Organization visits Fairmont to understand needs of cancer patients

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — The Charleston-based organization 3 Betties Foundation visited the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center in Fairmont on Thursday where it held a Cancer Needs Listening Session for those who have been affected by the disease.

According to its website, the organization seeks to “find out what needs aren’t being met in our rural area and find a way to be a beacon of Hope in the midst of the dark times of a cancer diagnosis.”

President and CEO Chad Beam told 12 News that Thursday’s event is part of the foundation’s effort to branch out from its surrounding counties. He added that patients experiencing “high-problem cancer” in areas such as Charleston, Huntington and Morgantown are typically sent out of state. “So we wanna get to the different regions and find out what areas are needing help the most,” he said.

The 3 Betties Foundation has divided the state into 12 different regions and has been visiting each one to address their needs. Beam said that West Virginians can be “proud folks,” so they may not always ask for help in instances where they need assistance getting to a medical professional.

“We wanna find out…what’s not going on in Clarksburg, what’s not going on in Morgantown,” said Beam. He added that the organization can also help point people in the direction of resources, because they may not know about certain things unless a hospital tells them specifically.

Beam specifically started the 3 Betties Foundation because his family has been through cancer many times over, and he knows how overwhelming it can be for some. Therefore, he’s able to assist people from the perspective of somebody who understands what they’ve been through.

“They know that somebody understands because they’ve actually been through it, and not just medical books,” he added.

3 Betties Foundation will be traveling to three more regions in the state to hold these listening sessions. Beam added that they may do something like this again in the spring, likely via Zoom.

For more information about 3 Betties Foundation or to volunteer with the organization, you can reach out to it via Facebook or on its website.

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