Michele Sexton was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. She was 50 years old and had a lot to live for, but the pathology report showed no clean margins so the cancer was advanced. Having lost her father to lung cancer in 1980, she had to face the truth.
She had a talk with God to discuss how she would travel this road and face this battle. After her chemo was finished, she had 29 radiation treatments. After her recovery, she ended up forming a cancer support group, which is known as Celebrate Life.
Sexton explained Celebrate Life came from a promise she made to God. “I told Him if He would get me through this I in turn would work toward strengthening others facing the same situation,” she said.
Twenty-five years later the support group is still going strong. Hundreds of people have been helped and dozens of families have been touched by the organization, which is a 501©3.
Kathy Webb was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. Her husband Danny Webb said they heard about the group and they became active members.
“I feel God calls people. He called us to help cancer patients. We are all volunteers and we ask for nothing back,” he said. “They may be facing a situation where they can’t get their medicine or pay co-pays, or they may need gas money to get to appointments. We give them hope. We pray for them. They know our hearts and it makes their eyes light up.”
Kathy Webb explained she met Sexton shortly after her mastectomy. Sexton came to her house through the Reach to Recovery program. She has been involved with the group since that day.
Kathy Webb serves as secretary and helps Sexton with the patients, writes checks, documents where the money goes and helps with bookkeeping.
Freddie Campbell was diagnosed with cancer in March 2002, and he recalls seeing Sexton out about town talking about the group. After finishing treatments, he and his wife Kathy Campbell became active with the group sometime around 2004.
“We’ve seen it all. We have laughed and cried at meetings,” the Campbells said. “We have had many people who have made it through their cancer battles and stayed with our group for years to come, but we have also had some who lost their battles,” he explained.
Nathan Manning, who has become active with the group because he got to know them when he worked at radio station WNPC, organized Cruise Against Cancer as a fundraiser for them. The event started in the Sagebrush Steakhouse parking lot then grew to the Lowe’s Home Improvement Center parking lot. Now with 400 to 500 cars, it is held at Newport City Park. It broke records this year bringing in $45,000.
In the average year, Celebrate Life helps dozens of patients every year, and Sexton points out that it is not the number, but the patient himself or herself that is important. “What patient can we help, and what is their need?”
Those needs may be money for gas to travel to appointments, money for prescriptions or co-pays, funds to take their family on a vacation to the beach or grocery money. One couple, who was terminally ill, wanted a last vacation to the beach and through Celebrate Life they were able to do just that.
Those who receive help are so appreciative, they pointed out. They get cards thanking the organization and detailing what a difference they have made in their lives.
“We ask what is your greatest need?” Sexton explained. “We try to help with that.”
The maximum Celebrate Life can spend on an individual is $600 per year, but they hope one day they can increase that amount. They average helping more than 90 patients per year. They serve patients from Cocke, Jefferson and Sevier counties, but most patients are in Cocke County.
They have helped patients at Children’s Hospital up to individuals in their 80s, so the group has clientele of all ages.
“We want to give them the gift of love and care,” Sexton said. “We allow them to make memories that their family will have forever,” Danny Webb said.
Celebrate Life meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Smoky Mountain Home Health and Hospice (SMHHH) in the conference room. They appreciate SMHHH allowing them to use the room free of charge. Meetings are open to the public, and they said they are sure most people would want to come back to a meeting in the future.
Organizations and companies such as Clayton Homes, Newport Police Department, Newport Fire Department, Phoenix Closures and Cocke County High School football have had fundraisers to contribute to the group.
There is no overhead because the group is run by volunteers. To learn more about the organization call Michele at (865) 654-0468 or Kathy at (423) 625-6603.
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