Rebuilding After the Flood

By Shannon Cobb, President and CEO

Over Easter/Passover weekend, a hot water pipe burst at the seam in the wall behind the first floor kitchen counters at Ann’s Place. Nobody was present to see it fill up the kitchen, or watch it pour into the Olsen Hayes meeting room. The water silently filled the lobby, gathering room, library and spirituality room. It then rained down– destroying walls, ceilings and floors in the entire lower level, including the children’s room, the movement room, board room and the art room.  After weeks of demolition, two full floors have been gutted in order to dry out the building and keep mold from growing.

There are positives in this bad news. Our clinicians and facilitators have already become experts at providing online programming. The vast majority of our services are offered on zoom including counseling, support groups, yoga, tai chi, speaker series, dance, and even horticulture therapy among others. We were able to switch in-person programming to online within hours of the flood.

We will rebuild our rooms again and this gives our experienced staff and volunteers an opportunity to look at each room to see how it can serve as an even better place of healing and care for those facing cancer.  

One of our dreams was to have a special room where a counselor can meet with someone when they are losing their hair - to try on wigs and scarves, at this very emotional time. We now have an opportunity to build this thanks to the generosity of donors at our 2022 Fashion Show who raised over $30K for this room and other improvements! This new “Salon” will be a place our clients can feel beautiful again and we are so excited to roll it out this year.

We also want to reimagine our children’s room so we can have an interactive therapy room for kids of all ages. We have so many creative ideas for what would delight and help heal our youngest clients.

The activity and movement room will get a beautiful new yoga floor that didn’t exist a decade ago.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, but with the support in this incredible community, we will make it to the other side…and have a fresh coat of paint in the process!

There are a lot of similarities between what is happening to Ann’s Place and what our clients go through. One day they find some minor bump or pain – often hardly noticed… but it causes so much damage. Then, in order to rid their bodies of cancer, the doctors have to remove anything that could be a risk – making them feel gutted and disfigured.

What Ann’s Place does is to help them rebuild their life, to feel beautiful inside and out – and make sure nobody has to face cancer alone.

We are very grateful to the Ann’s Place supporters who walk on this journey with us and make the rebuilding of lives and our space possible.

We will keep our supporters updated in the coming months as we make progress forward. Thank you.

Attending To Our Overwhelm

By Alison DiPinto, MA LPC

Overwhelm synonyms:   submerge, engulf, bury, deluge, flood, inundate, clog

I was thinking of the word overwhelm recently as it seems to be used quite often to describe current states of being with both my clients, as well as friends and family.  So, in preparation for writing this I looked it up.  I was surprised (and not so surprised with further thought) of the synonyms that were listed beside it. 

What beneficial information can be provided to us if we take overwhelm as an emotional state of being and consider its synonyms? Words like submerge, engulf, inundate, bury and flood conjure up imagines of being overtaken by something that feels uncontrollable, such as fire, quicksand, or water. 

We may feel overwhelmed by anger because of illness or loss.   We may feel submerged in feelings of worry and uncertainty, and we may feel like we are drowning in a sea of sadness.  These words and images help us to clarify how we feel, but not so much about what to do about it.   

Let us consider the physical state of overwhelm to help us find solutions.  Consider how does it feels in your body to be engulfed by anger.  Some words that come time mind are tense, contracted, overheated.  How does it feel to be buried by feelings of uncertainty or drowning in sadness?  We may have some difficulty taking a deep breath, or a feeling of being disconnected or unmoored, resulting in difficulty focusing or sleeping.   

Clog was another synonym for overwhelm and to me that has a different feel to it.  It suggests a “stuckness” or an inability to move. That we may feel like our emotions are clogged up inside of us with nowhere to go.

Attending to the physical sensations that pair with our emotional states is a pathway to coping and healing.  Let us explore some ways to attend to some of the sensations discussed above. 

First, it is important to identify what you are feeling in your body that feels like overwhelm   Find a moment or two of stillness and ask yourself how you feel with the focus being on body sensations that seem connected to emotions. See if you can let go of any judgement here and be curious about any information you are receiving.

Maybe the prominent sensation is muscle tension. A simple way to release tension is to do a tense and release exercise with each muscle of the body. You can do this seated, lying down or even standing. You can start at your feet and create tension in the muscle, hold for several seconds and then completely let the muscle relax. Then move up the body to the next muscle group (lower legs, upper legs and so on). It always amazes me how good the muscle feels when it gets to release all that tension. 

This physical exercise reminds us that after a contraction there is always an expansion and that sometimes we contract around our pain to protect ourselves but if we allow and not resist the inevitable expansion, we can find relief in allowing our feelings to have the space to be felt. 

