Partnership helps deliver food to cancer patients during COVID-19 pandemic

PHILADELPHIA - A partnership is helping cancer patients by delivering food to them during the COVID-19 pandemic. So far this month, groceries for nearly 100 families dealing with cancer have been packed and delivered.

"We started this program several months ago but we really had to scale it up quickly with so many immune-compromised cancer patients unable to get out of their homes because of COVID-19," Michael Rowe told FOX 29.

In the most difficult times, even heroes need a little help.

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Michael Rowe, the founder and president of Legacy of Hope and his partner Ryan Barksdale, a community relations officer from the Philadelphia Police Department are asking for some of their own.

“We’re going out delivering food to people who can’t come out and get their food. People suffering from cancer,” said Barksdale.

The dangers of the spread of the coronavirus are serious ones, especially to people with weakened immune systems. They are told to isolate at all costs but that doesn’t mean their needs have suddenly stopped.

“Cancer patients are going hungry because they’re afraid to go out. They’ve got nothing left in their cabinets but they don’t want to go out and risk getting COVID-19,” explained Rowe.

Another problem that so many of these patients are facing is financial ones. So knowing this, a partnership between the two wanting to help others came together. With help from Legacy of Hope, Sydney Kimmel Cancer Center, Browns Superstores and the Philadelphia police, groceries for nearly 100 families dealing with cancer this month were packed and delivered to the people who desperately needed help.

Cart after cart was loaded and then delivered and as much as it obviously helped those receiving them, you could clearly see the joy from serving the community.

“It’s been inspiring watching the four organizations come together to really tackle this problem head on,” said Rowe.“Aw man, it’s just a great feeling, I really can’t describe it but it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside to let them know we’re out here for them,” added Barksdale.

They can’t describe the feeling but the families that are able to safely eat because of their efforts would say that’s the feeling of being a hero – for goodness sake.

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