Ruth Crane was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of 2008.
Although she had no family history of breast cancer, she found a lump in her left breast in December of 2007 and followed up with her doctors. After several tests and a biopsy, cancer was confirmed. This was not the journey she had planned on taking…3 kids, a loving husband, a great network of family and friends…all wonderful blessings that seemed to fill and fulfill her life. From the start of her treatment, Ruth decided to do whatever she could to stay positive. She enlisted the help of family and friends to support her journey, send her funny stories, keep the prayers and positive thoughts going through her caringbridge website. Ruth began chemotherapy at the Cleveland Clinic in March 2008 and lost her hair within a few days of her second chemotherapy treatment. Choosing what to wear on her head became a daily decision and struggle. Would today be a bandanna day? Would the wig feel scratchy? Could she really go out in public with a bald head? It was at that point that Ruth realized that she wanted to feel and look as normal as possible. She didn’t want to go through each day and every interaction as the “cancer patient.” She wanted to be just Ruth.
Ears To You was developed out of the sense to help other people undergoing cancer treatments enjoy that same feeling of normalcy and hope as they too dealt with their loss of hair, or the stress of cancer treatments. While in the hospital for a possible infection while undergoing chemotherapy, the idea of Ears To You came to Ruth. She felt instantly better with her things from home – things that made her feel like herself – and thought maybe other cancer patients would feel better with these items too. Ruth feels like the idea was divinely inspired since she desired to do something to help other cancer patients that was easy and affordable.
Ears To You began donating earrings in June 2008 and has helped thousands of cancer patients feel joyful and hopeful. Today Ruth is feeling great, we’re celebrating over 14 years of lifting the spirits of cancer patients, and we look forward to helping even more patients experience a moment of joy and hope.
Join the positive movement today!
