“ My story of hope comes from a community. Every time I see my doctors or nurses, I am filled with hope by proactive actions. Hope comes to me from Hope Cancer Resources when I go to counseling [ and ] I am renewed with hope, confidence and peace. My little community of hope makes the fight worth it!”

That’ s one patient’ s testimonial on the Hope Cancer Resources webpage. Another says:

“ Hope comes hand in hand with love. My heart is so full of hope and love that it keeps my mind and body strong. With that strength I am capable of surviving.”

In 2009, two local nonprofits, NARTI and H. O. P. E. Inc., came together to form Hope Cancer Resources, uniting their missions to provide compassionate, professional cancer support and education in the Northwest Arkansas region. In

2024, Hope supported 5,571 patients and caregivers; offered $ 913,154 in financial assistance; provided 965 hours of counseling; and transported 388 patients to vital medical appointments.

Hope Cancer Resources President and CEO Chuck Hyde says everyone on the team at the Springdale-based nonprofit shares a deep and abiding desire to offer not just the tangible services that can ease a cancer journey but that spirit of hope.“ It matters. It’ s personal,” he says. It’ s personal for Hyde, even though he comes from a long background of corporate leadership and brought that expertise to the table. Like so many people, his family has been impacted by cancer, and he says nothing like Hope Cancer Resources was available for them. It made him understand that even with everything the organization does,“ it won’ t be enough for our future.” And that’ s where he stepped in a year ago.

He immediately learned that there were“ so many things” he didn’ t know. As a simple example, he says he was aware of the need to use sunscreen— but not that some sunscreens have toxins in them. He was aware of the efforts to encourage screening for breast cancer— but not that there were myths that discourage it.

“ Yes, we respond to cancer, but we also have a role upstream of that to offer resources to educate people,” he says.

Hope’ s mission begins with that educational component, sending its wellness team into schools, businesses and organizations to talk about topics like sun safety, tobacco cessation and nutrition. One of Hyde’ s efforts in his first year has been to“ challenge our team to be more multichannel, so instead of just speaking to a group of people in a room, how can we have more on-demand content, digital content, that’ s available. We’ re thinking about how we package that and make it more accessible.”

With that strength

I am capable of

OURHEALTHNWA. COM 6 SEPTEMBER 2025 | CANCER CARE TAKES A TEAM ISSUE