Heather Bailey
Heather Bailey is a dedicated part of the Chemo Pal program at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA).
As a Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor, Heather helps children and teens break through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. She also provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the battle against cancer.
Heather visits hospitals, clinic, and homes in order to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies with the child or teen that she has been placed with.
Heather works part-time as well as being a full-time student. However, she still finds time to spend with 10-year old Amelia. Although Amelia lives about five hours away, Heather communicates with her by text messages, cards, and playing online computer games together. When Amelia comes to Portland for appointments, Heather makes sure to be there to play in person.
Heather also volunteers at events for the Children’s Cancer Association, environmental projects and at the local food bank.
Kris Marshall
Kris Marshall spends his time working with children. He is a Chemo Pal for the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA).
As a Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor, Kris assists children and teens through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. She provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the battle against cancer. She visits hospitals, clinics and homes to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies.
Kris and his Chemo Pal Connor enjoy doing arts and crafts, reading, working on Connor’s numbers and alphabet, and playing with cars. Connor is very courageous, and enjoys different activities with Kris. Kris sends him post cards and holiday cards, and they stay in close touch even when Connor is not at the hospital.
Denise Hempel
Denise Hempel is a dedicated part of the Chemo Pal Program at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA).
As a Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor, Denise helps children and teens break through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. This volunteer program’s purpose is to provide a supportive relationship, ensuring that each child maintains self-esteem and confidence throughout the emotionally isolating and physically difficult cancer treatment.
She also provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the battle against cancer. She participates in visits at the hospitals, clinic, and in the home in order to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies with the child or teen that she has been placed with.
Denise is assigned to mentor Maddy, a nine-year-old, who loves to draw, talk and play. She is very comfortable with Denise and gets excited about her arrival every time they meet. Denise always tries to be there for Maddy’s entire appointment, staying from start to finish. Maddy is healing well; she will soon be graduating from the program. Denise is planning a graduation party for her and her family.
Denise also takes time to help with other events like the car raffle and radio-a-thon for the Children’s Cancer Association.
Ana Orozco
Ana Orozco has made a positive influence on the life of a child through the Chemo Pal Mentor program for the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA). Ana’s Spanish-speaking skills are valuable to the program. It allows us to reach out to families in the Spanish-speaking community that would otherwise be missed.
As a Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor, Ana helps children and teens break through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. This volunteer program’s purpose is to provide a supportive relationship, ensuring that each child maintains self-esteem and confidence throughout the emotionally isolating and physically difficult cancer treatment. She provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the battle against cancer. She visits hospitals, clinic, and homes in order to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies with the child or teen that she has been placed with.
Ana is currently matched with 17 year old Estefania. Estefania calls Ana her “mom” and considers her part of the family. She loves Ana’s daughters, and refers to them as her sisters. They play Monopoly, card games, and just talk. Every other Sunday night, Ana meets Estefania for dinner, a movie or some other activity. Estefania shares her feelings and her thoughts about life.
Last November, through conversations and motivation, Ana was able to convince Estefania to return to school after quite some time away.
Estafania had lost her apartment after her diagnosis and Ana pulled together her friends and family to help Estafania to find a place and provided her with furniture, kitchen supplies, electronics, gift cards, and everything that she needed to make her new place a real home. Ana has also volunteered with many different CCA events as well as translating all of the marketing materials into Spanish.
Laura Gutierrez
Laura Gutierrez has the characteristics that make up a great Chemo Pal for the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA).
As a Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor, Laura strives to ensure that each child she mentors maintains self-esteem and confidence throughout their emotionally isolating and physically difficult cancer treatment. She provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the lonely battle against cancer by visiting the hospital, clinic and home to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies.
Laura has always had a passion for working with children. Her sister died of leukemia, which resulted in Laura wanting to give back to families in the same situation. Laura has been matched as a Chemo Pal four times in the last seven years. With the four different children that she has been matched with, she has played numerous board games, played with Play-Do, done arts and crafts, and gone to birthday parties.
Laura gave five-year-old Lesley a dancing bear that she now takes with her everywhere. Laura feels that the greatest benefit of her time with her Chemo Pal children is that they are given one-on-one attention from someone outside of their family.
