Donation of blankets will provide ‘a little bit of comfort’ to Sentara RMH cancer patients

A kind donation will make life a little more comfortable for Sentara RMH Hahn Cancer Center patients undergoing treatment.

Representatives from Bob Wade Subaru in Harrisonburg delivered eight boxes filled with plush blankets that convert into comfortable heart shaped pillows. The donation is part of the partnership between the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the Subaru Loves to Care initiative.

“We donate blankets and that gives them a little bit of comfort when they are doing their recovery so they can stay warmer,” Kevin Knott, Bob Wade Subaru sales manager, said. “I know, just doing some research, they tend to get cold after the treatment, so this is something
we can do to give back a little.”

Knott said it means the world to be able to support the community this way.

“There’s nothing like giving something to someone that’s in need, or maybe not in need, but needs a little cheering up,” Knott said. “We enjoy it, from the Bob Wade family and everyone who works there, it means little something to everybody.”

Cancer radiation treatments typically take around 15 minutes to complete. Chemotherapy sessions, however, are much longer, and can last from one hour to several hours. The blankets and pillows are a great resource to ease some of the discomfort of patients.

“They think this is a very sterile environment and this brings them a little bit of comfort,” Kelly Kruis, Sentara RMH Hahn Cancer Center manager, said. “So, they get to warm themselves up with the blankets and be a little more comfortable with the pillows.”

Kruis said donations like the blankets are a big help for patients who appreciate the kind gesture.

“It’s very impactful to our patients,” she said. “It helps them know that the community is out there to support them, and it gives them a little bit of creature comfort for while they’re here.”

For nine years. Subaru of America has partnered with LLS through the Loves To Care program, and by the end of 2024, retailers across the country will have supported nearly 350,000 cancer patients through the initiative.