HARVARD — The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden is hoping to provide more comfort and wellness to cancer patients through a $60,000 grant from the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF). These funds will support the center’s Empowering Resilience Program, which aims to enhance psychosocial cancer support services for Nashoba Valley residents.
Kelly Marchand, managing director at the Healing Garden, discussed the importance of this grant.
“As we serve more clients than ever before, we are so grateful for this tremendous grant support so we can continue to serve cancer clients, caregivers, and those bereaved by cancer in the Nashoba Valley area,” said Marchand.
The Healing Garden provides psychosocial therapeutic services to cancer patients, families, and caregivers. Staff are committed to helping clients navigate their cancer diagnosis by providing emotional support, connecting cancer patients with available resources, and educating patients on cancer support services available to them.
Based on a holistic approach to health and wellness, the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden provides its clients with the very best chance to achieve positive wellness outcomes.
This includes case management, patient navigation, and social work services, including assessments for food, housing, transportation to medical treatment, childcare, applications for SSDI, and palliative and hospice care, upon which referrals are made if necessary.
The Discretionary Grants Program is one of several competitive grant programs offered through the GLCF each year.
“Our community is fortunate to have a network of exceptional nonprofits, including the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden that supports so many in our community,” said Jay Linnehan, GLCF president and CEO. “Our generous donors have allowed us to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve with these impactful grants.”
Founded in 2000, the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden provides integrative oncology care that aims to serve clients through a healing community of support. Integrative therapies, educational programs, and therapeutic services complement medical care to improve the quality of life and well-being of all those affected by cancer, regardless of diagnosis, prognosis, or financial limitations.
The Greater Lowell Community Foundation, founded in 1997, is a philanthropic organization comprised of over 350 funds, currently totaling over $48 million, dedicated to improving the quality of life in 20 neighboring cities and towns.
