‘It gets cold’: Community effort installs warm seats for cancer patients receiving treatment

A Winkler woman’s suggestion to improve the experience for people undergoing cancer treatment is now a reality. Joseph Bernacki has more.

With a click of a button, Emily Bennett’s chair at Boundary Trails Health Centre in Winkler heats up. It’s a simple comfort - knowing chairs in the hospital where patients receive chemotherapy will keep them warm.

“It gets cold.” she said, “Being able to have a central-focused, continuous source of heat is really beneficial,”

“Especially for people receiving blood products and transfusions.”

Bennett knows this firsthand; she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last summer at the age of 18.

“It’s a unique experience being young with a cancer diagnosis,” Bennett said. “I’m going to be honest that I was the youngest person in this room.”

She initially received treatment at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre where the seats were heated but they weren’t at Boundary Trails, so she decided to do something about that.

She brought the idea to the hospital’s foundation and they jumped at the chance. They contacted the Morden Community Thrift Store for a $45,000 grant to install ten heated chairs.

For the store, it was a no-brainer.

“I’m a two-time (cancer) survivor,” said Kent Noel, board president at Morden Community Thrift Store. “I’ve never had chemo, but I’ve seen people that have been through it, and it just adds a little bit of comfort to what they’re going through. Let’s see if we can make it a little bit easier. That’s what we’re here for.”

Before the seats were installed last month, cancer care patients would have to rely on heated blankets in the unit to stay warm. Considering Boundary Trails does approximately 200 cancer treatments a month, the seats offer significant comfort.

“I feel like it gives me a lot of assurance that patients such as my daughter will be comfortable while they are spending up to six hours receiving treatment,” said Tara Bennett, Emily’s mother.

“All it takes is an idea. All it takes is just bringing it forward.”

Shannon Samatte-Folkett, executive director of the Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation, said the foundation has greatly benefitted from the store.

“They have helped us with countless projects, including the (hospital) expansion with a $1 million donation to kick us off,” she said.

Joan Mikolasek, treasurer of Morden Community Thrift Store, has worked at the store for roughly eight years. She said the store’s volunteer base keeps the shop thriving.

“We have probably close to 90 volunteers that come and go throughout the week on different shifts,” Mikolasek said.

“It’s amazing. It’s a great place to work.”

While Emily Bennett has not used the new models, she believes her proposal has made a difference for others.

“The journey through chemotherapy is a long one; if I can provide one thing that’s going to stay the same one regularity, I will have made all the difference for some to be comfortable while they’re going through this tough time,” Bennett said. “All it takes is an idea. All it takes is just bringing it forward.”

She is keeping her spirits up after completing six rounds of chemotherapy in January and waiting to see if radiation is needed going forward.

Still, she hopes to pursue a music degree this fall at Brandon University.