Mancos leaders hear thanks for funding local hospice and cancer support services

A $1,500 town grant in Mancos is helping keep grief counseling, cancer aid and basic medical equipment within reach for families in Dolores County when travel, cost and stress can pile up fastest.

Leaders from Hospice of Montezuma and Cancer Resource Alliance addressed the Town of Mancos Board of Trustees on Wednesday, April 22, to explain how the town’s funding translates into services for Montezuma and Dolores county residents. Hospice of Montezuma said the January contribution helped keep grief support services going, and that its bereavement work reached more than 1,500 people in the two counties last year.

Hospice of Montezuma said it provides free support groups and individual grief services for child loss, suicide support, and men’s and women’s groups. It also lends free medical equipment, including wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility tools, to community members who need them. The organization said low attendance at some outreach sessions has been a problem because many residents do not know the services are available, and it is working to expand education by turning advance-directives sessions into webinars. On April 22, the hospice hosted an advance-directives information session that brought together insurance, legal, financial and health care experts.

The hospice serves Montezuma County, including Cortez, Mancos and Dolores, and describes itself as the oldest and only nonprofit end-of-life provider within a 75-mile radius of Cortez, reaching into Montezuma County, Dolores County and parts of San Miguel and San Juan counties. For families facing a serious illness or the loss of a loved one, that means some support can be arranged without leaving the region.

Cancer Resource Alliance treasurer Sue Tompkins said the town’s $1,500 grant supports financial assistance for cancer patients in the region. The alliance provides annual grants of up to $700 to individuals recently diagnosed with cancer or in treatment, as long as they live in Montezuma or Dolores counties. It also helps women in the area with free breast and reproductive screenings through its providers.

The alliance said local need is not abstract in Mancos. Last year, 16 of 117 patient applicants, or 13%, came from Mancos. That share helped show why the town’s contribution matters in a county where even a modest grant can help cover gas, prescriptions, treatment-related bills or other short-term gaps.

The town’s contribution program is funded through the General Fund and is aimed at organizations that meet community needs. Mancos allows requests of up to $1,500 per round, with applications due April 15 and September 15, and requires follow-up reporting on how the money is used. The support comes alongside other regional cancer help, including the Southwest Memorial Hospital Foundation’s Montelores Cancer Care Assistance Grant, which offers a one-time $1,000 grant to residents of Montezuma and Dolores counties diagnosed with cancer.