Elizabethton High School staff and students helped raise money to buy and donate all natural hygiene supplies to current area cancer patients at a facility located in Johnson City.

EHS special education assistant Brenda Byrum, who is also an Arbonne consultant, sold and donated close to 50 all natural deodorants and toothpaste made by the hygiene care company to patients at the Regional Cancer Facility located in Johnson City on Monday.

Byrum said what inspired her to do this is because her late father, Darrell Greene, suffered from leukemia and lymphoma, which had gone into remission because of the efforts of the staff at the facility. Byrum credits the facility with helping her father.

Byrum said she wanted to help out because of what the facility did for her father, who also suffered from heart disease and had to have stents and a pacemaker installed.

“For the most of my life dad…played the role of dad and mom to my siblings and me,” said Byrum in a written statement. “My wish is to honor him by selling…and donating at least 50 Arbonne all natural deodorants/toothpaste to the Cancer Center.” The statement was used to sell the products that would be used to donate to current patients at the facility.

Byrum said that the Arbonne hygiene products that were donated did not contain parabens, aluminum or fluoride, which she claims are linked to cancer.

While studies conducted by the American Cancer Society have concluded that aluminum and parabens causing cancer are largely untrue, Byrum’s and other’s concerns are not misplaced, however, because some cancer cells have been shown to contain parabens. Fluoride’s link to cancer has also been ruled out by studies by the Society. The Society attributes the fear of antiperspirants to an “email rumor” and directs people with concerns to consult with their “doctor, nurse, or other health care providers.”     

Byrum also asked EHS teacher’s assistant Cathy Sanders, who is a breast cancer survivor, to help her with this effort. Byrum and Sanders, along with EHS students Colton Killiom and Sarah Byrum, gathered together at the Johnson City center Monday to pass out the hygiene products.