From left are Britani Merritt, vice president, Marietta Community Foundation; Jessica Huffman, DNP, RN, CENP, FACHE, assistant vice president of nursing services, WVU Health System; and Albert Wright, President and CEO, West Virginia University Health System. (Photo Provided)

MARIETTA — West Virginia University Health System President and CEO Albert Wright presented a check this week for $20,000 to the Jessica Huffman Women’s Cancer Fund at the Marietta Community Foundation.

The fund was created by Mid-Ohio Valley resident Jessica Huffman, DNP, RN, CENP, FACHE, assistant vice president of nursing services for the WVU Health System and a cancer survivor herself.

During her own treatment, Huffman learned how expensive wigs can be for women undergoing chemotherapy, often several hundred dollars, with the highest-quality options costing $1,000 or more. Recognizing that many patients simply cannot afford this expense, she established the fund to help women in the community purchase wigs and other items that insurance typically does not cover.

The fund is dedicated to helping women feel more like themselves during one of the most challenging times of their lives. Huffman’s experience, compassion, and determination continue to make a meaningful difference for women facing cancer in the Mid-Ohio Valley, officials said.

Huffman and Wright were joined for the presentation by Britani Merritt, vice president of donor programs and services at the Marietta Community Foundation.