The Mesquite Cancer HELP Society (MCHS) evolved when Yoli Vernon Bell, founder, was going through her own personal battle with cancer. The people in the community called asking her questions as she was undergoing chemo and radiation treatments. She said that callers would ask her, “What are you going to do about it?” Needless to say, her thoughts were focused on getting well. Forming a cancer society would be considered once she had completed her treatments; this she relayed to the public.
September of 2000, she set out to do her research. She telephoned and met with representatives from the American Cancer Association to obtain information about charter qualifications. Her focus was on the Virgin Valley and keeping all funding/donations here to help cancer patients in our immediate area. ACS wanted to charter MCHS but this would mean all monies would have to go directly to them. This did not agree with Yoli’s goal of keeping all monies in the local area, so she set out to form an independent organization.
This momentarily put a damper on things but not for long. She did more research, talked to other organizations and formed a small committee that included, Judy Macica and Ann Medlin. She filled out the forms, wrote the bylaws, business plan and went back and forth with numerous questions from the IRS. Judy worked on donations and obtaining furniture for the office that was to come. Anna, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2005, covered additional expenses.
IRS approved a 501c3 nonprofit status for the organization in 4 weeks (February 2001). Now the time came to search for a location. Maybe it was positive thinking or stubbornness (or both) that landed MCHS on Mesquite’s main thoroughfare, the dream of all 3 ladies opening an office. Renting an office was simply out of the question, too expensive! Then along came Rich Gillespie, owner of a former nutrition store in the Brickyard Plaza. He opened his heart and before they knew it he allowed them to occupy a tiny space in his stockroom where they set up a table, chair, and a telephone. They went to work setting up their office with wigs and educational material, that hung on Rich’s stock racks. It worked!!!!!!
Patients came and went; maybe a bit puzzled and at times giving a little grin and chuckle because of the location. The ladies did not care, they just wanted to get open and start helping people. Within 2 years they had 2 more wonderful people step up to the plate. Randy Johnson, Alford, Inc and Chuck Bentley, Pride Contractors bought MCHS their first small mobile office. The men and their workers spent countless hours and finally set up the small office next to what is now the Radio Shack.
Charlie Goessman donated and hooked up an air conditioner, Mark Hanson, owner of Mesquite Furniture donated furniture and Kevin Parrish, owner of Mesquite Tile and Flooring donated carpet. Shereen Peterson, owner of Shereen’s Hair and Nails a sponsor of our “Looking Good, Feeling Better Program” donates her time helping cancer patients by styling their wigs and/or toupees. Mesquite Cancer HELP Society’s office is now located at 150 N. Yucca Street, #36.
MCHS has been relentless in its efforts to educate the public on preventative measures to help avoid and minimize the risk of getting cancer. The staff provides public speaking, sponsor health fairs, special events, and one - on - one counseling. The communication is rewarding and well worth the effort, sweat and tears. Without these wonderful volunteers MCHS would not have been able to operate and serve cancer patients and the community as professionally as it continues to do.
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