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DOWNING, MO. -- We’ve all heard of paying it forward and one Heartland woman shows exactly how lending a helping hand can go a long way.

“When I got sick with cancer not too long ago, people reached out to me and helped me.”

In February, Theresa Yearns of Downing was diagnosed with throat cancer. And, people in her community did not let her go through it alone.

“Different people in the community reached out to me to help with our trips back and forth to Columbia,” Yearns said. “And, it just became a bigger burden for me to want to help people that were in need and that's what I started doing.”

Yearns said she's always wanted to help people and just one month after being diagnosed she started a Facebook page called Nemo Helping Hands.

On the Facebook page, people can post their needs on the page and Yearns post pictures of the items people have donated.

At the beginning, Yearns was delivering to people.

“With being ill with the cancer, and going through the treatments and everything that I had to go through I couldn't keep up anymore,” Yearns said. “I couldn't deliver anymore because I was too weak to drive.”

So, Yearns set up a place in her driveway where people could come, but she said so many people started donating that she had to use a spare room in her house to put the items.

She said if you have anything lying around that you want to get rid of, someone in need could use it.

“There’s so many people that need help, so we just need to do our part as humans and be kind and reach down and give,” Yearns said. “Not everyone has a giving heart, but it would be so wonderful if they did.”

And, Yearns is happy to report that her cancer is now in remission.

You can contact Theresa Yearns at 660-988-3007 for more information.