It is no secret that residents of Appalachia struggle with healthcare and many of the ideas related to wellness.  The desire people have to remain close to family and friends creates a dichotomy.On one side, residents gain a support system of relatives to help raise children and create strong multi-generational bonds that shape a satisfying and secure life.  On the other side, remaining in the same relative location makes chronic health problems worse with each passing generation.  Virtually all chronic health disease rates in Eastern Kentucky have increased steadily over the last 50 years.  Age adjusted invasive cancer incidence rates for all sites were 538.5 per 100,000 in Eastern Kentucky from 2010 to 2014 while they were 214.5 per 100,000 for the rest of the state during the same period. (KY Cancer Registry, 2018).  Cancer rates are always higher in Eastern Kentucky.

A major part of successful cancer treatment is mental wellness and feeling good about your appearance.  The ability to go about normal activities and feel confident in how you look while undergoing cancer treatment is critical to quality of life.  To this end, the Pike County Extension Homemakers began a service project of making simple cancer turbans in 1996.  Because of our remote location and shopping availability, the cancer turban project began out of necessity.  Our local hospital has a regional cancer treatment center and many patients were having difficulty finding suitable turbans and headwear to make trips into public or to appointments comfortable.

In the last 22 years, the Pike County Extension Homemakers have made over 400 turbans annually for a grand total of 8,000 turbans.  This amounts to a cost savings of over $160,000 to the cancer patients of our region.Our homemaker volunteers have spent over 8,000 hours working on this project for over $280,000 in volunteer equity given to our community.  Their long-standing dedication and commitment to the people of our region have ensured that virtually no-one in need goes without a head covering during their treatment and recovery from cancer.  The simple act of making something for a person in need is the truest form of volunteerism.  The Pike County Homemakers are champions for working to make their communities the best they can be – one family in need at a time.