York County Couple Grateful for Help From Vickie's Angels

It’s been nearly five years since Greg Bortner was faced with one of the hardest decisions of his life. After doctors found a cancerous tumor on his trachea, the tube commonly known as the windpipe, he was presented with options for treatment.

His doctors told him he could pursue a surgery that would only remove part of his trachea, leaving intact the larynx, which holds the vocal cords. But that option left a greater possibility that cancer could still be present after the surgery. Recognizing that reality, Greg chose a more invasive operation that has made it very difficult for him to speak.

Vickie’s Angels Help Schuylkill County Nurse

As a registered nurse with more than 40 years of experience, Sabine Hough has made a career of helping others. She was also the sole provider for her family as she worked at a nursing home and rehabilitation facility in Pottsville. 

Sabine, 58, says she planned to work until she was 70 years old. But her plans hit a roadblock in March 2020 when she was diagnosed with bladder cancer.  

“I tried to work through my chemo, but I could only do it for six weeks before I got too sick,” Sabine said. 

Being forced to stop working meant that Sabine, of New Ringgold, Schuylkill County, eventually lost her insurance coverage. She also learned that she would need surgery as part of her treatment. In August, Sabine underwent an operation to remove her bladder. 

During her treatment, Sabine’s oncologist referred her to a social worker who connected her with Vickie’s Angel Foundation. The foundation covered her mortgage payments in the summer months as she prepared for her surgery and recovered. 

“Vickie’s Angels are wonderful. They save me every month,” Sabine said. “I don’t know where I would have been without them for the last couple of months.”

Sabine said that an initial cat scan following her surgery was negative for any metastasis, giving her hope for the future. She has another cat scan scheduled for November. In the meantime, she has set a goal for herself of one day returning to work in some capacity.

“I hope I don’t have to go through any more chemo,” she said. “I’m going to try and work maybe four hours here and four hours there.” 

About Us: Vickie's Angel Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission of helping families fighting cancer who cannot pay their bills because of going through cancer treatment. The foundation’s goal is to take away the financial worry from the family, providing a temporary bridge that allows them to focus entirely on beating this disease. Since 2003, Vickie’s Angel Foundation has raised over $3.2 million and helped more than 2,000 families. Importantly, 100% of all online donations, and monies received at our walk; along with 100% of net proceeds from sponsored events, go directly to those in need. 

The Importance of Family

The Importance of Family

Never one to resist hard work, Robert Kohl had been a truck driver and a welder by trade. After retiring, he worked another ten years delivering product for Nolts Auto Parts in Lancaster before a cancer diagnosis sidelined him.

Like so many, Robert was having some problems but didn’t go to the doctor as soon as he should have. When he did it was weeks, many tests and a lot of poking and prodding later when he finally learned of the bladder cancer. Surgery was followed by 24 radiation treatments only to learn a month later that the cancer had spread.

Project Water Heater

Project Water Heater

For three months Lydia Otero had been heating hot water to wash her hair and bathe. Most times, it took her hours just to wash her hair. Referred to us by a Wellspan social worker, Lydia applied for support and when our evaluation committee heard of her broken hot water heater, Vickies Angel Foundation was determined to set things right.

Celebrating a Little Bit of Hope

Celebrating a Little Bit of Hope

The whining is ramping up.

You’ve heard it, right?

“My sister got her stimulus check, but I didn’t.”

“Why can people fish but I can’t play golf?”

“Why can’t small shops open and let in 10 people at a time?”

I understand. It’s getting old being cramped up all day long.

So, let me tell you about the Fessenden family. After hearing their story, maybe you’ll feel a bit better about your situation.

I “met” Johanna Fessenden sometime in the past year. It wasn’t really a meeting, but a long phone call. Occasionally I write short articles for Vickie’s Angels, a charity that helps people with cancer pay their bills.

Never Postpone Your Health

Cynthia Traini sticks with things. She’s lived in the same house in Harrisburg since 1989 and held the same job delivering Papa John’s pizzas for almost 18 years. Pizza delivery is quite a physical job, she said. In and out of the store, in and out of the car, up stairs, down stairs, carrying hot heavy boxes in all kinds of weather. She’s fallen. She’s been bitten by dogs. But she kept at it long enough to watch her customers’ kids grow up.

A couple of years ago, she had a mammogram. Something the doctor saw resulted in the suggestion of a biopsy. “I got scared, so I postponed it,” she said.

The Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect

By Nancy Eshelman

Hearing a cancer diagnosis is like throwing a rock in a pond. The ripples spread, touching everyone and everything in life.

For a caregiver, it can feel like a tsunami.

Jay and Johanna Fessenden have been living with Jay’s cancer diagnosis for eight years. Jay, who is 39, has undergone several surgeries. As a result, he’s become disabled and suffers seizures that must be treated immediately with medication.

For Johanna, 37, that means sticking close to home.

How the Scrap Happy Angels Began

How the Scrap Happy Angels Began

My cousin and I formed a team thirteen years ago named “Scrap Happy Angels”. So far we have been able to raise over $45,337.00 for this wonderful Foundation. We came up with the team name since we are both avid scrapbookers. We decided to have a scrapbook day named “Scrap Happy Angel Crop” each year with the monies being donated to the Angel Walk. We contacted all our fellow scrapbookers and were able to raise approximately $700 the first year of our event.

Vicky and I both lost our mothers in 1998 due to cancer. Each of us was fortunate enough to be able to give our mothers the best of care without having to worry about how to pay for the many services needed. We are also both lucky to have a very dear aunt who treated both of us as her own daughters. About seven years ago our aunt became very ill and it was then that we found out she also had cancer.

We've Got to Tell the Kids

It’s not a pretty scenario. A 48-year-old woman sits in the living room of her Carlisle home. She stays on the first floor these days; the stairs are just too much. Before this began, she weighed 157 pounds. These days the scale barely tops 100. She’s lost her hair and her appetite to chemotherapy. The side effects are grueling; the pain intense. Then the phone rings. A bill collector is on the other end.