucin said she was inspired after having high-risk, but benign, breast lesions removed.
Mints, ginger tea, plush throws, tissues and puzzle books are among the items in the chemo bag to help patients deal with the treatment's side effects.
Over the years, the project has come to include area schools.
The Libertyville High School dance team, for example, contacted Pucin after learning of the effort from a parent who had breast cancer. The parent received a bag during her treatment and suggested a fundraiser.
“The schools contribute love that is local, and a way to learn about empathy while making an impact,” Pucin said. “Many also donate because they have had a loved one or friend with cancer and know how much it means.”
St. Joseph Catholic School in Libertyville, which Pucin's kids attended, held a $1 dress down day for breast cancer and donated the proceeds for bags, hand sanitizer and pens. The Pucin family are St. Joseph parishioners.
Pucin said she was at Mass last fall and began thinking about this year's project. That was about the same time she heard from the two schools.
“I feel there is a touch of the Holy Spirit mixed in here with making this possible and keeping it going,” she said.
Pucin said for the past four years the effort has been incorporated into a service learning project at Lake County Tech Campus, an extension of many area high schools, where she teaches Certified Nurse Assisting.