We can couple the above exercise with attending to our breath. Sometimes we can have a tough time finding a deeper breath. It is important not to force it or “over focus” on how we are breathing. I know for me, that has led to feelings of a more labored breath.  But if we pair it with a simple tense and release exercise our brain has something else to focus on.  Try, on an inhale making a fist with both hands, then try a slower exhale as you slowly release your hands.  Do this at least 5 times.  During this exercise you could identify what you are letting go of as you exhale and release the fist: “I let go of my anger in this moment” or something we want to expand and nurture: “I expand around gratitude and love”.

If there is a feeling in the body of drowning or drifting and feeling untethered, we can simply turn our focus to our feet.  We can become aware of how the distinct parts of the feet connect to the floor, feeling all ten toes, the outer and inner edges of the feet and the surface of the heel. For additional sensations of “groundedness”, try standing outside with your bare feet directly on the earth. (Maybe we wait for spring!)  It can help to imagine the exchange between your unique energy and the energy of the earth.

If the body sensation of overwhelm feels more like clogged or stuck emotions, consider moving your whole body like dancing to a favorite song or “shaking out” stuck energy, (think Hokey Pokey) If dancing or shaking is not your thing consider journaling or talking to a trusted friend or counselor.  The important thing is to externalize the trapped feelings somehow.

It seems that if you feel all those emotions and you’re short on time, the suggested exercises could be done all at once!  Here’s an example: Stand or sit and notice your feet on the ground, then do the tense and release with your fists and breath 5 times, then shake out your whole body.  Repeat as necessary.

Most times it takes a little awareness of not only how we feel but where we feel to start the process of feeling unburdened and less overwhelmed. 

Alison DiPinto MA LPC

Alison is a licensed clinician at Ann’s Place. Alison also is a certified yoga instructor, certified Grief Yoga® instructor, and a certified Healthy Steps® instructor all of which she shares with the Ann’s Place community. 

The Metamorphosis of A Butterfly

The beautiful butterfly tree was a delight for many children at Festival of Trees!

If you were at Festival of Trees, you saw the beautiful Monarch Butterfly Tree that was a real treat for adults and kids alike. There was a fun story behind that wonderful tree told here by Janet Capozzola:

“In July the Senior Center had been open for an entire month after being shut down from the Corna Virus in July 2021. We were excited to be allowed to have a float in the Lion's Club Fourth of July parade. We decided butterflies would be a great representation of how we all felt coming out of isolation. We named our float, "We Have Emerged". We had all parts of the stages of the butterfly, Kathy Stram marched in the parade as a caterpillar. We had a section of the float with a tree with chrysalis hanging in it. The seniors wore beautiful wings and loved riding on the float flapping their wings sitting under the huge Monach butterfly. We had lots of flowers for the butterflies to nibble on. We won a trophy for first place in the parade.

After the parade we moved the butterfly into our Senior Center where it decorated the great room and reminded everyone how great it was to have emerged from isolation.

In October we decided the butterfly needed to move on to spread it's wings and bring joy to others. A couple of seniors worked to attached the Monach's wings to a black Christmas tree and strung it with white lights and added the antennas. They made a "tree skirt" with the flowers and added some more smaller butterflies and was delighted to donate it to the Festival of Trees to raise money for Ann's place and move onto a new home. It received a lot of attention at the Festival because it was so big and unusual. 

I was shocked when my daughter's boyfriend won the butterfly tree with just one ticket he placed in the tube. He decided to donate the tree to "The Monach in Southbury”, a Senior Living Facility where it has found a new home in the facility's main room.”

Janet Capozzola, Program Coordinator
New Fairfield Senior Center

Choosing the Right Foods

Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

By Samhita Shirsat

Maintaining healthy food choices as you make your way through cancer treatment can help you reduce side effects and give your body more strength when it needs it the most. The articles below will give you some different perspectives on some of the best foods to include in your diet.

What are some foods that fight cancer? 

Although there is not one specific food that can protect against cancer, a combination of fruits and vegetables as well as limiting alcohol and excess sugar consumption can help build a strong protection. For an excellent visual display of choosing the right foods, read more here at the American Institute for Cancer’s . 

What are healthy options for different meals of the day? 

No matter what the meal, choosing to include a source of protein, as well as a variety of produce will make the meal healthier. Easy ways to incorporate this are through salads, soups, and sides for meals. For suggestions of quick recipes and proportions for healthier meals, these recipes for the American Institute of Cancer Research can help.   

How can I be better prepared to make healthier eating choices in my day-to-day life? 

Healthier choices start with availability of nutritious food. The first step would be to start buying healthier snacks and ingredients for your home. To help with this, this video from the American Cancer Society explains some of the ways you can stock your kitchen with healthier foods. 

It can be hard to find healthy options when dining out, how can I stay healthy when I am not at home? 

