Press release submitted by the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center
The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center is delighted to be awarded the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce 2017 Nonprofit of the Year. The Healing Garden provides a community of support where integrative therapies join with nature to improve the quality of life for those affected by cancer.
Ms. Margaret Koch, Executive Director at The Healing Garden, said, “Every day, I watch the interactions of our clients with our therapist team and staff. I see lives being transformed through the healing energy of touch, compassion and hope. I am delighted that the team’s hard work is being recognized. We were honored to have our co-Founders, 95 ½ year old Bill Thurston, a long-time Harvard Resident, and former General Manager of General Radio, and Betsy Tyson Smith of Groton, former Healing Garden Executive Director present to witness the Healing Garden’s growth and hear the accolades. Betsy had the vision and understanding as a therapist and cancer survivor, that cancer is not only a life-threatening disease but a life-altering disease. Medical care alone does not fully address the psychosocial and spiritual distress that this disease can bring. Bill lost his beloved wife to the disease and he too understood the needs of this population. With Betsy ‘s vision and Bill support they planted the seeds of what the Healing Garden is today.” Since its inception, the Healing Garden has served clients, their caregivers and families from over 165 of the towns and cities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Back row, from left: Dana Koch, Margaret Koch, Brianne Carter, Kelly Marchand, Karen Shea, and David Smith. Seated, from left: Bill Thurston, Betsy Tyson-Smith, and Sarah Hindle. (Courtesy photo)
The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, located at 145 Bolton Rd in Harvard, MA 01451, is an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to providing integrative cancer care through therapeutic services, educational programs, and a healing environment for all people with a cancer diagnosis, as well as providing wellness education and support to promote cancer prevention for the community at large. Philanthropic support is a critical lifeline in helping to ensure The Healing Garden can continue to provide the necessary services to all of their clients, regardless of their ability to pay. For more information, call (978) 456-3532. For gifts of stock or annuities, or other types of gifts, please contact Alison Pederson at 978-456-3532 or Alison@HealingGarden.net. The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden is organized under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) and contributions are tax-deductible as provided by law.