Foundation Offers Free Help, Hope

Dear Ann Landers: The trauma of being diagnosed with cancer is enormous, especially for someone with no knowledge of where to turn for help. Realizing the good you have done for cancer patients over the years, I think you will like my idea.

My wife, Annette, and I started a cancer hot line in Kansas City 17 years ago that gives newly diagnosed cancer patients the chance to talk to other individuals who have been successfully treated for the same type of cancer. This accomplishes two major goals. First, by talking with someone who was diagnosed with the same type of cancer, the patient realizes there is hope. Second, the volunteers can get the patients over the initial fear and work with them to discover their best options.

We do no fund-raising, and everything we do is free. This service is totally funded by our foundation. Further, we are not affiliated with any hospital or pharmaceutical company, so the caller knows there is no hidden agenda. We have received calls from over 50,000 newly diagnosed cancer patients in the last 17 years.

Sprint heard about what we are doing and has provided us with an 800 number (1-800-433-0464) and Watts lines for our volunteers to return the calls, so it won’t cost anyone a penny. We had one bit of publicity in June, from which we received 836 calls in the following two weeks from all over the country. It is a wonderful and desperately needed service, but we can’t help people unless they know we exist.

Any publicity you can give the Bloch National Cancer Hot Line will be greatly appreciated. - Richard A. Bloch, R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Kansas City, Mo.

Dear Dick: In the interest of full disclosure, I want my readers to know that you and I are friends from way back, having served on several health-related boards together. I applaud your generosity and admire so much what you and Annette have accomplished. Awesome! Keep on keeping on!

Dear Ann Landers: This is for “At the Crossroads in Des Moines,” whose boyfriend was dating another woman. When she caught him, he begged for forgiveness and promised to be faithful. They are now engaged.

I married a man who broke his engagement with another woman for me and roomed with yet another female during our engagement. I suspected more than a platonic relationship, but I was young and dumb and took him at his word.

Fifteen years and six affairs later, I decided that enough was enough and dumped him. I finally realized that the problem was him, not me. My ex-husband simply was not capable of loyalty or commitment. Soon after, I met a wonderful man, and we dated for 11 months. Then, I discovered that he had gotten married five months earlier and had neglected to tell me. He begged me to continue our relationship because he “really loved” me. I refused. I have never met his wife, but I still pray for her after six years.

I suggest that “Des Moines” check out her boyfriend’s previous history. Players keep playing. Don’t count on him to change. He won’t. Cheating is a way of life for cheaters. - Happy at Last, Mohave, Calif.

Dear Mojave: No voice speaks more convincingly than the Voice of Experience. Thanks for the wake-up call. I hope Des Moines hears it.

Dear Readers: Thursday is National Depression Screening Day. Once again, the number is 1-800-242-2211 (TTY for the hearing impaired: 1-800-855-2880). If you are depressed, or know someone who is, make that call now.