Cleaning crew cleans homes of cancer patients for free to help recovery

A cleaning company in Atlanta is making sure cancer patients have a healthy home during treatment. "Cleaning for a Reason" offers free house cleanings so patients can focus on recovery.

The project is run through the Susan G. Komen foundation, and multiple cleaning servies in Georgia participate. Maid in Paradise focuses on clients in the Atlanta area.

"My sister is a cancer survivor, so if I'm thinking of a reason to do it, I think about her, the days she's not able to do for herself, who would be able to be there for her to do this for her?" said Susan Harper of Maid in Paradise.

Breast cancer survivor Melissa Brantley wasn't used to having help, until Harper and her team showed up while Brantley was undergoing intense chemotherapy.

"I do everything myself," said Brantley. But she hit a point where her sickness became too much.

"I literally couldnt move," said Brantley. "To get to the refrigerator, I had to use a desk chair to move me from point A to point B," she said.

The Maid in Paradise crew came in and changed everything.

"To have a stranger come along and say 'Hey I'm gonna help you, I'm gonna do this for free,' is huge, it's huge," Brantley said.  

In the meantime, the maid's other client, Rebecca, is still fighting her battle with breast cancer:

"They've come into my home, cleaned everything from top to bottom and it's been a huge relief for me," said Rebecca. "I'm so blessed to have them."

The women say it's more than just dusting, it's developing trust and support through the darkest times.

"I think the hardest part is the emotional toll it takes on you," said Rebecca of the cancer treatment process. "I think once you're diagnosed, you don't go back, everyday is scary but I'm trying to stay positive."

"It's our job to keep each other encouraged and to say 'Hey, I see you shining, I see you ladies shining," said Harper.

The Maid in Paradise crew goes above and beyond. They'll even pick up prescriptions or groceries for their clients in need.

October is Breast Cancer awareness month, and Maid in Paradise says it hopes more cancer patients and their families give them a call to help. Contact them by phone: (800) 891-4441 or schedule an appointment online HERE.