MONROE, N.C. — When Helen Dawkins was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, she was struggling financially and had just moved into a smaller apartment.
“Basically I had nothing, I was just starting over,” Dawkins said.
During her cancer treatment at Atrium Health in Monroe, she was assigned a case worker who asked what she needed.
“She told me write on a piece of paper what you need. I said, ‘Eh.’ She said do it, it’s going to be alright,” Dawkins told Channel 9′s Gina Esposito.
That same day, everything on her list appeared in front of her.
“It was a comforter, house coats, bedroom shoes, PJs, Clorox, coat, shoes, sweaters, and you know what, I did, I lost it,” Dawkins said with a laugh.
Turns out, some nurses at Atrium Monroe felt compelled to help, and immediately asked for donations to buy everything Dawkins needed.
“Down to the pharmacist—the doctors here, our palliative doctor here I think she sent 100 dollars at the time. Nobody knows this patient, who it is ... nobody knows her situation,” said Bethany Poplin, a licensed practical nurse for infusions. “Everyone is here willing to give and help.”
Poplin says that experience inspired them to launch the “Patient Pantry.” In less than a year, they’ve helped more than 20 patients with everyday items, financial support, or both.
“If they tell us right then they need anything, we’ll go get it,” Poplin said.
“We had another guy who needed a ride home, didn’t have any family members. His home situation was nothing at the moment ... so we just got he money together and got him an Uber,” said Amanda Funderburk, an infusion nurse.
The nurses say the local community donates to patient pantry. Churches, friends, even family, like Poplin’s mom, Ann! She recently sold copies of her own cookbook, raising more than $4,000 to keep the pantry going.
“At the end of the day, if people could have anything. I want people to have to hope,” Ann Poplin said.
That’s something Dawkins certainly has now. She recently found out she’s cancer free.
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