In her gratitude for surviving kidney cancer, Judy Schinkel decided to give back, so for the last decade she has volunteered where people who are getting treatment at the BC Cancer Centre for the North stay when they have to come in from out of town.
“My duties are answering the phone, being behind the desk, doing whatever has to be done, filing paper work and greeting and talking with clients – and I do a lot of listening – that’s the big one – the listening,” Schinkel said of her duties at the Kordyban Lodge.
Schinkel openly talks about her 2007 kidney cancer diagnosis and what her treatment looked like and the Kordyban Lodge guests do the same, she added.
“We openly share experiences,” she said. “We share our knowledge and we share information about treatments we’ve had. Cancer has touched every family and whether it has touched you personally or whether it touches someone within your family it is something that should not be hidden. We need to talk about it.”
She loves getting to know the clients at the lodge and knows she is helping when she volunteers at least once a week, she added.
“This is a warm and inviting place where people can come knowing they can take comfort here,” Schinkel said. “They are here for treatment and they are at the lodge for fellowship, for community and they are here to get support,” Schinkel said.
Focusing on treatment when cancer is the diagnosis is of the utmost importance, she added.
Since 2014, Kordyban Lodge has been one of seven affordable lodges the Canadian Cancer Society operates across the country for people who must travel for cancer treatment outside of their home communities.
“The last thing you should have to worry about is accommodation,” Simi Parhar, manager of the Kordyban Lodge, said. “This is their home away from home and what they need to focus on is the treatment they receive next door (at the BC Cancer Centre for the North). When they come here, they come in as strangers and leave as friends.”
The Kordyban Lodge offers a variety of amenities and services to make people affected by cancer and their caregivers feel at home. Services include meals and snacks, wellness and supportive care programs such as dog therapy, art and music sessions, wig and breast prosthesis services, transportation to and from appointments, access to the library and resource room, free Wi-FI, gym, activity room that offers TV, computers, games and a pool table.
Patients can come together in the common areas, offering emotional and navigational support as guests at the lodge have a shared experience.
To donate to Kordyban Lodge to help ease the financial burden of guests, consider donating to the Peace of Mind campaign.
As people donate to the cause it ensures guests can focus on their care as they can get a subsidized rate of $30 per guest per night. Each stay includes three nutritious meals and two snacks a day, 24-hour staff supervision, amenities, parking, activities, resources and other support services. For more information visit Peace of Mind Campaign or check out other ways to donate at The Canadian Cancer Society.
