Hi! I’m Katherine Dorsch, founder of Delaney’s Place. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer and melanoma seven years ago, there was no place in the Santa Cruz area that had the products and services I needed to deal with a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and chemo-induced menopause. Since that time I’ve been thinking about opening up such a place, and on December 11, 2007, that dream became a reality!

I remember how diagnosis, doctors’ appointments, and treatment side effects left me feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. At Delaney’s, we try to make your choices easy and appealing. You might even find yourself having fun when you try on our clothing! At any rate, we listen to what you have to say. Each person’s cancer journey is unique, and we won’t try to push something on you you don’t care for.

One of our main goals is to be a community resource. We have a wealth of cancer-related information available free-of-charge in our shop. On our homepage we post upcoming events of interest in the world of cancer. You can also read my blog, Musings, to get my take on the cancer experience. I invite you to add your comments as well. Together, maybe we can make some sense of the insanity! (Note: my intent is not to provide medical advice – please consult with your doctor about that!)

BTW, how did Delaney’s Place get its name? Delaney is my middle name, chosen to honor my father’s sister, an aunt I never got to meet. She died of diphtheria as an infant. Today, we inoculate our children against that disease, and it’s pretty much a non-issue in this country.

Maybe one day the same will be true for cancer.