Today’s interview is with Marie Sander! Marie was a part of the first PALTOWN internship team, but she has recently moved into a part-time staff role!
To share a little more about Marie, she was first treated for breast cancer in 2007, and then diagnosed with stage IV CRC in 2013. She was introduced to COLONTOWN from a good friend of hers who was in a similar situation. After joining several other online groups, she found that CT was the best for her as it provided the right insight and information regarding her disease.
“The education and peer to peer medical advice I've received helped me make critical decisions in my treatment plans. The level of knowledge from members who are patients, caregivers, and medical professionals is superior and invaluable.”
In April of 2019, PALTOWN decided that it would be hiring interns for the first time. When Marie got the job, she was nervous that she would be rusty after leaving her full time job 13 years ago. Now she is able to see what goes on behind the scenes on COLTONTOWN, and contribute her bright energy wherever possible.
Marie’s leadership within COLONTOWN is astonishing. There is not a day where she doesn’t post DOWNTOWN, but she is also an admin for the local New Jersey and Pennsylvania crews. Beyond her admin responsibilities, Marie has also stepped up to assist our Mayor Erika and our COO Nancy. She helps with research, grants, as well as conference scheduling.
As members of COLONTOWN, we always want to know what is next on the agenda. At this moment, Marie is working on new grants for conferences and leadership workshops. She has paired with Tom’s Pride Clinical Trials group in order to train patients and caregivers on how to help others navigate the world of clinical trials. Besides that, Marie also sees sister communities coming in the near future, which can then bring in more knowledge and people into our community!
Thank you so much for all that you do, Marie, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for you and COLONTOWN!
Sydney Topper
Sydney is PALTOWN's social media intern. Her mom, Rachel, is a carepartner and member of COLONTOWN. Her dad Craig is a colorectal cancer patient.