Cancer Fair Provides Hope, Help for Patients
By: Kim Behrens
Updated: October 8, 2012
PEORIA--A local expo is giving cancer patients the help they need to make a full recovery.
The American Cancer Society, Illinois Cancer Center and the Peoria Cancer Center joined forces to hold the new event.
Patients and their families could get information on a variety of treatments and learn about clinical trial medications.
They could also purchase items like scarves to keep warm while undergoing chemotherapy.
Cancer survivor Marylee Secrest says the expo is meant to give people a positive outlook during a difficult time.
"Many of the volunteers here are cancer survivors. And we're all involved in this so it gives people hope because they're like, 'Well these people have been through it. And they've lived beyond that so there's hope for us too,"' Secrest explained.
This is the first year for the "Cancer Fair."
Organizers plan to bring it back next year.
The American Cancer Society, Illinois Cancer Center and the Peoria Cancer Center joined forces to hold the new event.
Patients and their families could get information on a variety of treatments and learn about clinical trial medications.
They could also purchase items like scarves to keep warm while undergoing chemotherapy.
Cancer survivor Marylee Secrest says the expo is meant to give people a positive outlook during a difficult time.
"Many of the volunteers here are cancer survivors. And we're all involved in this so it gives people hope because they're like, 'Well these people have been through it. And they've lived beyond that so there's hope for us too,"' Secrest explained.
This is the first year for the "Cancer Fair."
Organizers plan to bring it back next year.