This is completely understandable, and there are a few simple ways you can still choose healthier options when not at home. Making sure to choose the right portion size, choosing meals with more fruits and vegetables, and packing healthy snacks to take on the road are all great options to stay healthy outside of the house. To learn more about these options, this video from the American Cancer Society can help! 

Men Get Breast Cancer too? Yes, they do.

By Bob DeVito

Would you please allow me to introduce myself properly first?  My name is Bob DeVito.  And I have stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.  Perhaps you knew men could get breast cancer, and maybe you didn't.  I wanted to take this opportunity to share my story and accept feedback and questions at the end. It's Breast Cancer Awareness month.  We are awash in a sea of pink.  We need to add some blue to that sea of pink to represent all men who get breast cancer.  

"The American Cancer Society estimates for breast cancer in men in the United States for 2021 are:

• About 2,650 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed

• About 530 men will die from breast cancer

Breast cancer is about 100 times less common among white men than among white women.  It is about 70 times less common among Black men than Black women. As in Black women, Black men with breast cancer tend to have a worse prognosis (outlook). For men, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 833 .”2

You need to know your bodies and see the doctor if anything changes.  It would help if you did a breast self exam, examine your testes, have your colonoscopies when you are supposed to. It's better to know than to not know when it comes to cancer (or any disease, really).

My journey to cancer land started in the Spring of 2012.  Well, that's not entirely true.  Years before, I'd reported to my primary care doctor that I had a pea-sized lump at the 12 o'clock position.  He examined me and told me that "perhaps it's a cyst or a calcium deposit.  You have some manboob (being a bigger guy) going on, so you have some gynecomastia. We'll watch it." Famous last words, "we'll watch it." Several years later, I went in for a sick visit for my right ear, having some impacted wax.  He was precepting 2 Yale Medical students and a student nurse that day.  They all took turns irrigating my right ear using a large chrome syringe and one of those tiny kidney cup basins to catch the water and any wax that had been dislodged.  I got soaked with water.  When they were done, I just happened to remember to tell him that my pea-sized lump was still an issue but had gotten larger, asymmetrical, and hurt to the touch.  He said, "take your shirt off. Let's look.".  He palpated it and mumbled "inverted nipple" to the med students and student nurse.   He told me he would set up a referral to the hospitals' cancer center to get a mammogram and an ultrasound.  The ultrasound proved to be suspicious.  The tech brought in the radiologist on duty to have a look.  She said, "I'm going to call the office right now and give them my verbal report".  I replied, "It's quarter to 5 PM on a Friday, I am certain they aren't in the office." 

She said, "Still, I want them to have these results as soon as possible." A week later, my primary care doctor called me with the mammogram results and the ultrasound and told me to see the surgeon that was across the hall from where I had the mammogram and ultrasound done.  He did a biopsy then and there.  It hurt like hell.  And then, he did an FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration) of the two suspect lymph nodes. It was on a Tuesday.  That Friday, about a quarter to five, the surgeon called me back with the biopsy results.  I told him to hold on, we were at Walmart and just loading groceries in the car, and I wanted to give him my full attention.  He waited, I got in the car and sat down in the driver's seat. 

He told me what he would need to do.  His voice trailed off to the Charlie Brown cartoon teachers voice. "Wah waaah wah wah".  I remember he told me "It's not good news.  You have breast cancer." He proceeded to summarize what he would need to do surgically to remove my left breast and left lymph nodes.  I managed to tune back in.  I was crying, my husband was crying.  He told me he would have the girls in the office call me to schedule a time to come back in and talk about the surgery.  Which they did.   I went home and was sobbing.  I researched male breast cancer on "Dr. Google".  I had a hard time finding any information.  We went in that following Tuesday to talk about surgery.   I went in with a list of questions to ask the surgeon before surgery, at the time of surgery and after surgery that I'd found on a website.  So, one of the questions on the list was, "I want a second opinion. Who would you recommend?" He looks disappointed.  Maybe because I tied him up so long with the surgery explanation and questions or maybe because he felt he would lose a "paying customer".  Anyway, he gave me the names of three breast surgeons closer to my home.

I picked one and got an appointment at 5 PM since I was already diagnosed. They needed to go through their surgical opinion after doing a clinical exam and her own ultrasound.   The medical assistance stayed and drew blood for a BRCA 1&2 mutation test.  I was negative for all the genetic mutations, including others I found out later after being given the Myriad Genetics My Risk Panel.  So how did I get breast cancer?  Who knows?  I felt confident in this new surgeon.  I didn't get out of there until 8:45 PM.  They are that thorough. The next day I dropped off my leave of absence paperwork. They gave me a list of "To Do's," including blood work, seeing a plastic surgeon who was going to be scrubbed in to close my surgical incision and see what she could do about making me flat, the date of the surgery when I'd be discharged.  Amazing.  I said to the Medical Assistant, "Didn't you go home last night? How did you get all this done so fast?".  

