KANAWHA CITY W.Va. — A local college organization is ensuring patients are getting the extra care and support they need at CAMC Cancer Center.
The West Virginia State University Yellowjacket II chapter of the Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship presented a check worth $700 towards that effort to the CAMC Foundation Friday.
The funds come from a benefit concert that the organization held at WVSU on April 29. Phi Groove member Kenneth Williams said it feels good to give back to those in need.
“We just love reaching out to those who can’t help themselves, that’s just very important to us and what our organization likes doing, giving back to our community, it’s the most important thing to us,” he said.
Williams said it was the first time the WVSU organization had held a fundraiser for the cancer center.
The group hosted local singer and rapper Tajai Holmes for the benefit concert, or as he goes by on stage, Jai’Rahd.
The fellowship is known for promoting academic awareness, ethical standards, and unity among men in college programs, but Williams said this particular fundraiser was specifically inspired by a special person to Phi Groove.
“He was a brother of ours, his name was Edgar Randall, he had cancer a few years back and we want to honor him and his family, and so moving forward we want to continue to have fundraisers raising money for the cancer center,” Williams said.
President of CAMC Foundation, Bryan Cummings said as CAMC Cancer Center receives some of the highest numbers of cancer patients throughout the state, any support they can get is always appreciated.
“We are very thrilled to be the recipient of such a great undertaking in the community, we’re always trying to find partners able to help us better our patient care, here in Charleston and across the state,” Cummings said. “So, knowing that this group held a concert in honor of cancer patients being treated here at the CAMC Cancer Center is a big honor for us to be receiving the rewards of their hard work.”
He said the funds raised go toward many different needs. Not only do they go to the purchase of new, state-of-the-art equipment and resources for the cancer center, but Williams said funds also go to medication assistance for patients who need help meeting prescription costs, and to survivorship programs that help with providing physical and psychological resources for the patients recovering from cancer.
After the Phi Groove Social Fellowship announced that they were going to continue to help out the cancer center through future benefit concerts, Cummings said CAMC is happy to see their support grow.
“We always like to take these that get off the ground and really build them so that they can continue to be impactful in the future, so we’re thrilled to be a partner with them moving forward,” he said.
Cummings said CAMC has a Community Giving Program that invites individuals and organizations around the area to donate funds raised through holding local concerts among other events whenever possible.