The CHEMO Bag, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing gift bags full of comfort items for chemotherapy patients, held its first major fundraiser in August at the Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course. Founded in 2013 by Leah Walia, a nurse who herself had gone through chemotherapy, the group now has more than 40 volunteers and sponsors.

About 1,000 gift bags were distributed this year, but Community Outreach Director Judy Swartley says that is only about one-third the number of patients who undergo chemotherapy annually. “My goal is to provide for every one of them.”

The bags are filled with items that are useful or that offset the side effects of the treatment, for example, lap blankets and hand knitted hats because chemo makes patients feel cold; mints and bottled water because chemo dries out lips and dehydrates; and hand and body lotion. The two dozen or so items in each bag are all donated.

The fundraiser, which included food, dancing to a live band and a silent auction, is expected to be an annual event to raise money to both increase the number of bags being distributed, and to add additional items that are not now being donated. “We expect this will be the only necessary fundraiser to meet our goals in the future,” according to vice president and board member Cathy Heimsoth.