On Wednesday, June 13, I had a radical modified mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy and a lymph node dissection.  On Friday, June 15, I was discharged home with 2 Jackson Pratt (JP) drains to drain off fluids.  A visiting nurse came every day to check the amount of fluid that had drained off and make sure I was bandaged properly.  This was all followed by six rounds of aggressive chemotherapy once every three weeks.  I received Adriamycin (the red devil), Cytoxan, and Taxotere.  After about a month's break, they started me on 25 generous daily doses of radiation.  I was left hairless and exhausted, but I was alive.  The cancer was stage 3a.  I had visits with the medical oncologist about every 6 to 9 months.  I started on Tamoxifen on 1/1/2013.  I was on it until September 17, 2020. I'd seen my oncologist, and he wanted me to have a CT scan.  On September 17, I got a call after the CT scan, and it was my oncologist saying, I think we need to talk about this CT scan.  I am now stage four metastatic.

There is a mass on my left chest wall, the 2nd rib with a lytic lesion, my T1 and T12 vertebrae have lytic lesions, a lymph node below where my airway splits into each lung, and a nodule in the right middle lobe of my lung.  What they've biopsied shows it's same cancer I had in 2012. It's ER/PR positive, HER2 Neu negative.  I asked the wonderful interventional radiologist to look back at my previous CT scans to see if they showed metastatic spread.  I remembered reading my reports and seeing that 2nd rib having lytic lesions before.  Sure enough, the CT scan in 2018 and 2019 showed lytic lesions, and I was told they should have picked up on it in 2019 for sure. It was obvious to me that the images showed the 2nd rib had a pathological fracture.  So, I've probably have had stage 4 metastatic as far back as 2018. At least since 2019.  I guess that's why it's called "practicing medicine."  

1 https://breastselfexams.org/ 

2 https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/8584.00.pdf

About Bob

After almost 10 years, a gay marriage, and having (male) breast cancer, I have NO privacy left.  I've been poked, prodded, stuck, scanned, and X-rayed over and over again.  I always tell people, "When I got breast cancer, I had to come out of the closet twice.  Once, as a gay male introducing my husband to each of my doctors. Secondly, I had to come out as a man with a "woman’s" disease when I would appear in a pink decorated women’s' imaging center."   I now say, "my closet doesn't even have a door anymore".  We need to add some blue to all the pink, especially in October, for all the men who are living and dying with male breast cancer.  I am now one of those statistics.  I'll be in treatment the rest of my life.  Some people, don't understand what being stage 4 metastatic means.  I wish people wouldn't ask "how much longer do you have to have chemo?", or "It will be okay."   I want them to become educated about it and meet me where I am in my journey. 

Samhita’s Steps Toward Healthy Eating

Written by: Samhita Shirsat

Saturdays are for Salad Lovers!  

Hi everyone! My name is Samhita Shirsat, I’m a rising senior at Brookfield High school, and I am a current intern at Ann’s Place.  I’m honored to be writing about some of my experiences cooking various healthy recipes as part of a new blog series for Ann’s Place. In this series, I will be cooking and reviewing some recipes I have researched that are both nutritious and hopefully delicious for those affected by cancer. This way, you all can decide if it might be something you would like to recreate on your own!  

For my first week, I thought I might start with a meal that was able to combine a lot of amazing and nutrient filled vegetables together—a salad. As I was researching possible options to recreate, I came across this Citrus Quinoa Avocado Salad from the American Institute of Cancer Research and I was immediately intrigued. I love everything avocado related, so I was really interested in trying this one out! *As a side note, for everyone following this blog, feel free to change, add, or remove any ingredients according to specific dietary needs and guidelines * 

My First Step in this process was : Buying My Ingredients  

As I thought about making this recipe, I considered different options for where I could get my ingredients. Although for some ingredients (quinoa, spices, cheese), I had to visit a local supermarket, for most vegetables, I was able to get them at an amazing farmer’s market in Bethel, CT. The address is 67 Stony Hill Road, in case any of you would like to visit.   

I’ve included some pictures I took at the market.  There was such a great variety of produce, and most were locally grown! 

There was even a garden you could visit to see produce growing.  

Overall, this experience was very interesting for me. I normally don’t shop at farmer’s markets, but everyone was extremely friendly and helpful! I highly recommend it as an option to get your produce, because you can know where your food was grown.  

