Meet Sally Oneacre – Dedicated Volunteer at Stewart’s Caring Place

Two years ago, Sally Oneacre shopped the handmade crafts of local artisans at the 2009 Holiday Boutique fundraiser for : Cancer Wellness Center. After visiting Stewart’s to pick up the raffle item she won that fateful Saturday, Oneacre spoke with Volunteer Coordinator Candy Mirman.

“I was so moved by this place, I’ve been here ever since,” she said.

Oneacre serves as the front desk volunteer at Stewart’s every Wednesday morning. She conducts tours of the facility and provides information about Stewart’s free services and programs to interested visitors.

“I love the contact with the participants and being available to people who come through our doors,” she explained.

Oneacre also brings her expertise of nutrition to Stewart’s. She is a registered dietician and previously worked at a dialysis company for 17 years helping chronically ill patients form a close, beneficial relationship with food.

Oneacre holds nutrition classes for Stewart’s participants on an ongoing basis. Her classes go over the importance of nutrition and its relation to cancer prevention and treatment. She also covers the many barriers individuals face when trying to maintain nutritional health during a cancer diagnosis, such as lack of resources, financial struggles, relying on a caregiver, sores in mouth, disinterest in food, and many more.

Full of energy and passion, she explains how she loves to talk with people about food, its nurturing qualities and the importance of nourishment.

“Most of us want to care for others by offering food. Our activities and connections with people revolve around food and the closeness we feel with others when eating together.”

Oneacre parallels the need to comfort others with home-cooked meals and pot pies to the ways in which Stewart’s Caring Place gives and supports its participants in any way it can.

She will continue giving back to Stewart’s and the cancer community by serving as the Hope Walk Chair for the second year. The Hope Walk is an annual cancer walk held in Fairlawn benefitting the organization. 

“I was so touched by the way the walkers supported each other; it was such an uplifting event with the whole community coming together,” she explains of the 2011 .

Oneacre looks forward to organizing the walk again next year and growing the amount of people involved. “I want to go out and talk with real people and tell them the kind of experience they can have here at Stewart’s.”

Hope Walk 2012 will be held on May 12 at the Fairlawn Community Center. For more information on becoming a sponsor or creating a team, contact Raven DeVoll, events coordinator at 330.836.1772; raven@stewartscaringplace.org.

Oneacre lives in Akron with her husband of 34 years. She has two daughters and is a loving grandmother of four.

Upcoming nutrition classes at Stewart’s Caring Place:
Nov. 2: Jumping the Hurdles of Meal Planning, 6-7:30pm
If interested in scheduling a personal consultation, call 330.836.1772.

Find us on Facebook to keep update with our programs and services.