Life is good for Volunteer of the Year
By Faye Dismukes
ETC staff

The Julie Rogers Gift of Life program put a little love in the hearts of its volunteers April 28 at the Harvest Club in Beaumont.

Honored as Volunteer of the Year for putting a lot of love into the community was Beverly Perry, a 14-year breast cancer survivor and Gift of Life volunteer.

“It is humbling for me to be the Volunteer of the Year for an organization that has such pure goals and a strong determination to save lives in our community,” Perry, a member of St. Henry, Bridge City, said. “I don’t think there’s any other program in this area that does a better job of helping people than Gift of Life.”

Extraordinary service to others defined the program’s Volunteer of the Year Award recipient, Perry. An active volunteer since 2003, Perry approaches every opportunity to help others with heartfelt exuberance.

She generously donates time to every prostate cancer screening event, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month Kickoff, the YMBL’s Tough Enough To Wear Pink event, the tobacco-free programs and is a devoted supporter of Gift of Life activities.

“I feed my soul and my heart with these activities,” Perry said.

Perry said when one hears the word cancer it’s like going down a long, dark hall.

“You will never be the same. After treatment you start feeling good again. You begin to feel good and see such joy in life. The sun begins to shine again,” she said.

After visiting her first Gift of Life program 13 years ago, she left touched by the fact that the organization celebrated survivors. She was asked to volunteer and away she went.

“When I was diagnosed I never gave the financial aspect of the surgery or treatment a second thought. I had good insurance,” Perry said. “After joining Gift of Life I realized how devastating a cancer diagnosis is for someone without insurance. I can’t imagine having to decide between groceries for your family or treatment. What a horrible thought.”

Perry was doing some volunteer work before her diagnosis but felt compelled to do more. She began volunteering in the Reach to Recovery program. After breast surgery patients are unable to lift their arm because of the invasive surgery. Rehabilitation includes exercises that require the patient to reach, hence the name Reach to Recovery.

Volunteers visit people after surgery bringing a heart shaped pillow, their first post surgery bra, literature on programs available to them and a list of self-help groups they can join in addition to a list of businesses prepared to meet their post surgery needs. Most important we bring them a hug and a shoulder to cry on.

“Life is good. Life is beautiful. I have wonderful family and friends, a good job, a wonderful church,” Perry said. “What more is there?”

Gift of Life is dedicated to decreasing the incidence of death associated with breast and prostate cancer and volunteers are its life blood. Volunteers gave over 4000 hours of service in 2007 and were honored with a meal, entertained by the choir from Our Mother of Mercy, Beaumont, and given a gift as a token of appreciation from Gift of Life for all they do.