By Judith Roberts
Around 200 individuals donned wigs, bright attire and a heart for helping others at Wiggin’ Out’s 14th Benefit Gala Thursday night at Squire Creek Country Club.
A silent auction, raffle, dance floor and DJ and dinner greeted guests as they came to hear the keynote speaker, Shane McVay, family nurse practitioner, and help raise money for individuals in north Louisiana.
“All of the donations that come to Wiggin’ Out go right back out into the community,” said Vicki Caskey, one of Wiggin’ Out’s board members. “We’re 14 years strong. We’ve never had to borrow money, we’ve never had to turn an applicant away, and we have no paid staff or board members. We’re local, and our money stays local. We’re able to put all the donations right back in the community.”
Wiggin’ Out provides wigs, headwear, lymphatic garments, prosthetic bras and gift cards for groceries, water and light bills, and other necessities to current and recently former cancer patients throughout north Louisiana through donations and fundraisers. The Wiggin’ Out board hopes to ease the financial and psychological burden for individuals fighting cancer.
One of the beneficiaries of Wiggin’ Out assistance was McVay, who discovered in 2023 that he had a rare diagnosis: pancreatic neuro endocrine cancer.
“It’s tough – physically, emotionally, financially – because I had to take off of work,” McVay said. “This organization helped us. I’m so thankful for all of the people who contributed to my time and who prayed for me and walked through this with us.”
McVay said there is no cure for his cancer, but he has a new perspective on life due to his diagnosis.
“The only cure is surgery, but that’s not an option for me,” he said. “My oncologist tells me that he’s seen people who have this live for a decade – which, at my age of currently 49, a decade doesn’t seem that long. I just try to live life, and it’s changed my perspective with a lot of things. I used to work for work. I didn’t have time for anything else. So I encourage you, if you are that type of person, to refocus and look at life from a different angle.”
He credited his wife, Sarah, for helping him through his prognosis and treatment, which is currently asymptomatic.
“Our love has grown through this,” he said. “I’m not a good patient. But our marriage has grown because of it. And I hope that some part of my story has benefitted someone in this room.”
Elisha James, another Wiggin’ Out board member, said individuals who want to help the mission of the organization can do so by visiting wigginout.org to help. She thanked individuals who attended the fundraiser on Thursday for their continued support for the organization.
“This is a better turnout than I ever imagined,” James said. “We have a sold out crowd, good energy; everybody’s glad to be here, and it’s so sweet to see the dedication of the people who come just because they want to give back to people in our community, who need a little extra help and a really tough time.”
Those who know someone who is battling cancer can go to the Wiggin’ Out website and nominate someone else or themselves.
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