Bruce Liebsch and Mary Borland-Liebsch, middle and right, of Olympic Lavender Farm, gave $2,200 to the Thomas Family Cancer Center patient navigator program from their U-pick lavender during Sequim Lavender Festival. They gave the donation through Sara Maloney, associate executive director of Olympic Medical Center Foundation. The couple plans to continue donations each summer. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

For the second year in a row, owners of Olympic Lavender Farm, 1432 Marine Drive, have donated its U-pick lavender proceeds from the Sequim Lavender Festival to help cancer patients.

Co-owners Mary Borland-Liebsch and Bruce Liebsch raised $2,200 this summer for patients being treated at Thomas Family Cancer Center in Sequim.

Last year Borland-Liebsch gave $1,900 toward the patient navigator program to honor her husband Steve Borland who died Feb. 24, 2009, from a brain tumor.

She continued it this year with Liebsch who lost his wife Sharon Liebsch to breast cancer in September 2009.

The new couple married earlier this year.

Sara Maloney, associate executive director Olympic Medical Center Foundation, said the donation will help dozens of people through the navigator program which is an essential component of treating patients with cancer.

"Our patient navigator provides patients with a variety of financial and emotional tools to empower them through their treatment," Maloney said.

Patient navigators can assist with completing paperwork, filing for health insurance claims and directing patients toward resources available to help them through cancer treatment.

For patients who qualify, these funds are be allocated to pay expenses such as utilities, rent, prescriptions, gas cards and other essential expenses.

Call the OMC Foundation at 417-7144 for more information on the navigator program.