LEANNE GREENTREE
For Supporting Susan Banta
Leanne Greentree was awarded the Healing Partner Award in recognition of her rallying the support of her entire community for her friend, Susan Banta, a newcomer to Nicasio when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Leanne and Susan are friends and neighbors in Nicasio, a small ranching community in West Marin, where their children attend school together. These two mothers, active in the Nicasio School and civic causes, forged their healing partnership on the bench in front of the town's General Store, where they met to discuss how Susan would cope with breast cancer while juggling the roles of a wife and mother raising four young children.
Leanne Greentree was just the right person to mobilize the efforts of everyone who wanted to help Susan through her breast cancer treatment. With her organizational savvy, Leanne activated a website (lotsahelpinghands.com) to schedule and manage the legions of helpers that came forth. Leanne created a calendar of daily needs - meals, carpools, children's activities - and matched the volunteers. The ingenuity of one highly organized healing partner quickly multiplied into many helping hands. Knowing that her family would be taken care of helped Susan focus her thoughts and energy on getting well.
Leanne Greentree not only helped Susan Banta to heal from breast cancer, but she inspired other residents in Nicasio to share their caring spirits with one of their own. The Healing Partner award is a tribute to Leanne Greentree, an everyday hero and friend who credits her community as her partner.
