Cancer patients share Christmas dinner in doctor’s home

People from all over the world come to Loma Linda University for the latest cancer treatments, but that means dozens of patients every year need to spend the holiday away from friends and family.

For the past 16 years Dr. J. Lyn Martel and his wife have opened their home on Christmas day to current and former cancer patients for dinner.

“Many of them they have just been diagnosed with cancer and they are not quite sure what’s going to be happening and can’t be with their families, it’s a traumatic experience and this is one way Loma Linda can help,” said Dr. Martel who is the Director of Special Services at Loma Linda University Cancer Center’s Proton Treatment and Research Center.

Many of the 50 dinner guests are going through vigorous cancer treatment which can last 10 weeks making it impossible to spend Christmas at home with friends and family. Now getting a chance to break bread with others going through the same difficult experience or people who have already gone through it.

“It’s amazing because there’s a lot of support here from all the people that have gone through or are going through what they have been through, so we really appreciate getting together like this,” said Arlind Hackett who was treated for prostate cancer a few years ago.

“It’s family, it really is, you may not have known them but by the time you leave tonight you will know them, because there is just the comradery, everyone is going through the same treatment they understand what every ones going through,” said Anne Wilcox, her husband went through prostate cancer treatment.

“You avoid all the pressures of the holiday, you avoid the family and all the fighting so it’s pretty nice I have got to say, I mean I do miss my family, but this has been not a bad substitute,” said Fred Bruno who is currently going through proton cancer treatment.

Over the years hundreds of people have shared a Christmas meal in the Martel’s home, sharing stories, enjoying Christmas, and fighting cancer.

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