Kelly Medeiros
Kelly Medeiros has volunteered numerous hours in a variety of social service jobs to give back to the community. She has worked with HIV affected children, homeless teens as well as mentored children in a domestic violence shelter.
In addition to these volunteer experiences, she is a dedicated part of the Chemo Pal Program at the Children’s Association. She provides support and guidance through dependable visits to a child or teen that is in the midst of a battle against cancer.
Kelly is currently matched with Autumn who is six-years-old. In the hospital, these two love to play with toys from Kelly’s Chemo Pal bag of goodies, draw and play with Bratz dolls. Autumn always looks forward to Kelly’s visits, which make the hospital less boring and more fun. The visits serve as a distraction from the medical treatments as well as give Autumn’s dad a well-deserved break.
Katrina Thompson
Katrina Thompson has volunteered for AmeriCorps for two years and is working towards her master’s degree in Art Therapy. She is dedicated part of the Chemo Pal Mentor Program at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA).
As a Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor, Katrina helps children and teens break through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. This volunteer program’s purpose is to provide a supportive relationship, ensuring that each child maintains self-esteem and confidence throughout the emotionally isolating and physically difficult cancer treatment.
She also provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the battle against cancer. She participates in visits at the hospitals, clinic, and in the home in order to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies with the child or teen that she has been placed with.
Katrina has been matched with three year-old Kaeli for the past year. They have many favorite activities, which include playing with animal toys, riding the hospital tricycles around in circles, and different types of imaginative play. Katrina’s visits allow Kaeli’s mom to take a break from the hospital stays and treatments.
Wendy Thompson
Wendy Thompson has a special connection to the Chemo Pal Program at the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA). She helped CCA write the first grant for the Chemo Pal Program over ten years ago.
The Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor Program for children and teens breaks through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments by providing trusted, dependable and carefully matched mentors. The program's purpose is to provide a supportive relationship, ensuring that each child maintains self-esteem and confidence throughout the emotionally isolating and physically difficult cancer treatment. The Chemo Pal volunteer provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the lonely battle against cancer. These mentors visit hospitals, clinics and homes to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies.
Wendy lost her own daughter, Molly, to cancer. She began the Molly Thompson Memorial Fund, which for many years raised money for CCA through various fundraisers. Once Wendy felt strong and safe enough to get involved, she became a Chemo pal. Wendy was matched with five-year-old Jordan for the past year and a half.
Jordan loves animals, so every activity that they do relates to animals in some way. Wendy has learned more about bugs, snakes, and dinosaurs since being around Jordan. They also like to play practical jokes on the nurses and Jordan's parents.
Lisa Miller
Lisa Miller is a dedicated part of the Chemo Pal Program at the Children’s Cancer Association. She began volunteering for the Children’s Cancer Association because she was searching for a volunteer experience that was with children and was hands on.
As a Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor, Lisa helps children and teens break through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. This volunteer program’s purpose is to provide a supportive relationship, ensuring that each child maintains self-esteem and confidence throughout the emotionally isolating and physically difficult cancer treatment.
She also provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the battle against cancer. She participates in visits at the hospitals, clinic, and in the home in order to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies with the child or teen that she has been placed with.
Lisa has been matched with seven-year-old Lemuel since July of 2007. She dedicates about six hours every month spending time with him. Some of their favorite activities include going to movies, painting and doing anything Scooby Doo related.
Lisa is a cancer survivor herself and wanted to brighten the experience for a child going through treatment.
Bill Grange
Bill Grange is a Chemo Pal for the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA). He also has volunteered his time to CCA through events and fundraising, as well as in his daughter’s classroom at school. He comes to speak at Chemo Pal Volunteer Trainings to share his experience with others interested in becoming a Chemo Pals.
The Pediatric Chemo Pal Mentor Program for children and teens breaks through the isolation, chaos and loneliness of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments by providing trusted, dependable and carefully matched mentors throughout the emotionally isolating and physically difficult cancer treatment. The Chemo Pal volunteer provides support and guidance through dependable visits in the midst of the battle against cancer. These mentors visit hospitals, clinics and homes to play games, take walks, read, do art projects or share hobbies.
Bill has been matched with 14 year old Aaron for a little over a year. Bill and Aaron have done numerous activities together. These include bowling, Blazer games, board games and going out to eat. Bill provides stability, direction, and a diversion from Aaron’s treatment.
