Sandy Finestone

A small blue pillow sits on Sandy Finestone’s desk at the Hoag

Cancer Center. On it, a friend embroidered a nudging reminder: “Stop

Me Before I Volunteer Again.”

The pillow may have been meant to tease, but knowing Finestone’s

long-running volunteering habit, one understands. She now donates

about 40 hours a week to various cancer organizations and support

groups.

In addition to the volunteering, the 66-year-old Costa Mesa

resident also puts in about 40 hours counseling women recently

diagnosed with cancer as her day job at Hoag and juggles an Irvine

accounting practice.

A 19-year cancer survivor, Finestone says it shows that life

doesn’t have to end when cancer strikes. She describes herself as a

“rainbow in the cloud” for the women.

“I would love to give a lot of money to research,” Finestone said.

“What I can give is my time and my caring.”

From almost the day she was diagnosed with breast cancer back in

1983, Finestone has found ways to further that cause. In 1989,

Finestone formed an Orange County breast-cancer coalition. The group

meets every other month to develop strategies for helping women

afflicted with the illness.

The group published a resource guide that offers information about

support groups and where to find wigs and prosthetic breasts. It also

defines medical jargon that can be baffling for women first told they

have the disease.

Sifting through information on the Internet is often not a good

idea for cancer patients first grappling with the illness, Finestone

said.

“The Internet is a wonderful resource, but it can be too much

information,” Finestone said. “It can be overwhelming.”

Finestone has also given much of her time to three Orange County

groups -- Why Me, Breast Cancer Survivors and Breast Cancer Angels.

Finestone is also active in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer

Foundation, the Texas-based group that organizes nationwide Race for

the Cure fund-raisers every September.

Last week, Finestone received Komen’s Volunteer of the Year award

for her “exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication.”

-- Story by Paul Clinton;

photo by Sean Hiller