The area's newest charitable program looks like a big, brown, comfy armchair.
That's because it is. However, the Caring Chair, brought to Callaway County by Homemaker Health Care, isn't your average seat. It's specially designed to bring comfort to people recovering from a mastectomy or double mastectomy.
Aside from being cushy and comfortable, the chair can raise someone from a seated to standing position with the touch of a button. It reclines and sits back up just as easily.
"I had no idea there was such a need," said Jeff Buker, executive director of HHC. "One of our volunteers said, 'My gosh, if I'd had something like this when I was going through a mastectomy at 34 ' She had to sit in a hard kitchen chair during her recovery, because getting out of the couch was impossible."
It can be hard to stand from a soft chair without using one's arms to push off. Due to the location of the incisions made in a mastectomy, that can be incredibly painful.
Breast cancer survivors of any gender can borrow the Caring Chair free of charge and hang onto it as long as they need. To request the chair, simply contact HHC at 573-635-6603. The chair will be delivered by a fellow breast cancer survivor.
"They'll talk to the patient about what they've gone through," and share helpful tips, said Sarah Wood, director of operations for HHC.
Homemaker Health Care serves a multi-county area including Callaway, Cole and Moniteau, among others. The Caring Chair is available in all counties within the coverage area.
For 40 years, HHC has been loaning medical equipment to people in need. Available items include wheelchairs, bedside commodes, shower chairs and much more.
"We work like a library," Buker said. "Our goal is not to have a waiting list. We get more things as needed."
HHC volunteers scour garage sales for useful equipment and purchase others secondhand from medical facilities.
"We get these out of basements and into the community where people can use them," Buker added.
HHC is funded in part by United Way of Callaway County.