Noreen Martin lost her husband to cancer. The man she remarried years later, Dr. Chris Hulburd, is a cancer survivor himself.
This inspiring couple believes in fighting cancer – with education.
This year, Noreen and Chris established the Martin Hulburd Family Cancer Education Fund with a $300,000 gift. The fund will be used to provide educational classes for people in our county diagnosed with cancer and their families, as well as information for primary care physicians in the area.
Classes will cover a range of topics to help patients work through the emotional, physical and financial challenges of fighting cancer. These topics include nutrition, exercise, stress management, integrative medicine, advances in cancer treatments, clinical case studies, managing personal finances and more. In addition, primary care physicians will be able to attend clinical lectures to be further exposed to San Luis Obispo County’s multidisciplinary approach to oncology services.
All classes will be offered free of charge to participants, and they’ll be hosted by the Hearst Cancer Resource Center (HCRC) at French Hospital Medical Center. The goal of the HCRC aligns with the goals of the Cancer Education Fund; the HCRC is here to help those with cancer learn about the disease, recognize opportunities for improved health, build a personal support system, and gain a sense of extended family.
The HCRC is invaluable to cancer patients because it’s the only resource center in SLO County that offers patient navigation services with a Certified Oncology Nurse and a bilingual lay patient navigator. These services are always provided at no charge.
The Martin Hulburd Family Cancer Education Fund will provide vital support to those served by the HCRC, and Noreen and Chris’s contribution is just the beginning! At Share the Hope, an annual event that benefits the HCRC, attendees raised almost $400,000 more, bringing the fund to a total of $695,000 in its first year.
The HCRC hopes to keep this generous momentum going – to fund the education that will help residents in SLO County fight cancer, and give their loved ones the tools to support them.
Click here to learn more about supporting the HCRC!
