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26 Tammuz 5767 - July 12, 2007 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Celebrating the Goodness of Giving

by Yated Ne'eman Staff

One of the four workshops being offered by Beit Natan one July evening in Jerusalem's Pearl Hotel was entitled, "The Gift Within Us." Beit Natan, Women's Cancer Support & Resource Center, was celebrating its first decade, and inaugurating its second decade of distributing some very special kinds of `gifts' to thousands of women and their families.

25 women who gathered in the workshop room — like the 100 other women in attendance at this extraordinary event, and the many others who were not present — were linked by a serious illness that had touched their lives — either as patients, caretakers or mourners. The women hailed from different walks of life, represented various ages and expressed diverse religious beliefs. It was difficult to distinguish who was a caregiver, recovering patient, current patient or volunteer.

And, that is perhaps the essential beauty of Beit Natan, the organization that brought these women from Jerusalem's many quarters, Ashdod, Kibbutz Massua, the Galilee, Afula and other towns and villages throughout Israel, to an evening in celebration of the goodness of giving, where the lines of giving and receiving are frequently blurred.

Abundance Can Have a Double Meaning

For many of the women, their journey with cancer has been a challenging one, impacting on every aspect of their lives. But surprisingly, in spite of the challenges, or perhaps because of them, the resounding theme that echoed throughout the corridors was, in fact, a belief that there was much for which to be grateful and hopeful.

Beit Natan offers a support system that enables women to overcome the feelings of isolation, and emotional and psychological pain that often drains them.

"Beit Natan evens the playing field for women suffering from cancer. We cross the health and social divides. We provide a place, where women can feel they are on an equal footing within a safe environment," explains Chaya Heller, Founder and Director.

The workshops were designed to help participants think about their lives on different levels and from different perspectives —from the practical to the spiritual, from the tangible to the intangible, from the individual to the family.

L., a heavy set 54-year old woman, talked about the word `abundance'. "Normally, abundance means positive things. For me, the word meant the opposite. When I finally did marry, for the first time, at the age of 50, ten months later the doctors discovered I had breast cancer," L. tearfully recounted. "But, in spite of this abundance of problems, I have found an abundance of blessings — my husband has been unbelievably supportive, and of course there is Beit Natan."

An Understanding Heart and Ear

Beit Natan, which now resides in a secluded private home with a flower-laden path to the door in Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem, is largely staffed by volunteers including recovered patients, and some paid professionals.

Its first project, Lev Rachel Hotline is manned by recovered cancer patients who handle calls from women diagnosed with cancer. The trained volunteers get more than 500 phone calls a year from women throughout Israel. Beit Natan also spawned other programs, some of which enjoy international recognition.

One of those programs is the early cancer detection program. Representatives from both the Israel Cancer Association, original supporters of the program, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure (an international foundation in the field of breast health education and screening and treatment) who has been supporting the program for the past three years, joined the event. Miriam May, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, explains, "Having an institution like [Beit Natan] is very important and a model of the kind of programs we want to support and grow."

Beit Natan's direct telephone outreach service for under- served women's groups (e.g. Orthodox women, age 50+, elderly Russian immigrants, etc.) initiates 10,000 calls annually. Callers educate and encourage the women to go for mammography exams. It has boosted women undergoing mammography by 10-12% and Beit Natan has been asked to expand the program.

Beit Natan also offers support groups and individual counselling, as well as bi-annual retreats.

Five years ago, Beit Natan opened yet another program — Hatomechet — one of Israel's first volunteer home hospice visitation programs — which sends specially trained volunteers to patients during end-of-life illnesses. This program, supported by the UJA-NY Federation, has recently expanded outside of Jerusalem to the north (Afula based) and south (based in Ashdod).

Closing the Circle

Forty year old E. spoke about "Renewal". "Just when I thought I was at the lowest point in my life, I called Beit Natan and the woman who answered the phone said, `We have a new course starting next week. Can you join?' I did. They have given me the strength and self-confidence that has made all the difference in my life."

Perhaps, Chaya Heller summed up best. "Anyone with cancer knows how precious and sweet each moment of life is. At Beit Natan, we receive the greatest chessed when we see a person in her darkest moments and can help light them up."

 

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