Maid services help cancer patients with free cleanings

Terricha Bradley, The Clarion-Ledger 3:43 p.m. CDT September 19, 2014

Foster's Cleaning Service, LLC employee Crystal Everett provides free home cleaning services to cancer patient Mary Davis (background) and her husband, Jerry, Thursday near the Pisgah and Sandhill communities. Foster's is one of three Jackson metro area cleaning services partnered with the national nonprofit Cleaning for a Reason to assist women battling cancer.(Photo: Greg Jenson/The Clarion-Ledger)Buy Photo

Mary Davis, diagnosed with throat cancer in October 2013 and tongue cancer in March, needed more help around her house than her husband could provide.

The Rankin County woman's vocal chords were removed and the partial removal of her tongue has affected her ability to whisper and speak.

Jerry Davis had to take a leave of absence from work to help care for his petite wife.

"I sweep and get it all cleaned up, and the first thing she does is gets the broom. And I'm trying to convince her I swept," said 56-year-old Jerry Davis.

A reference from the American Cancer Society directed the couple to Cleaning for a Reason. The Texas-based nonprofit helps women battling cancer by providing free house cleanings, and local partner Foster's Cleaning Service lightens the load.

Cleaning for a Reason was founded in 2006 and has helped women with cancer receive more than $3.7 million worth of free house cleanings. Approximately 1,000 maid services in the United States and Canada partner with the foundation.

Mississippi has three maid services providing free cleaning in the Jackson metro Foster's Cleaning Service, LLC in Brandon, Wilgins Professional Cleaning Company, LLC in Byram and Magic Maids of MS in Madison.

"I had a cousin who passed a couple years ago from colorectal cancer, and I started looking for a service and came across Cleaning for a Reason," said co-owner Celisa Frith, co-owner of Foster's Cleaning Service. "Mary is my only client with cancer, but there are so many women who don't know about it."

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Maid services help cancer patients with free cleanings