ENTERTAINMENT BUZZ
How a smile, a silly hat, and a bulldog help folks
find light in a dark place
By Amy Addams
That became the genesis
for Joy in the Cause.
The inception of JITC
TULSA, Okla. – If you’ve
ever been sick, like
REALLY sick, you know
how awful it can be. The
scary environment of a
hospital, the terror of the
unknown and fear of
what awaits you in the
real world (along with a
new pile of medical bills)
can be overwhelming.
It can be even worse
for those around you
who are concerned for
you. It might help you to
know that one woman,
who, along with her
stylish English bulldog,
are determined to take
away some of your
fears and problems. Her
organization, Joy in the
Cause (JITC) is a Tulsa-
based non-profit that
depends on the good will
of Oklahomans to help
other Oklahomans during
a difficult time. Lisa Bain,
her staff of volunteers, and
her Bulldog, Mavis Pearl,
8
|
are making big changes -
one small act of kindness
at a time.
Lisa and her mom quickly
learned that “looking for
joy and miracles in the
darkest journey of our
lives” did great things
to speed recovery. Lisa
accompanied her mother
to doctor appointments
and chemo wearing
silly hats, a chicken suit
or sometimes, they just
visited with other patients
and let them know they
weren’t alone. Their
intent is to show everyone
that each day is a gift
and to help others find
peace at a chaotic time.
Today, Lisa and her band
“Everyone needs joy! Some people just
don’t know how to choose that joy when
a heart is so crushed by illness.”
Joy in the Cause was
founded when Lisa
experienced a series of
multiple life events; her
mother went through a
bout with breast cancer
and Lisa battled two
chronic autoimmune
diseases, while giving her
mother the support she
needed. Lisa learned
that she was much better
equipped to deal with
all she faced when she
could find some joy in
life. Through the power of
laughter, prayer, friends
and light, Lisa and her
mom came out on the
other side a bit stronger.
www.thecurrentbuzz.net
of volunteers do many
things to help others;
sometimes, it’s buying a
bag of groceries, paying
a light bill, bringing food
from a favorite restaurant
or having dinner with a
patient in the hospital.
What is most exciting is the
lovely Mavis Pearl, Lisa’s
pet bulldog. Mavis often
accompanies Lisa on her
visits, dressed in a ballerina
tutu, a tiara or a black
leather jacket (without
the Harley, Mavis sold it
to expand her couture).
Mavis Pearl’s fame has
grown so much, JITC has
started handing out little
stuffed Mavis Pearls to
help folks keep their chin
up. And it’s working.
The catch
If you’re sad, scared, or
feeling lost, JITC wants to
help you, but there’s a
catch. As with everything,
there is a price to pay.
WHAT?! Yep, JITC wants
to make it clear that
there is a price: do all you
can to pay it forward.
While receiving love and
compassion feels good,
giving it feels even better.
You don’t need buckets
of money and you don’t
have to dedicate large
amounts of time. Every act
of kindness, no matter how
small, eventually grows to
something monumental.
And for someone suffering
alone, a small gift of
flowers, sharing dinner or
dessert (or even a cup of
coffee) is life-changing.
Many people receive a
stuffed Mavis, complete
with a little outfit; each
article of clothing made
by volunteers at JITC. For
some, these little stuffed
Mavis Pearls go a long
way to bringing happiness
to