AHN Saint Vincent cancer nurse brings Christmas joy to patients
Erie PA cancer nurse’s Christmas collection helps low-income patients
Maddy Latsko, R.N., describes how a talk with a patient at the AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent turned into an impromptu Christmas collection.
- An oncology nurse started a donation drive after seeing the financial struggles of her cancer patients.
- Patients in need were also given food and referred to the hospital’s Healthy Food Center.
- Donations were distributed to cancer patients and their families at the AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent.
Maddy Latsko, R.N., has witnessed the toll cancer has taken on patients, both physically and financially.
Many people have had to quit their jobs or work fewer hours to battle the disease. They have drained savings accounts and their families have made do with less money.
“I had a patient last Tuesday whose son was having a birthday and she was worried,” said Latsko, an oncology nurse at the AHN Cancer Institute at Saint Vincent. “She hadn’t been able to get him a gift. She could hardly put food on their table.”
Determined to help her patient, Latsko reached out to her mother, Karen Malec, who owns and operates a bingo hall on West 38th Street, as well as contacting the Erie Bureau of Fire. Latsko also posted a request for donations on her own social media pages.
What happened next is a minor Christmas miracle, according to Latsko and her coworkers.
“My mom and I posted on Facebook, and she held a special bingo event, and donations started pouring in — toys and food,” Latsko said. “I drove to five different houses one day last week to pick up toys, coworkers and firefighters were bringing in donations, and others were dropping them off here at the Cancer Institute.”
One person donated $200 worth of gift cards and another gave a four-foot-tall stuffed bear.
The toys were placed under a Christmas tree in the cancer center’s second-floor lobby. Food items were stored on shelves in a medical oncology hallway.
Any cancer patient who felt like they were struggling financially was welcome to take a gift, or several, for their families. Those who indicated they had financial issues during their office visit were given bags of food.
“We see these patients all the time, sometimes three or four times a week, so we know what’s going on in their lives,” said Janese Stamp, a dietitian at the Cancer Institute. “If a patient has lost 10 pounds and they tell me that it’s been a struggle with food, we would give them a bag of food.”
Patients were also told about Saint Vincent Hospital’s Healthy Food Center, where qualified patients can receive free food once a month.
The response was dramatic.
Cancer Institute employees restocked presents under the tree three times since last week as more than 35 families have accepted gifts, food or both, Latsko said.
“The four-foot bear went to one patient as a gift for his 5-year-old daughter,” Latsko said. “We also gave him a bag of food.”
‘It’s just a blessing’
Toys were scheduled to be given out through Christmas Eve. All patients needed to do was show up at the Cancer Institute.
Anything left over will be saved until next Christmas. Bags of food will be handed out until supplies are gone.
Donations can be made to AHN Healthy Food Centers by visiting www.supportahn.org.
“It’s just a blessing how quickly our community came together to help people who are less fortunate,” Latsko said.
Contact David Bruce at [email protected]. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.
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