As a nurse practitioner in the cancer unit of a local hospital, Bainbridge resident Kimberly Dodson saw firsthand how the disease affected families beyond their health.

"As I took care of patients, they would say things like, 'I can't afford my chemo. I have to decide, do I take my chemo or do I pay for food for my kids?' They had to made decisions that they should not have to make," Dodson recalled.

Inspired to help, Dodson formed the Teal Blanket Fund, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that raises money to help women with gynecological cancer.

The nonprofit formed in March of 2020 after Dodson and other volunteers organized a bingo in 2019 to raise money for patients. The event was so well-received that the group decided to create a formal organization and host regular fundraisers.

The nonprofit's name comes from the color associated with fighting ovarian cancer, teal, and the goal of the organization.

"One of our patients said, 'When we have to get chemo, a lot of us bring blankets or we are provided with nice, warm blankets,'" Dodson said. "A blanket wraps around the patient to make them feel comfortable, safe and secure. That's what we're trying to do with this organization."

The Teal Blanket Fund hosts a bingo event each fall and a golf tournament each spring. The organization's fourth annual golf tournament raised more than $10,000 in June.

Bingo will be held on Sunday, Sept. 22, at Londonderry Fire Company, 2655 Foxianna Road, Middletown. Doors will open at noon, and bingo will begin at 2 p.m.

Patients interested in receiving Teal Blanket support fill out a brief application. The organization will provide a portion of the payment toward bills as well as Weis grocery gift cards.

Dodson noted that the Teal Blanket Fund has grown from a small organization helping patients in Cumberland County to serving women in 10 counties throughout central Pennsylvania.

Gynecological cancers affect women of all ages. According to the American Cancer Society, 66,200 new cases of uterine cancer were diagnosed in 2023, with an estimated 13,030 deaths from the disease. The National Cancer Institute estimates 20,000 new cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed in the United States annually, with close to 14,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed each year.

Now working at the Lebanon VA Medical Center, Dodson continues to advocate for women affected by gynecological cancer.

"Women are having to make decisions like, 'Can I pay for the gas I need to drive to radiation sessions, or do I feed my family?' and no one should be in that position," she said. "These women need our love and support."

The Teal Blanket Fund is always seeking donations as well as volunteers to assist at events and sponsors for the golf tournament. For more information, email Dodson at jldkad119@aol.com or search for "The Teal Blanket Fund" on Facebook.