Country music lovers know Martina McBride for her amazing music career, but they may not know that McBride’s fans are just as wonderful. A group of them have formed Team Martina to perform service projects around the world, and this holiday season they’re making their mark by delivering Christmas stockings to cancer patients.
McBride’s 2011 song “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” is about cancer diagnosis and survival. The song inspired fans and survivors all over the country, and even across the ocean in Germany, to help others going through treatment during the holidays. And the star is very much aware of their efforts.
“It’s very inspiring when I realize how giving [my fans] are and how big of hearts they have,” McBride told TODAY.com. “The healing power of music can make the world a better place, and they’re really out there doing that.”
One of those generous fans is breast cancer survivor Jenifer Niederwerfer of Nashville, Tennessee, who first learned of Team Martine while watched a video of the organization’s volunteers delivering stockings in 2012. Niederwerfer, who at the time was laid up in bed after finishing radiation therapy and breaking both her legs in a motorcycle accident, told TODAY.com: “I bawled all the way through the video. When I got done watching, I felt like it was God saying ‘That’s what I want you to do next year.'”
Shortly after watching the video, Niederwerfer met Sheila Jones of Team Martina at the National Women’s Survivors Convention. Niederwerfer told Jones about how inspired she was by the work that Team Martina was doing, and that she wanted to help. Then she hit the ground running preparing for Christmas 2013.
Niederwerfer helped collect Christmas stockings, via donations and post-Christmas sales, and stocking stuffers such as chapstick, books, lotion, music, warm hats and handwritten notes of hope and encouragement to make patients in her area feel some comfort. Last year, Niederwerfer, along with a handful of dedicated volunteers, was able to serve three oncology offices in the Nashville area, delivering stockings and singing Christmas carols. This year, that number has been increased to seven offices, one of which is Tennessee Oncology’s midtown office, where Niederwerfer received her treatment.
When Niederwerfer approached her oncologist, Dr. Nancy Peacock, about the project in 2013, Dr. Peacock was delighted to participate. Although Dr. Peacock wasn’t able to be there for the first drop off, this year’s, which took place last week, was a great success in her eyes.
“I was overwhelmed by their joyfulness and generosity,” Dr. Peacock told TODAY.com. “The patients and their families in the treatment room were smiling and talking and had lots of nice things to say about their Christmas friends. I think that anytime someone can give our patients a collective happy experience, their spirits just soar.”
“One of my favorite things about being a survivor is being able to talk to other survivors or people who are newly diagnosed,” Niederwerfer said of her Christmas deliveries. “I tell them, ‘You have long road in front of you, you just have to take it step by step.’ I’m a generally joyful person, but to bring extra joy to them at the holidays is one of my favorite things.”
McBride herself was able to help out with a stocking delivery last year, where she saw how much the stockings mean to patients. “To see a little bit of happiness in someone going through something so difficult … it makes you feel really good.”
To date, Team Martina has raised $250,000 for cancer causes and children’s causes, and their community service continues far beyond the holiday season.
Originally reported on TODAY.COM
