- March 6, 2025
Tucked away within the doctor’s wing at Florida Hospital Flagler, there is a different kind of library. With cheery yellow walls and a staff whose biggest rule is that nobody leaves without a hug, it is a resource and place of refuge for those suffering with cancer.
The Judith C. Macko Cancer Research Library, which just marked three years since opening in early 2010, houses brochures about most types of cancer, handmade blankets for those about to undergo chemotherapy, books about cancer and a wall of wigs and other accessories for those in treatment.
“We make people feel beautiful again,” said Pat Flood, one of 13 volunteers in the center.
Flood and other volunteers bring women in to their wig room and help them try on styles until they find a fit. They also give specialized bras with prosthetic breasts for women who have had mastectomies as part of their treatment. They laugh together, cry together and help cancer patients learn how to move forward.
Volunteering in the library is the most rewarding thing Flood has ever done, she said.
Since the center opened three years ago, it has welcome more than 5,000 visitors. All of the center’s services are free to the community.
