New cancer resource opens in Green Bay area

HOWARD - After helping family members, sisters Jennifer Hickey and Kimberly Demeny knew they could fill a need for people dealing with cancer.

“There was a lot of advocacy they needed to help them get alternative therapies or to figure out ways of getting what they needed,” said Demeny.

In August, Demeny's husband Michael Hermes died because of a brain tumor. She says it was partly his idea to open a cancer concierge.

On Thursday, the sisters held the grand opening for Connect Inc., a non-profit cancer concierge.

“He wanted to do something more that was working with people one on one,” Demeny said of her husband. “This was the vision that we all had together.”

“Our job is to bring resources together to empower people on their own journey,” said Hickey.

The sisters say Connect Inc., won't provide medical advice. They say the organization will help someone research their type of cancer, standards of care, treatments, clinical trials and second opinions.

“We know that once somebody hears those words "you have cancer" it's a completely life changing experience,” said Hickey.

“Knowing that you can get what you need, you can extend someone's life, you can give someone hope that might not have it, by advocating for them, if they can't do it for themselves, that's really exciting and really meaningful,” said Demeny.

Demney says through the concierge, she hopes to help to others with cancer, just as she did for her husband.

“If he didn't have a team of people... he wouldn't have even had the kind of time that he had,” said Demeny. “He unfortunately would have died a lot earlier, but he remained hopeful and that's what we want to give someone else.”

You can visit Connect Inc.'s website here.