Cancer victim's husband helps patients

Dwight Stubblefield

Knowing firsthand the suffering that accompanies chemotherapy, Dwight Stubblefield started an organization in memory of his late wife who succumbed to the disease. He wanted to do something to help make the life of cancer patients a little easier.

"We started the project in the spring of 2005," Stubblefield said. "I asked a great nurse by the name of Donna Anderson what we could do to help sick cancer patients."

Anderson, a nurse at the Tennessee Oncology Clinic in Tullahoma, told Stubblefield that some of their patients were unable to purchase the nutritional supplements Ensure and Boost, which in many cases is the only nourishment they could take.

Many of the cancer patients in need wouldn't ask for help, Anderson told him, but she felt they would accept it and be so appreciative if they had it there to give them.

Stubblefield remembers how important it was for his wife to have Ensure or Boost to drink while she was going through her chemo treatments, so he decided providing these products for people in need would be a project he would undertake.

He started The Anne Stubblefield Cancer Outreach with the help of some members of his home church, Thompson Creek Baptist Church in Raus. They started bringing cases of the supplements by the clinic in Tullahoma, and it wasn't long and other clinics were asking for their help. With the increase in demand, Stubblefield felt he needed to ask other groups and clubs to join in their efforts.

Since that time, Stubblefield has spoken at churches and civic clubs all over the area and has enlisted the help of many others from all around Middle Tennessee.

Ardis Rittenberry, a Shelbyville Central High School teacher, heard Stubblefield speak at the Lion's Club one day and she got an idea of how she could help him with his project.

In the fall of 2005, the students in Rittenberry's Service Learning Class at SCHS began collecting the nutritional supplements as a service project. They enlisted the help of other students and in two weeks they collected over 700 bottles and cans.

"We are being blessed," Stubblefield said. "We have delivered more than 13,700 bottles or about 860 gallons of Boost and Ensure. We have reached all 20 Tennessee Oncology Clinics at least once."

"The need is so great. We took 28 cases to Baptist and Centennial during Easter break, but they can use about 40 cartons a day. I need a large amount of funding to reach everyone in need," Stubblefield said.

He has become a man on a mission.

"We are truly reaching large amounts of sick people that no other organization will ever see," Stubblefield said. "We go direct from nurse to patient at their clinic."

The Anne Stubblefield Cancer Outreach, Inc. recently received its 501(c) (3) non-profit status so that all gifts made to the organization can be deducted from the donors taxes.

"We have no overhead so all donations go to buy Boost and Ensure," Stubblefield said.

Once a month the congregation at Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church receives a special offering at the communion rail for the cancer outreach, and one of the church members hand carries the church's gift to Stubblefield.

"Joellen Mallard has been really involved in helping out from the beginning," the Rev. Mark Ashley, Mt. Lebanon's pastor, said. "When she carried the offering to Mr. Stubblefield the last time, he was so happy he baked her a pie."

Stubblefield will gladly tell anyone who will listen about the need of helping needy cancer patients lessen their suffering.

Anyone interested in donating to the Anne Stubblefield Cancer Outreach or in having Stubblefield speak to a church or civic group can contact him at 695-5251.