#22: Erin Cass and the power of Wellness Place to support cancer patients

My guest this week is Erin Cass, the executive director of Wellness Place, an organization dedicated to providing financial and emotional support to individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer in North Central Washington. This unique nonprofit, which is run on a shoestring budget with a staff of two people, was the brainchild of Wenatchee physician Dr. Carl Kjobech, who saw the emotional and financial stress toll that cancer takes on families and started Wellness Place to help ease those burdens. Cass has been the executive director for four years, but her connection to the organization goes back nine years when her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Cass found Wellness Place to be a place where she could talk honestly and confidentially. That first day, she recalled, Dr. Kjobech spent 90 minutes on the phone with her and listened to her concerns and provided emotional support. It's something she has never forgotten. She brings this deep sense of caring, listening and a desire to make a difference to the work of Wellness Place. We spoke about her background growing up in East Wenatchee and her journey to leading Wellness Place. It was a truly remarkable conversation and I came away with a deep appreciation for her deep connection to the work, her commitment to support other organizations in the valley and her laser focus on the mission of Wellness Place. It was a wonderful gift to be able to hear her story and the passion she has for the work of helping others who need help in the most trying of times — when they have just received a cancer diagnosis.