Woman lends voice to cancer survivors

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The voice of Mary Jane Renner -- or MJ -- is an especially familiar one at The Wellness Community of Central Indiana . She's been dedicated for so long, an award honoring volunteer service bears her name.

It's ironic that her voice often greets cancer survivors and their families who go there because cancer robbed her of her voice box 29 years ago. She remembers the long, painful period after surgeons removed her larynx.

"I was without a voice for a period of weeks and, therefore, I didn't want to go any place, didn't want to be seen," Renner recalled.

But she eventually learned to speak again and she's been cancer free for almost 30 years, lending her voice, her time and her energy to helping others along their cancer journey.

As a volunteer at The Wellness Community, she greets and encourages cancer survivors who go there for educational services, support groups and yoga classes. It's because of volunteers like MJ that the non-profit is able to continue to offer services at no cost to participants.

"We actually could not do what we do without the help of our volunteers," said Kathleen Spears, executive director of The Wellness Community. "We have just three staff, but we provide services to over a thousand people a year. So in order to do that, we need volunteers."

For Renner, her service is a gift of gratitude freely given and lovingly received.

"I wish I could give thousands to (The Wellness Community), but I can at least give my time," she said.

Renner gives her time to many causes close to her heart. In addition to volunteering at The Wellness Community, she also facilitates support groups for patients through The American Cancer Society and The Leukemia Lymphoma Society .