Georgia Cancer Center patients treated to spa day and lunch

EVANS, Ga. (WJBF) – Some Georgia Cancer Center patients were treated to a spa day on Wednesday.

September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, and women in remission or going through treatment for reproductive system cancers got some much needed pampering.

“It’s well worth the while, I think it’s great. I haven’t had a manicure since 2021, maybe 2020, so this is good,” said Janet Gorden, an ovarian cancer patient.

They got to pick between getting their nails done or getting a massage, and were treated to lunch at Cork & Flame in Evans.

“I think it’s great that the attention is just on them and it’s all about them,” said Sherita Rosier, Gorden’s daughter. “Which is good because sometimes they feel like they’re being forgotten about because they’re going through something that a lot of family members or friends are just not even experiencing.”

It was covered by the CSRA GYN Cancer Support Group Foundation. It’s a nonprofit that educates and supports local women with gynecological cancers.

“With cancer, one of the hardest parts is fear,” said Dr. Sharad Ghamande, a Gynecological Oncologist at the Georgia Cancer Center. “It’s fear of the unknown, and one of the ways to mitigate that is to be able to match them with somebody who’s been there done that and just talking about their treatments, and knowing that there are other people around undergoing the same thing makes a whole lot of difference.”

Dr. Ghamande started the nonprofit 20 years ago. It hosts activities throughout the year to bring patients closer together and take their minds off treatment.

“The spa day came out of an idea to really have our patients look beyond the perceived scars of surgery and chemotherapy or radiation, and look at the inner beauty and express themselves, and just have fun,” he said.

Patients we spoke with said if something doesn’t feel right, it’s important to listen to your body.

“If you’re feeling bad and they can’t find anything, you have to keep pushing it. You have to,” said Dorinda Hentz, an endometrial cancer patient. “Because for seven months, I went through, I felt terrible. So it was awesome to finally be diagnosed and from there your doctor will take good care of you.”

For more information about the CSRA GYN Support Group Foundation, click here.

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