Step 2 in my process was: Gathering my Ingredients 

The ingredients:  

• 1/2 cup cucumber, diced 

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half 

• 2 small cloves garlic, minced 

• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped 

• 1 bunch cilantro 

• 2 cups spinach, thinly sliced 

• 1 15.5 oz can no salt added garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed) 

• 1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa 

• 2 medium avocados, diced 

For the dressing: 

• Juice of 2 lemons 

• Zest of 1 lemon 

• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil 

• 1 tsp. honey 

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 

• Dash of cayenne pepper (optional) 

• Salt and pepper, to taste 

As I began to collect these ingredients, I made a couple changes to the original recipe based on some of my own personal tastes and preferences.  I added some radishes for a different vegetable, I swapped out the red onion for a white onion, and I thought that lime would personally taste better on the salad than lemon.  Feel free to make any of these changes to your salad as well or stick to the original recipe if you would prefer their original ingredients! 

Once I decided what I wanted in the salad, I gathered everything on my counter, so that I could begin preparing the recipe.  

I just love how colorful all the ingredients looked before I started making the salad! 

Step 3: Cook my quinoa 

Confession time everyone: I have never actually made quinoa before. Because of this, I had to enlist the help of my mom (resident chef) in order to do it right.  

My mom recommended that to cook quinoa, I should start by rinsing it in water for approximately 30 seconds, and then draining the water.  

The next step was beginning to cook the quinoa, in boiling water for around 10 minutes.  

After this, we let the quinoa cool down for 10 minutes before assembling the salad, so that it wasn’t too hot when it went in.  

All in all, this was an easier-than-expected process for me, and now I’m glad I have learned another cooking skill I can add to my collection :) 

Step 4: Chopping up my vegetables 

As I was waiting for the quinoa to cool down, I began to work on my other ingredients, mainly cutting up my veggies to put in the salad.  I don’t know about you all, but for me, cutting onions always leaves me in tears. So, the onion I used in the recipe, I left in the fridge overnight so that it didn’t cause too many tears...and it worked.  Just a quick tip in case it could make your cooking experience easier! 

Also, cutting with a sharp knife was important for me to be able to cut the vegetables without fear of the knife slipping. It would be important to be careful with the type of knife you choose, so it won’t cause any problems while you are cutting.  

Step 5: Putting it all together 

Ok, here comes the fun part for me. Once I finished cutting up my vegetables, and the quinoa was all cooled down, I got to put the salad together! I got to mix all my delicious and colorful ingredients together, as well as mix together the amazing dressing.  

Step 6: Finished Product  

Here’s what our final salad looked like, and I was so excited because it looked amazing! There was such a diversity in color, vegetables, and food groups too.  I was so proud of myself at the end of this experience, because I was able to create something with a good nutritional content, that I was excited about eating.  

I also have the nutrition information of the salad from the American Institute of Cancer Research to the right.  

I was a very happy chef and taster!  

Final Thoughts 

Overall, this salad was amazing. I truly thought the tomatoes we purchased at the farmer’s market added a great level of freshness and flavor to it. The avocado and lime in the dressing worked great together, and I found myself loving the quinoa for texture.  Personally, I made a little more dressing than the recipe suggested (by adding one more teaspoon of olive oil and honey), because I wanted more of the flavor to come through in the salad, but of course it is up to personal taste.  I’m so glad that I was able to share this first recipe with each one of you, and I’m looking forward to creating more in the future!  

Pride Month at Ann's Place

By Pete Carney, LCSW

Welcome to June, where we celebrate the 52nd anniversary of LGBTQ pride, celebrating the LGBTQ community throughout the month. At Ann’s Place we are taking a renewed look at our work serving the LGBTQ community and making sure that their unique experiences with cancer are met with support and care.

Pride is a commemoration of the 1969 Stonewall riots, where a group of LGBTQ individuals, having faced decades of police brutality and the constant threat of physical violence for the mere act of existing, collectively said “no more!” to the oppressors through a night of civil disobedience in Greenwich Village, NY. This one night served as starting point for the modern LGBTQ movement including Marriage Equality and Transgender Rights.

Today, LGBTQ individuals enjoy greater visibility and acceptance in our larger society, but for many, particularly those in the most vulnerable groups (youth, transgender/gender non-conforming, communities of color), pervasive homophobia/transphobia still exists, too often in their daily lives.

As an openly gay men, for 21 years, I can still remember the fear and uncomfortable feelings of being in a doctor’s office and being asked questions about my personal life, that at one time, I was not able to ask myself, much less discuss with another person.

As time went on and I became more comfortable with my gay identity I found two extremes in healthcare that left me struggling to meet my healthcare needs. On one hand was the healthcare provider, who while comfortable with the word “gay”, would become visibly uncomfortable with any discussion of my sex life and its potential impact on my risk for cancer. On the other hand, was the healthcare provider so focused on my sex life and risk for HIV, that other medical concerns were ignored or minimized to the point that it felt like my only concern as a gay man should be not to contract HIV.

