MIDLAND, Texas — One of the most significant milestones for a cancer survivor is the moment they ring the bell, marking the end of their treatment.
However, it also symbolizes the beginning of a new journey — one where they reclaim their lives.
The Permian Basin Gifts of Hope Center, which is the first of it's kind in the state of Texas, is dedicated to supporting survivors as they navigate this new chapter.
Teresa Gonzalez, a survivor of bladder, colon and urethral cancer, found the center during her time of need, which changed her outlook on life.
“I needed somewhere to go where I could feel like I had a purpose again, something to do. When I started coming [to the Hope House], I felt safe. I felt at peace,” Gonzalez said.
The "A Time to Heal" program is a nine-week course that helps survivors adjust to their new normal - focusing on the heart, mind, body and soul. Being able to serve West Texas as well as Southeast New Mexico holds a very special place for the leaders at Gifts of Hope.
"If people want to stay in their rural communities, where they've lived their whole lives, we want to do everything we can to help them through this time," said Clint Dickson, the executive director for the center. "We want them to get back to their communities and be able to give back. It's about moving from just recovery to rejuvenation and reclaiming their lives."
For Gonzalez, reclaiming her life meant learning to accept help and becoming a Honeybee Volunteer for the center.
“I wish I would have had the book as soon as I found out I had cancer because it touched bases, it was like coming to life," Sanchez said. "What we went through in this book touched a lot of things, and it gave me a lot more information about what my body was going through and how to deal with it, and what I could do to have a better life.”
She also reflected on the challenges of relying on others.
"Everybody was depending on us, and now I’m depending on everybody else, and that’s hard to do sometimes, to depend on other people," Gonzalez said. "A lot of us in the Spanish culture, we’re really not open to help, and I learned how to accept it and that book really helped a lot.”
Whether anyone is undergoing treatment, in remission, or has a loved one battling cancer, the Gifts of Hope Center and its programs can be the village people need.
The center will be hosting their nine-week support group program, "A Time to Heal," for the second time starting Sept. 17. If anyone or anyone knows someone who is looking for a community of survivors, Gifts of Hope is the place to be.