Kate's Wish delivers comfort to chemotherapy patients

HONESDALE — “This really is nice!” said Lesley Scott of Milford, when she saw the socks tucked inside a Kate’s Wish for Wellness Chemotherapy Comfort Bag.
Scott is a chemotherapy patient at Wayne Memorial Hospital, where 111 bags were delivered by Kate’s Wish for Wellness members and supporters on July 8.
Created in memory of Kate Frisch Carmody, the bags were put together with the help of local 4H Clubs. Each bag imprinted with “Kate’s Wish” contained socks, moisturizing cream, lip balm, water, a book on love and strength, hard candy, relaxing teas, and more.
“We were surprised and thrilled and very grateful to Kate’s Wish that they thought of us and our patients,” said Marianne O’Brien, a nurse at the chemotherapy clinic.
The bags were the brainchild of Heather Gilbertsen, who rallied Kate’s Wish supporters to purchase the grey, pink, and white pouches.
“I just wanted to do something to carry on Kate’s legacy of kindness and compassion," said Gilbertsen. "She was interested in funding research, but she also wanted to help patients like herself day-to-day.”
Kate is Kate Carmody, a Honesdale wife, mother, and hair salon owner who battled cancer twice. She beat breast cancer but succumbed to lung cancer in December 2014, at age 43. A non-smoker, Carmody had a rare form of lung cancer that was chemotherapy resistant. Her family and friends started Kate’s Wish for Wellness to raise money for research, to help others with cancer, especially non-smoking lung cancer patients, and to present an annual cosmetology scholarship to a Honesdale High School student.
The group also sponsors an annual walk at The Barn at Boyd’s Mills and hopes to make the comfort bags a yearly donation.
“We were very thankful to have help from the local 4H Club,” said Susan Frisch, Kate’s sister. “And we welcome anyone who wants to donate or offer time to finish more bags.”
For more information, visit katefrischcarmodymemorialfund.com.