As a gay man, as it relates to my heightened risk for anal cancer, I have needed to do my own research, presenting this info to medical providers, often being met with a lack of knowledge or direction of next steps for minimizing my cancer risk and obtaining early screenings. I have, at times, had to travel long distances, to highly LGBTQ populated areas, to meet with medical providers who regularly treat LGBTQ folks, to get fully informed care as well as certain cancer screenings. As a well-educated, employed, gay, white male I recognize that many in the LGBTQ community do not have the same privilege and opportunity that I have, to gain access to this level of care.

When we at Ann’s Place turn our attention to the LGBTQ community and Cancer, we can see a variety of health disparities that put LGBTQ individuals for higher risk of cancer and poorer treatment outcomes.

In a 2017 national survey of the LGBTQ community, 8% of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer individuals and 29% of transgender individuals reported that a doctor had refused to see them because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In this same survey, 9% of lesbian, gay bisexual, and queer individuals and 21% of transgender individuals reported that a doctor or other healthcare provider used harsh or abusive language when treating them. 23% of transgender respondents reported that a doctor or health care provider intentionally misgendered them or used the wrong name.

These negative experiences can leave LGBTQ individuals untrusting of medical providers, and less likely to access medical care, particularly preventative services.  Additionally, LGBTQ individuals have significantly higher rates of being under insured or uninsured, than their straight and CIS gendered counterparts, limiting their access to healthcare services, including cancer screenings. Too often LGBTQ individuals do not get their cancer diagnosis until they are severely ill and treatment options are limited or ineffective. LGBTQ individuals continue to have higher rates of obesity, smoking and drug/alcohol abuse, all precursors to many common forms of cancer.

Moving form NYC to Putnam County 2 years ago, in many ways I started my “coming out” process all over again, needing to make decisions in each new community encounter, including with medical providers, whether I should disclose my gay identity, and how this disclosure could impact my safety, comfortability and access to the services I may need. So, in celebration of LGBTQ Pride, I ask everyone to take a moment and ask yourself, how well do you and the place where you may work welcome LGBTQ folks into your environment? Do you have a Pride Flag up? Do you have images on your websites, in your workplaces that recognize and celebrate the LGBTQ community? We all can play a part in creating a more inclusive community for everyone! To learn more about the impact of cancer on the LGBTQ community and ways to create more welcoming and inclusive environments, check out these great resources:

National LGBT Cancer Network: https://cancer-network.org/

Queering Cancer: https://queeringcancer.ca/

Getting the Sun(dial) Out - Horticulture Therapy

By Erik Keller
Instagram: @grohappy_ct
Facebook: facebook.com/grohappyct
Reprinted with permission from Erik’s Blog: http://bit.ly/grohappyct

One of the more favorite classes of my students at Ann’s Place is the making of sundials around the Spring equinox. It is challenging because while clients can be creative in some aspects of this craft, in others they need to have an exacting focus. Today’s class is a bit different as it is via Zoom thus not permitting me to lend a hand when needed.

“I’m glad we have such a great turnout,” I say to the 23 clients who are on-screen. “I would like to know where everyone will be placing their sundial.”

As clients give a variety of answers (the back deck, a garden, a sunny spot, etc.) one response has me a bit worried.

“I’m taking my sundial down to my daughter’s home in Arizona and leaving it there,” says Betty. “It should get lots of sun.”

“Oops, that is going to be a problem,” I reply. “I will tell you why in a bit.”

Finishing introductions, I tell clients that using the sun to tell time has been around for thousands of years and was used until the mid 1800s when railroad companies came up with the idea of standard time zones. “Before this concept took hold, clocks were calibrated around high noon so every town had a different time. . .and because sundials are calibrated around longitude and latitude nearly every sundial you purchase is likely to be incorrect. And that’s why I would advise Betty not to take her sundial down south as it will be very inaccurate.”

“I guess it will stay up here then,” she replies from the chorus of on-screen clients.

To give clients an idea of what they will be making, each one has received a cutout paper sundial specific to the New York area. Soon, each has a workable (though far from waterproof) sundial. “The gnomon (pointer) is set at an angle that is the same as our current latitude. Also as you can see the spacing between the hours on the dial is not uniform. It is wider between 6 and 7 than 11 and 12. That is also a function of latitude.”

Though I can go into much more detail about the geometry of sundials, I decide not to bore my clients as I can see they really want to start building their sundials rather than listen to a lecture.

The process starts by transferring the dial measurement via tracing paper onto the slabs of basswood they all selected.

“This isn’t working for me,” says Lisa.

“You have to press down hard,” I reply.

“Oh, wait a second,” she continues. “The paper is backwards.” A few other clients make the same observation and start over again.

