‘The help the Greene County Women’s League gave me was incredible’

GREENE COUNTY―As survivors, Joy Chapman and Allison Englert know all too well the physical, emotional and financial toll that cancer can take. But they also know that when it comes to battling the disease, no one in Greene County fights alone.

Chapman and Englert are among those who have been assisted by the Greene County Women’s League, a non-profit organization that has helped hundreds of women, men and children through its Cancer Patient Aid.

“When I found out I had cancer I think I was in shock and didn’t want anyone to know,” said Chapman, a resident of Coxsackie who was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2021.

She remembers calling her doctor for test results and being told to come into the office.

“So, I took my lunch break, went to the doc and he told me I had cancer while I was standing there in his office still wearing my coat,” Chapman said. “It was the quickest, most personal conversation I ever had with a stranger. I said, ‘thank you,’ and went back to work.”

Englert, who lives in Catskill, learned she had cancer in 2023.

“I was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive ductal cancer in my right breast and stage 3 invasive lobular cancer in my left breast,” explained Englert.

“When I was diagnosed, I thought I would only have cancer in one breast.  I was shocked not only to have cancer in both breasts, but it was different types of cancer,” Englert recalled.

“I was scared. However, I was ready to fight,” she said.

On average, every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States and an estimated one in eight women across the country will develop breast cancer during their lifetime.

“I had so many thoughts going through my head,” said Chapman.

“I had just finally got the courage to leave a very toxic marriage, was about to head into a custody battle, and was very physically fit from having won a free personal training session,” she continued.

“Now how was I supposed to look to my kids who needed a warrior mama to build a whole new life for them? But as I slowly began to accept everything that went with it—invasive testing, timelines that one doc would give me only to be pushed back by bloodwork or other issues, chemo—it became very clear what I needed to do,” Chapman said.

“I remember opening my eyes one morning, wondering how I was going to get out of bed, put on a face, and go to work with no skin on the bottom of my feet and sores in my mouth from chemo that I could barely talk,” she recalled.

Chapman realized she wasn’t the only one out there who needed that push, so she started making videos with inspirational, real life messages to show those fighting that cancer does not define them―and life is worth fighting for.

“Head down, goals up" became her motto.

For Englert, she had a new husband and two children that she planned on spending many more years with.

“I went through aggressive chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, radiation and three reconstructive surgeries,” she said.

During their battles, both Chapman and Englert were introduced to the Greene County Women’s League―Englert through friends who were members of the organization and Chapman by a neighbor who is also a survivor.

“They covered all of the copays for my treatments.  They also covered the doctor and pharmacy copays.  Most importantly they assisted in paying for a huge copay for genetic testing,” she Englert.  

The Greene County Women’s League allows each patient they assist up to $5,000 to pay for doctors, pharmacies, hospital bills, wigs, prosthetics, and other healthcare essentials. Currently, they are helping around 50 people.

“It was nice to have so much of the financial burden taken care of so I could concentrate on my fight with cancer,” said Englert.

When Chapman was diagnosed she was a single mom who could barely afford to feed her kids.

“The Greene County Women’s League helped me greatly,” said Chapman. “I was struggling as a healthy adult, now add cancer with treatments, specialists, and testing that had to be done. I was already in serious debt,” she said.

“The Greene County Women’s League gave me peace of mind,” Chapman said.

The organization traces its roots to 1970 after one of its founding members was diagnosed with cancer and quickly found out how much it cost to treat the disease. Since then, the non-profit has been financially assisting anyone in Greene County―men, women and children―battling cancer.

More than 100 volunteer Greene County Women’s League members work tirelessly throughout the year to raise the much-needed funds. Joan Abrahamsen, Michele Tercasio and Christine Heath are just a few of them.

“I have seen a few of my siblings and other family members suffer the effects of cancer while I had to standby feeling helpless,” said  Abrahamsen.

“When I retired, I had the time to commit to helping other cancer patients by joining the Greene County Women's League. I found the organization to be a great group of women with one goal in mind: helping anyone in Greene County suffering with cancer,” she added.

Tercasio says she was inclined to join because she loves the fact that 100% of the money raised goes directly to Greene County residents.

“I also enjoy being able to give back to the community in which I grew up in and raised my family in,” Tercasio said. “And I have met some amazing women.”

For Heath, the Greene County Women’s League holds a special place in her heart.

“As a cancer survivor, I understand the fear, uncertainty and challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. While I was fortunate enough to not need the Women’s League’s services during my own journey, I found great comfort in knowing that support was there for me if needed,” she said.

Heath’s admiration for the organization grew deeper when she saw how they helped her aunt.

“The assistance she received showed our family the true impact this great organization has on our community,” said Heath. “The work this group of women does provides support and encouragement to local individuals and families facing a cancer diagnosis and I feel honored to be a part of it.”

The Greene County Women’s League holds several fundraisers throughout the year, including two coming up this summer.

On July 18, the organization will host its first golf tournament at the Rip Van Winkle Country Club in Palenville. Then on August 13, they will have a basket luncheon at Anthony’s Banquet Hall in Leeds. Details on both events can be found at greenecountywomensleague.com/events-list.

Today, Chapman and Englert are among the more than four million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

“The help the Greene County Women’s League gave me was incredible,” said Englert.

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