By Sandra Zunino

A prayer, an encouraging word, the gift of a warm, soft blanket: these minor gestures can bring a ray of light in an otherwise dark time for a cancer patient. Such is the mission of Cancer Comfort Angels, a non-profit Christian-based group in Queen Anne’s County.

Founded by Laurie Rasinski of Chester, Cancer Comfort Angels provides a simple act of kindness in the form of comfort kits. Each kit includes a handmade blanket, a cross, words of prayer to let the patient know he or she is not alone, and a small poem to offer inspiration and hope beyond the clinical prognosis.

Laurie, who was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer in 2008, was the first unofficial recipient of a blanket – a simple gift that started a domino effect helping more than 75 cancer victims to date.

“A very sweet teenager gave me the first blanket when I was diagnosed,” says Laurie, “and I was so overwhelmed and touched by the love that someone could give me in this simple gesture, that I, in turn, wanted to do something for other people.”

Laurie began writing poetry as a way to help cope with the ongoing struggles inherent with cancer treatment. Consequently, all the poems in the comfort kits are her own works. A blanket committee makes the fleece blankets that are especially soft, as cancer treatments often cause the patient to become over-sensitive to any tactile stimulation.

Since then, Laurie has been invited to give speeches about her personal fight with cancer and how she manages to maintain a positive outlook throughout her treatment. “People always say, Laurie, you give a different face to cancer,” she says. “I think I’m here to be encouraging and to show that I understand the pain as well as let people know they have to make the most of every day.”

While Laurie says she has always been involved with community service, with the challenges she faces with her own ongoing treatment, she acknowledges she could not have brought Cancer Comfort Angels into fruition without the help of her close friends. After making inquiries as to the best approach for launching the non-profit endeavor, Laurie decided to align with the Foundation for Community Partnerships.

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Foundation for Community Partnerships takes donations from willing contributors and expands the potential funding options to include foundations, Federal Government grants, individual contributions, corporate sponsors, etc. The Foundation enables people with philanthropic interests to easily and effectively support the issues they care about.

Laurie also reached out to her church, the Kent Island United Methodist Church. “They allow us to hold meetings there.” She says, “It’s amazing how things work and how many people have come forward to offer their help.”

On Sunday, October 30 at 1:00, the Cancer Comfort Angels will hold their first official “Walk for Renewed Hope” fundraiser, starting at Love Point Park, followed by a buffet dinner and silent auction at The Narrows Restaurant. For more information about Cancer Comfort Angels, or about registering for the Walk, email cancercomfortangels@gmail.com. The organization’s website, www.cancercomfortangels.com is still under construction, but is now on Facebook.