The organization has one goal in mind: helping cancer patients and their families. The Victory Center is on Central Avenue, just west of Reynolds. It's a non-medical cancer wellness center that offers massages, reflexology and many other services and programs completely free to cancer patients.
In the main activity room they hold yoga classes, group activities, and support groups. One recent activity was creating glass mosaic panels with the help of a glass artist. Survivors, board members staff and volunteers all pitched in.
The Victory Center's lending library has a homey feel with comfy seating and lots of books on the cancer journey, and other inspirational books.
Executive director Dianne Cherry says about five to six hundred people come here a year, and in the last four years their numbers have tripled. "We get lots of referrals from the medical professionals who are seeing how much our therapies are helping cancer patients get through this incredibly tough journey."
The focus is on easing the stress and anxiety that come with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cherry says, "Our vision at the Victory Center is that no cancer patient, family member or survivor will face the cancer journey alone."
As Dianne puts it so well, doctors offer medical care for the body. Victory Center deals with the whole person. "The mind, the body, the spirit and the connection in between, and that's why the Victory Center was born 15 years ago, and that's what we do so well."
A third of their funding comes from special events and one of the Victory Center's biggest fundraisers all year is this Friday night.
Tickets are still available to Treasures of the Vine, an art auction, grazing, wine and beer tasting. For tickets you can call 419-531-7600 or online at thevictorycenter.org.
