Mission Hope Cancer Center’s Day of Hope underway

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Day of Hope has become a very popular community-wide fundraising event benefiting the Mission Hope Cancer Center in Santa Maria.

Public Health concerns about the spread of COVID-19 delayed this year's 7th annual event and has changed the way the event is being held and donations collected.

There are no volunteers gathered at local street corners collecting donations and handing out special edition Santa Maria Times Day of Hope newspapers as in years past.

Donations can be made online or in-person at the Mission Hope Cancer Center in Santa Maria.

Proceeds from Day of Hope go to support programs, services and new technologies for Mission Hope Cancer Center patients and their families.

"This is important for me because this is an opportunity to give back to the place that pretty much gave me my life back", said cancer survivor and 2020 Day of Hope Ambassador Tamryn Timothy, "I mean without Mission Hope I don't know if I would be here right now."

Volunteers, medical staff and others still have a vital role in this year's event.

"The pandemic that has occurred, cancer doesn't stop for the pandemic, the cancer still goes on", said Dr. Monica Rocco with Mission Hope Cancer Center, "I think everybody has come together in the community, both as a community as a whole and in the medical community."

Also new for Day of Hope this year due to Covid-19 is "Cruzin for a Cause".

It's a car parade that will start at the Santa Maria Fairpark and end at Mission Hope Cancer Center next to Marian Regional Medical Center.