By dawn, everything was set for the annual Day of Hope event by Dignity Health.
“Today is a day of celebration and that our cancer patients feel very loved and honored today because we're right there with them," said Jessa Brooks, Vice President of Philanthropy at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.
All it took for volunteers was a safety vest and a stack of newspapers. They hit the streets, asking for donations in exchange for a special edition of the Santa Maria Times.
Of course, some groups took it to the next level, like Cynthia Maldonado’s, whose group was dressed up as Michael Jackson, holding up a sign reading “Cancer - just beat it!”.
“We're all very, very passionate. This is cancer outreach, and so we want to make sure that we're out here supporting the community," Maldonado said.
Since 2013, Dignity Health has raised over $2 million through Day of Hope newspaper sales and online donations. The money helps local cancer patients and their families, providing crucial support like transportation to and from the hospital for treatment.
“We have a patient transportation program, and patients can then call the cancer center and arrange for transportation to and from their appointments," Brooks said.
With cheers, volunteers worked hard Wednesday morning to reach the $350,000 fundraiser goal for thousands of cancer patients across the Central Coast.
“It's just a disease that so many people have been familiar with and that we can come together as a community to support those families, to support the individuals, it's just terrific," said Dr. Ben Wilkinson, Radiation Oncologist at Marian Regional Medical Center.
