"Neighbors Helping Neighbors"
Barksdale Cancer
Foundation
About
The Barksdale Cancer Foundation is a 501c3 tax-exempt non-profit organization that raises money
to help cancer patients in Charlotte County, VA. and is not affiliated with any other cancer organization.
The Barksdale Cancer Foundation was founded in 1999 after the Barksdale family from Phenix, VA lost three family members in a four-year period to cancer. Seeing the suffering and anguish experienced during these trying years, the family decided it would like to memorialize their loved ones and at the same time help others in Charlotte County, VA who were suffering due to the same illness.
In those first few years the Barksdales held auctions amongst themselves instead of exchanging Christmas gifts, donating and selling to each other. Those events netted over $14,000 which the family gave to a non-profit society.
However, when they discovered that the money did not remain in the county to help local citizens, they set about finding a way to do so. They applied for and received their 501c3 tax-exempt status and took the organization public, realizing they needed help from outside the parameters of family in order to increase fundraising efforts.
The organization is governed by a 15-member board of directors, in addition to a president, vice-president, treasurer and secretary. No one affiliated with the Barksdale Cancer Foundation is compensated, they are all volunteers.
To date the Barksdale Cancer Foundation has given out 375 grants totaling $298,000 to patients in Charlotte County, VA.
Through partnering with a task-force which is funded by the Virginia Tobacco Revitalization Commission and VCU Cancer Center, the Barksdale Cancer Foundation is able to do more than just award money to its patients. Through the pairing we are able to provide cases of Ensure to our patients, along with educational packets specific to each type of cancer. Each grant is hand-delivered to our patients, along with comfort bags which are bags made for the foundation by local citizens and the VCU Cancer Center. Those bags contain such articles as fleece blankets, bottled water, candy and gum, lotion and chap stick, pens and notebooks, word puzzle books, and other items to make their doctor's visits more pleasant. The bags are thermal and reusable so that they may use them while traveling to and from treatments and appointments.
A local quilter's guild makes "prayer bears" for our patients as well.
Other items we are able to obtain for our patients are wigs, caps, "boogie boards," port protectors, and a variety of prosthesis items for breast cancer patients.
The organization and others in the area helped to author a transportation brochure which it makes available to patients who are having difficulty getting to and from appointments and treatments. This publication puts our patients in touch with cab companies and transport businesses which offer a reduced rate to cancer patients.
In addition, the foundation annually gives a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating county student who is pursuing a career in the medical field, preferably in the field of oncology.
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If you know of someone in Charlotte County, VA who is battling cancer and in need of assistance, please call Wendy Lankford at 434-470-1538 for an application or use the contact form below to email the Barksdale Cancer Foundation.
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Anyone wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to the Barksdale Cancer Foundation may do so by mailing it to BCF, PO Box 225, Charlotte Court House, VA 23923 or by clicking the DONATE button on the top of the page to email the Barksdale Cancer Foundation.
WANTED!
The Barksdale Cancer Foundation is seeking new, energetic members to join its organization! Members need to have the ability to attend meetings and help with fundraising events. If you would like to join us in helping cancer patients right here at home in Charlotte County, please contact Wendy Lankford, President, at 434-470-1538.
