If not for some Niles’ volunteers, 68-year-old Lynda Nix might have had to uproot from her Buchanan home into assisted living.

Nix was diagnosed with blood cancer last year and has since struggled to afford and keep up with the repairs around her home.

Through the Berrien County Cancer Service’s annual Day of Caring, Nix got the help she needed Friday at her property.

Throughout the day, the sounds of power tools resonated through the air, as more than 10 volunteers from Wolverine Pipe Line’s Niles office spent the day making repairs. Volunteers power washed the outside of Nix’s home, ridding the yellow paint of layers of grime and dirt. Wolverine employees also changed her lights outdoors, landscaped the yard and repaired and painted her shed door.

Inside the house, volunteers fixed Nix’s bathroom and replaced her shower and made it more handicapped accessible. Prior to the repairs, the floor of the shower had been cracked. Having no way to fix it, Nix had duct taped the floor to patch it up.

“It feels like a brand new home,” Nix said. “This is like an answer to a prayer.”

Berrien County Cancer Service registered nurse Debbie Hansen, who provides free care to Nix through the nonprofit, recommended the women’s home for the annual Day of Caring because she said Nix was an ideal candidate who would not otherwise ask for help.

“That’s Lynda,” Hansen said. “She pushes herself and never gives up.”

Last year, Nix found a lump in her leg just below her left knee cap. The lump turned out to be a tumor that had spread as far as her ankle.

She was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer of the blood, in August 2016. In September, she started chemotherapy treatments followed by weeks of radiation throughout February.

The treatments were hard on her body, and there were days when Nix woke up feeling like she could hardly make it out of a bed — a far cry from her usually active day. Nix has worked as chef at Buchanan Meadow’s Assisted Living since 2008, and the job requires spending hours at a time on her feet.

But with her leg swollen from the treatments and her balance and health compromised, Nix was forced to leave her job temporarily.

Around the house, Nix’s abundant garden and normally pristine home began to fall into disarray as she battled the disease.

“I would get winded just using the vacuum cleaner, and would have to lie down,” Nix said.

A friend stopped by on occasion to help her clean, but there were still a number of repairs that were not attended to.

Since her husband, Charles’, death in 2008, Nix has lived alone. Her children are grown and live outside of Buchanan. While Nix’s sister lives next door, she works full time.

Despite all this, Hansen said Nix never complained, and, even on days when she felt her worse, could still be found busily knitting, making clothing for the Redbud Area Ministries.  While Nix has been able to stop her chemotherapy and radiation for the time being and is now working part time, she still battles the effects of the illness. Her left leg is wrapped tightly in a compression brace and, to get around, she sometimes needs to use a cane.

David Brooks, the Wolverine utility manager, said the Berrien County Cancer Service always connects them with someone who truly deserves the help. Brooks said the Portage-based company, which has offices across Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, encourages and supports employees’ involvement in the communities in which they operate.

Throughout the year, the company completes a number of projects aimed at giving back. Wolverine has participated in Day of Caring for the past four years.

“We try to help someone with a need that they cannot meet themselves,” Brooks said. “That’s really the type of person we wanted to help.”

As Nix watched the transformation Friday, she expressed gratitude for all the work Wolverine employees had done.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the scope of this thing,” Nix said. “I feel like Cinderella, the queen for the day. This is the most awesome thing I have ever seen in my life. I cannot thank [them] enough.”