On Wednesday, May 22, 2013, BAPS Charities volunteers celebrated the 100th birthday of the American Cancer Society with cancer patients at the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge of the American Cancer Society in Philadelphia. The AstraZeneca Hope Lodge is a home away from home where cancer patients receiving treatment far from home can stay for free with their caregiver while getting the best possible treatment for their cancer.
On the actual 100 year anniversary day, BAPS Charities volunteers partnered with AstraZeneca employees to host an appreciation dinner for over 40 guests staying at the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge. A traditional Indian vegetarian meal was served along with two ice cream cakes commemorating the 4th birthday of the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge and the 100th birthday of the American Cancer Society. The cancer patients were gifted with handmade blankets and placemats made by the children of AstraZeneca employees, a new luggage cart donated on behalf of BAPS Charities, and numerous Messages for Hope cards and artwork made by children of BAPS Charities volunteers and the children of AstraZeneca field-based employees from all across America. The cancer patients loved the encouraging artwork so much that they made handmade thank you cards to send back to the children. A few guests wrote back that the Messages for Hope artwork really cheered them up and made them feel better already. The event ended with an entertaining and competitive game of Jeopardy® filled with trivia facts on the American Cancer Society’s 100 year history, AstraZeneca Hope Lodge, and Philadelphia fun facts in which Team Bring It On won by a single point.
Through many of its local centers across America, BAPS Charities partners with the American Cancer Society on numerous occasions from walks to cancer awareness education workshops and preventative cancer screening reminders at BAPS Charities health fairs. BAPS Charities volunteers were honored to celebrate this important 100th birthday milestone for an organization committed to saving lives and creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