As everyone is head’s down it is difficult to help them directly. I make an attempt by showing them options on my screen for different sizes of wood and templates.

“You can place the template anywhere and after transferring the lines, be as fancy or spartan as you would like,” I say. “Here is how the lines should look.”

A few clients hold their dials up to the screen looking for guidance.  They all look fine, but I remind them to leave a little space around the edges so a number, either Roman or Arabic, can be placed near the end of each line.

The next step is a bit more challenging as they all need to nail and glue a stick, the gnomon that will cast a shadow, to the dial’s face. I cut and pre-drilled one for each client, attempting to ease the task.

“The stick I have is not exactly straight,” says June. Others nod their heads in agreement. I reply that I thought that the slight curves on some of the sticks are compensated by the nicer, more rustic look each has. Everyone agrees.

The class time moves quickly and most are not finished with their sundials by the end of our 90 minutes together. I anticipated this.

“You should not feel rushed if you haven’t finished,” I say. “Figure out the type of decorations you want to put on your sundial and then if you want it to go outside, you should put five coats of spar varnish on it.”

“Does it smell?” asks Rose. “Awful,” I reply. “Do it on a day when you can be outside or at least open the windows.”

After reviewing with my clients the way a sundial needs to be set, they wish me and their classmates well and start to pop off the screen. There is a different personal relationship when this happens via Zoom than in class. In certain ways it is more intimate as everyone is literally in your face. After class I send an e-mail to clients asking for photos of their finished sundials. As always, they surprise me with their creativity.

New Board Members at the Helm of Ann’s Place

Ann’s Place, a local nonprofit serving families facing cancer, announced three new board members this year: Katie McKeon Curran, Connecticut Institute for Communities; Paul Golaszewski, Waterworks; and Matt Rose, Matt Rose Realty Group. Additionally, Ann’s Place Board of Directors elected Jeff McDonough of Union Savings Bank to serve as the Chair of the Board.

Ann’s Place provides help and hope to those living with cancer and their loved ones. Their clinical counselors, support group facilitators and wellness experts provide a host of services aimed at improving quality of life during and after cancer.  Ann’s Place relies on the generosity of donors to be able to provide all of their services free of charge. 

For the last year, Ann’s Place has moved all of its programs online through interactive video conferencing. Almost a thousand clients received cancer support services from the comfort and safety of their homes during the pandemic.

Katie McKeon Curran, Esq, is the Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel at Connecticut Institute For Communities, Inc. (CIFC), a Danbury based, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization serving low and moderate income individuals, families, and communities in Western Connecticut through a combination of health, housing, education, and economic development programs and services.  Katie is a licensed attorney in the State of Connecticut. She held a prior certification in Health Care Compliance from the national Health Center Compliance Association and recently completed a certification in Nonprofit Financial Stewardship from the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Program.  She holds a B.A. in Government from Hamilton College and a J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law.  She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.

Paul Golaszewski is the Executive Director of Showrooms and Sales for Waterworks. In this role Paul manages teams and develops client relationships across the US that provide luxury bath and kitchen fittings, surfaces, cabinetry, lighting and accessories for architects, interior designers, custom homebuilders and homeowners. He is also a passionate runner who is always looking forward to the next local 5k race. He lives in Brookfield, Connecticut with his wife Debbie and daughter Ellie.

Matt Rose is the Broker Owner of Matt Rose Realty Group, Keller Williams Realty. Headed by Rose, the lead broker, the team additionally includes seven licensed agents specializing in buyer/seller in the Fairfield & Litchfield Counties. He has received numerous awards and sold over 1,000 homes. He currently also serves on the Environmental Impact Commission of Danbury and the Board of Directors for Family and Children’s Aid. He previously served on the board of the Western Connecticut Regional YMCA in Danbury and was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Danbury. He and his wife Heather live in Danbury.

Jeff McDonough is a Senior Vice President at Union Savings Bank, headquartered in Danbury.  Jeff has been with USB since 2015 and leads teams in the Human Resources, Learning & Development and Community Relations departments.  Prior to joining the Ann’s Place board, Jeff was a member of the Ann’s Place Festival of Trees committee, and continues to serve as the Chair of the Taps & Trees event.  Jeff’s passion is family and sports.  He lives in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Ann’s Place’s mission is to provide comfort, support and resources to people living with cancer and to their loved ones.  They assist you and your loved ones to create a unique pathway through cancer to improve your quality of life. At Ann's Place, all are welcome.  Find out more at annsplace.org or call 203-790-6568 for more information. They are located at 80 Saw Mill Road, Danbury CT.

