Who We Are

Changing Despair to Hope

More than a decade and a half ago, George was a cancer caregiver on a roller coaster of emotions of dread, anxiety, hope, fear and gratitude.  Along with that came the overwhelming responsibilities of working, going on medical appointments, searching for cancer treatment options, updating friends and family, cooking, housekeeping, shopping, doing laundry and the list continued.

There was little time to look for resources to help with daily tasks.  When a hot meal was delivered to George’s door by a church he didn’t attend, you can imagine his surprise and gratitude.  This unexpected act of kindness set a tiny glow that was re-ignited when, years later, George and Jeannie heard a message in church about God’s gifts and His calling.  They knew it was time to move so others would have hope.

Getting into Action

In 2015, George and Jeannie formed Compassion for Cancer Caregivers, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization.  George and Jeannie then completed training at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Arizona and have since trained two church groups to help cancer caregivers within the congregation.  Next, George and Jeannie trained a group of employees at Hawaiian Cement to help their co-workers and their families.

Walking in Their Shoes

A new journey began in December 2016 when George heard those words, “You have cancer.”  Jeannie served as his caregiver during his battle with colon cancer and five surgeries in less than a year. It was a war zone as George battled the cancer, an abscess in his abdomen and blood clots in both lungs.  At one point, he had alarmingly lost 40 pounds in four months and could not reverse the downward slide.  Every day for 6 months he went in to Queen’s Medical Center for procedures, followed by 3 months of chemotherapy.

A New Journey Begins . . . with New Reasons to Hope

Their strong faith in God and the many forms of kindness from family and friends made a tremendous difference in turning a difficult journey into a voyage of faith and hope. A little compassion and a small act of kindness go a long way in making a world of difference to those who are battling cancer. George and Jeannie are encouraged, excited, equipped, and empowered to help train others to begin a new journey to give cancer caregivers and patients new reasons to hope.