At 9 a.m. one August morning, the main meeting room at the Mary Bird Perkins Covington administration building was filled with the smell of fresh coffee, donuts, and the sound of a group of veterans cracking jokes.
“How’s everybody doing?” asked Robert Poole, the group’s coordinator and a Mary Bird Perkins Radiation Oncology Program Manager.
“Hey, we’re just here for the coffee,” one of the veterans shot back. Cue more laughter.
Good as it was, the coffee obviously wasn’t the reason for the gathering. From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the first and third Thursday of every month, Mary Bird Perkins hosts its Veterans Combating Cancer group in Covington. Open to all veterans whose lives have been affected by cancer, Veterans Combating Cancer provides a space for participants to talk openly and freely about their cancer journey.
The group is facilitated by Robert Poole, a veteran who spent 24 years on active duty in the armed forces before retiring in 2021. He sees the group as an opportunity for veterans to help each other navigate the complexities of cancer treatment in a welcoming and friendly environment.
“Not only is it a chance to talk about some of the commonalities we have, but it’s an opportunity to spread the word about the information that’s out there,” he said. “There’s a lot of information that our veterans just don’t know about.”
The number of people attending varies, though it usually hovers somewhere around ten. Though focused on cancer and medical matters, the conversation is free-flowing and depends entirely on who’s attending. At the August meeting, the talk wound its way through virtual visits, favored doctors, individual surgeries, and places that do and don’t accept particular kinds of insurance.
Not only do the people attending the meeting learn about how to navigate their journey, but they often take what they learn and spread the word to others as well.
“Without the gentlemen here, there are people out there who would never know what’s out there,” Poole said. “Word of mouth is a powerful thing.”
Among the recent attendees was Charles “Chuck” Harvey. Chuck was in the army from 1968 to 1970 – like many of his fellow group members, he saw service in Vietnam – and finds the opportunity to discuss medical matters with people in a similar situation invaluable.
“It’s important to learn what you have, how you can control it, and what you can do to make it better,” he said. “I’ve heard about all sorts of interesting things. We’re all about the same age, and together we learn about what you can do and where you can go.”
Though the group has proved popular, Poole is always encouraging more people, of all ages, to attend. Veterans are welcome to join whether they have been treated at Mary Bird Perkins or not, and there is no registration required.
Poole is planning another veteran’s group to take place in Hammond in the near future, providing another opportunity to reach out and help the region’s veterans.
“Whether you want to come and share stories or just ask questions, this group is here for all veterans,” Poole said. “Cancer is a journey, and the more help you have, the easier it is to navigate through it. We’re all veterans, and we’re all here to help.”
For more information about the group, including upcoming session times and dates, please visit our website at marybird.org/survivorship.
Veterans Combating Cancer meets the 1st & 3rd THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH at 9:00 a.m. at the Mary Bird Perkins Administration Building – 630 S. Tyler Street, Covington, LA.