Cancer survivors create flower arrangements for patients

The group, founded in 2008, delivers flowers to cancer patients in local hospitals and assisted living facilities.

“All the Pink Ladies have had some type of cancer,” Franck said. “I’m a breast cancer survivor. Steph had (Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma). Janet and Phyllis both, Phyllis had thyroid cancer. Sue’s had breast cancer. We’ve all been there.”

Carol Reid, Carol Wheeler, Carol Linke, Stephanie Reed, Jo Mader, Rita Courtney, Anna Bangs, Phyllis Baade, Linda Franck and Sue Koslow are the Pink Ladies

“We also give to the nurses station to keep them going,” said Pink Lady Stephanie Reed. “It’s not an easy place to work.”

“Many of the people we deliver to are bed-ridden or hardly ever get out,” Franck said.

But they don’t only pick up the flowers and deliver them. On each alternating Tuesday since the Making a Difference program took hold, a Pink Lady donates the space of their garage to repurpose the bouquets into arrangements in vases.

When it comes to flower arranging, they are mostly amateurs. Over the summer and fall months though, the group has honed in on the skill to make vibrant, unique arrangements.
“They usually last a good week or more, so there’s still life in these flowers,” Franck said.
Since June 30, the group made and delivered over 200 flower arrangements.

“Everybody loves flowers,” Franck said. “If you get a flower in your hand, you’re going to smile.”

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2fZER6c

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