High school students donate care bags for cancer patients

On Nov. 15, a group of nine Gordon Central High School students and three staff members delivered care bags to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments in the AdventHealth Gordon Cancer Center.

Back in September, pep captains met with athletic director Billy Shackleford to challenge students and staff at Gordon Central High School to go beyond just wearing pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. They proposed preparing care bags to deliver to cancer patients and together raised enough money to make twenty patient gifts and gift baskets to share with the cancer care team as well. Each gift basket also included handwritten notes of encouragement and hope.

“Our little group of students challenged the student body at Gordon Central and together raised more than $1,500 to go toward our local chemo warriors. It was exciting for the Gordon Central Warriors to honor these cancer patients, who are the true warriors. Hopefully these chemo care bags will help someone having a tough day,” said Shackleford, whose mother was a nurse and later succumbed to cancer. Her life and influence inspired Shackleford to focus on this project.

The group of students toured the AdventHealth Gordon Cancer Center, met the cancer care team and hand delivered care bags to patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments in the infusion center.

“It really feels inspiring. We get to make a positive change and influence other people to give as well. We hope to raise more awareness with this project and help people feel more hope in their lives,” said high school senior Glenda Vicente.

The group also toured the AdventHealth Harris Radiation Therapy Center and learned how targeted and precise the technicians can be when treating cancer.

“It’s really inspiring to see Gordon Central’s staff engage young people to support our community. Receiving these bags from teenagers is such a blessing for our patients. I hope this experience instills in them the desire to do projects like this in the future,” Andrea Rickett, RN, manager of the AdventHealth Harris Radiation Therapy Center.

The AdventHealth Gordon Cancer Center provides a comfortable and nurturing environment for cancer patients. With a dedicated team of fellowship-trained physicians, nurses, specialized nurse navigators and support staff, the AdventHealth Gordon Cancer Center provides whole-person, compassionate care to each patient.