Roxboro woman blessing North Carolina cancer patients with surprises

ROXBORO, North Carolina (WTVD) -- When Marshina Ragland was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer, she knew she would face many obstacles with treatment and at home.

After undergoing chemotherapy and then radiation treatment, gas and utility bills became hard to afford. All this after her mother passed away from esophageal throat cancer.

"It's been a battle," Ragland said. "But I'm strong and I'm going to get to the end."

You can send Marshina well wishes and find out more about her cancer battle on this Facebook Live.

Ragland says she was blessed to receive financial support through the Community Council Awareness Group, a nonprofit organization founded by Debbie Allen, her childhood friend from her middle school basketball team.

CCAG helped pay for Ragland's gas from her home in Roxboro to the hospital in Durham, her light bill and gave her food vouchers for groceries. "I was so happy," Ragland said. "I thank God for Debbie and her organization."

CCAG helps cancer patients going through extra hardships. Allen says it's what she was born to do.

"We just want to be a blessing for somebody," Allen said.

When Allen founded CCAG she had no idea there would be a cruel twist of fate.

"My parents both passed away with cancer. My mother in 2013 and my father in 2015, but the organization was already started. I didn't know it was going to help them too," she said.

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Ms. Debbie surprises cancer patients by doing their choirs and then some.

Her organization helped 100 this year, like Ty Johnston, whose wife passed away from stage four breast cancer.

"She was a huge friend to my wife," Johnston said. "She was a friend to me. I mean so much of a friend we invited her to Easter dinner - my wife's last."

Ty Johnston on his wife's cancer.

"It doesn't matter what kind of cancer you have as long as you have a hardship we will help you, here and there, because cancer does not knock on your door and say 'I'm going to come today.' It just comes," Allen said.

Community Cancer Awareness Group is a certified non-profit.

You can find more information about their organization on their Facebook Page here.