About the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center

A diagnosis of cancer can be a frightening and traumatic experience for cancer patients and their families. People diagnosed with cancer are often confused about what to do, who to turn to, and what will happen to them. They and their families need a place to go for answers to the many questions that arise regarding cancer treatment, side effects, screening, prevention, coping, and other issues. At the Mountain Laurel Center, our vision is to satisfy this need by providing personalized cancer information and support services in a welcoming, private, community-based environment, offering holistic help.

Our Mission

Our mission at the Mountain Laurel Center is to expand community awareness of and education about cancer issues, and to enhance the quality of life of cancer patients, their family members, and caregivers by addressing their psychological, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs related to the impact of a diagnosis of cancer.

Our Goals

To establish and maintain collaborative relationships and partnerships with local communities, other cancer centers, the medical community, and national, state, and local organizations. To be a responsible advocate for cancer issues impacting individuals in our community.

To provide current information on cancer, early detection, treatment, clinical trials, and other cancer issues using state-of-the-art resources in a culturally appropriate way.

To remove barriers for those in need of cancer screenings and treatment who are unable to access them for whatever reason.

To reduce cancer incidence and mortality in our region by designing, implementing, and evaluating long-range, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, and community-wide cancer control outreach projects.

To provide psychological, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical support to persons with cancer and their families.

To provide quality personal services to all at no cost in a welcoming environment.

To foster hope and self-empowerment today and in the future for those affected by cancer.

OUR HISTORY

Located in the middle of central Appalachia, a local cancer control and awareness coalition has been meeting since 1992. This coalition was organized as a result of the Appalachian Leadership Initiative on Cancer, a National Institutes of Health funded research project. The coalition has grown steadily and now includes more than twenty-five area organizations, medical providers, and community groups, as well as volunteers and cancer survivors. Initially called CHALIC (Central Highlands Appalachian Leadership Initiative on Cancer), the coalition renamed itself the Mountain Laurel Cancer Support and Resource Center.

The Mountain Laurel Center serves Lee, Wise, and Scott counties, and the City of Norton in Virginia and is located in an area with a high incidence of cancer. The most disturbing statistic is the cancer mortality rate -- people in our region die from cancer at a much higher rate compared with the rest of the nation. Our region’s population meets the criteria of a “health disparity population” as defined by the Health Care Fairness Act. This is a definition used by the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Minority Health in defining the population it targets. The percentage of medically indigent persons in southwest Virginia is among the highest in the country.

Mountain Laurel Center Coalition Key Events: 1992-2006

1992 - CHALIC coalition formed for Lee, Scott, and Wise counties, Virginia.

1998 - Community story-gathering circles organized in local communities. Creation and performance of “Life’s Circle” from the compilation of community members’ stories began. CHALIC members attended The March: Coming Together to Conquer Cancer in Washington, DC.

1998-2001 - “Life’s Circle” performed at Virginia Department of Health conference and various regional locations.

1999-2000 - 1st and 2nd Annual Cancer Awareness Rally and March held in Norton, VA. Lenowisco CHALIC nominated for HOPE Volunteer Award in conjunction with the 7th Biennial Symposium on Minorities, The Medically Underserved & Cancer. Tri-State Collaborative Cancer Control Project formed and meetings held with CHALIC groups from TN, KY, and VA. Cancer Help computerized cancer information system purchased through a grant and housed at University of Virginia’s College at Wise. Vision, mission, goals, and list of services developed for Mountain Laurel Center. Cancer Help volunteers trained and system demonstrated throughout the planning district.

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Coalition Events, Con't.

2001 - Grant funding received for a coordinator for the Cancer Help computerized information system. Space donated by Mountain Empire Older Citizens to serve as initial location for Mountain Laurel Center. The space will house the coordinator of program information and proposed story-telling initiative.

2002 - Grand opening celebration of the Mountain Laurel Cancer Center at Mountain Empire Older Citizens in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.

2008-Mountain Laurel Center selected by East Tennessee State University to oversee a grant-funded project focused on guiding three Appalachian communities in telling their cancer stories in order to facilitate dialogue within the communities and between the communities and contributors to the Virginia Cancer Plan.

2009-Grant funding received to hire the first full-time director of the Mountain Laurel Cancer Center.

Since 1992, the Mountain Laurel Center and its partners have worked collaboratively to develop resources so that every individual has access to cancer screening services, regardless of ability to pay. This has been achieved through quarterly health fairs in conjunction with partner agencies throughout the service area.

The Reasons Behind the Dream

"When you first are told that you have cancer, you feel like someone has blindsided you with a baseball bat," said breast cancer survivor Marilyn Pace Maxwell of Norton. "When you finally come to, you are desperate for information, anxious to arm yourself with the latest treatment options and research findings, struggling to learn and understand the new foreign language of the cancer world, frightened that you are going to die, and in immediate need of learning that cancer is not a death sentence," she continued. Community storytelling sessions held in 1998 as a project of the Central Highlands Appalachian Leadership Initiative on Cancer (CHALIC), indicated that the feelings experienced by Maxwell were normal responses by cancer patients and their families and friends to a diagnosis of cancer. Local cancer patients and survivors shared in their personal stories that they had often felt a strong need for support for coping and living with a diagnosis of cancer. "Cancer patients and those who love them need to know that they are not alone, that there is hope, and that there are ways to enhance the quality of their lives," said Jim Barker, who lost his wife to breast cancer. "We so desperately needed a homelike, welcoming place to meet others and to learn and share feelings and information during her illness," continued Barker. Mary Turner, breast cancer survivor of Norton and organizer of the Caring Hearts Cancer Support Group, stresses that medical treatment is just one aspect of the cancer experience. "The ideal is for holistic help and support that provides education, companionship, and support for people with cancer to explore their best choices for coping with cancer," stated Turner. "Of course, cancer is a disease that impacts the entire family as well as friends, so they need support, reassurance, and encouragement as well as the patient," she added. "We chose the name Mountain Laurel because we wanted a name that was closely identified with our local area," said Nancy Smith. "The Mountain Laurel is a hardy plant that is a real survivor that comes back with a flourish each spring, adding richness and beauty to our local landscape. We liked that positive image and symbol for the center and thought that it was so appropriate in describing a friendly, comfortable place for those impacted by cancer," she added.