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Horticultural therapy zooming: Musings on horticultural therapy and the soothing effects of plants and nature

By Erik Keller
Instagram: @grohappy_ct
Facebook:  facebook.com/grohappyct
Reprinted with permission from Erik’s Blog: http://bit.ly/grohappyct

When Covid hit nearly a year ago and Juana and I hunkered down, part of that exercise was to cancel my horticultural therapy classes at Ann’s Place. By early summer, however, I opened sessions that were socially distanced outside to a small number of clients. After the typical hiccups of any new setup, the classes worked well with my clients enjoying the activity though I felt a bit ragged as I bounced between individuals helping out and delivering materials from a distance. It didn’t matter, however, as my two classes were full and clients left every session with a smile on their faces and arms full of plants.

But as the cold weather approached and the infection rate of Covid started to spike, I knew that my fragile and health-compromised  group would be unable to continue outside (or inside as I had planned). Not wanted to cancel sessions again though dubious about the potential to deliver them remotely, I took the leap and redesigned all my sessions for remote access. But to my surprise it worked better than I could have dreamed and ironically I have higher participation now than I had prior to Covid! My sessions are filled within days of posting and there is a sizeable wait list of clients wanting to get into my classes.

When I started these remote sessions, I didn’t really know what I was doing but realized that I need to practice each one in advance with a helper or two (often my wife Juana and granddaughter Charlotte) to see exactly how each activity will roll out. I also need to keep track of every exact material and tool that will be used as I will not be in my well-stocked classroom that compensates for my occasional forgetfulness or inattention to detail. Some materials I need to kit and leave for clients to pick up. Other materials they will need to provide for themselves. In putting together these classes I sometime feel like the engineers did in the Tom Hanks’ movie Apollo 13 where they needed to retrofit a square carbon dioxide filter to work in a differently sized container before they were poisoned using a limited amount of materials. (OK it is not that dramatic.) So my list of items I will provide and other things that my clients must bring to the table has to be perfect.

In certain ways that's the easy part.

What is a constant challenge is trying to stay engaged with nearly 25 clients as individuals who appear to me as tiny rectangles on my computer screen while simultaneously instructing them on the activity of the day.

When you are with clients you can often sense when someone needs help or has a question as their voice pops up or arms get waved. Sometimes the cues are very subtle requiring close attention. But with my head down working on a craft, that is difficult to discern. Luckily my wonderful helper Lynne watches over the screens and keeps me (politely and tactfully) on track to respond better to clients.

“Ummm Erik, Nancy has a question,” or “Erik, Lisa has been waving her hand for that last minute,” happens more than few times each session.

Perhaps if I was a gecko with eyes on the opposite sides of my head, I could be more attentive. But I am trying.

At a recent class to create vanilla extract (Vanilla planifolia), it is all hands and heads down as the group bends over their vanilla pods with a sharp knife and cutting board separating and scraping the tiny black beans from their sheath to place them into a jar filled with vodka. I try to engage with them but we all are concentrating on the task. Unlike other classes where a good degree of give and take is fostered, this time with me is quiet and purposeful. No one complains and weeks later in other classes students are telling me and their classmates how wonderful the maturing extract smells and how they can’t wait to start using it.

So while I am far from grateful for the year-long bout that Covid has inflicted on all of us, I am pleased that it has forced an old gardener to learn a few new tricks and help clients in different and sometimes better ways. Even after my classes return to “normal” I don’t think I will forget how the last year has changed me and broadens the possibilities of how we can help each other.

Craft for the month: How to make vanilla extract
A tasty and simple craft is making vanilla extract. Once you create this, however, you may find it hard to go back to store-bought brands. You need just three things: Vanilla beans, vodka and a small jar.

There are many types of vanilla beans: Madagascar, Tahitian, and Mexican are three of the most popular, each with its own specific flavor. For our recent class at Ann's Place we used beans from Indonesia. You will need one bean for each ounce of vodka you use. Vanilla bean pods look much like green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) from the outside but they are very different on the inside. Inside each pod are very tiny, difficult to see seeds. It is these when mixed with alcohol that create the extract.

To start, each bean is sliced vertically to expose the seeds. Many recipes have the sliced pod placed directly into the bottle with the seeds. I prefer to have clients scrape the seeds out, cut up the pods and place everything into the bottle. This creates a closer relationship between the vanilla and the client requiring dexterity and thought; there is also a fragrant vanilla smell emanating during this preparation, which clients find soothing.

Next, pour one ounce of vodka into the bottle for every bean that is prepared. Any vodka will do. Making a colorful label with the date of creation finishes the exercise. The bottle is then shaken up once or twice a week and stored in a dark place; in two months a delicious vanilla extract will emerge.

The vanilla extract I made with my class at Ann’s Place is just about ready for tasting. The heavy scent of vanilla hits you the moment you open the bottle. Get ready for the whipped cream!