Breast Friends Affiliate Program
Breast Friends has found that women diagnosed with breast cancer no matter where they live, need additional support while traveling through this traumatic journey. We have spoken to women around the country and the story is the same, women are fabulous caregivers but are horrible at asking for help. When asked “what can I do” by a caring friend or relative, the answer is similar, “Nothing, really I’m fine”. Yet we aren’t fine, we suffer silently many times alone, and that isn’t good enough. No women should have to go through the diagnosis, surgery and treatment of breast cancer alone. We deserve to be taken care of and nurtured during this very tough time in our lives.
These are a few of the reasons why Breast Friends has decided to expand its program around the country. We are encouraging women to acknowledge the concept and provide the much needed support a Breast Friends program can supply a community. Breast Friends was started by breast cancer survivors but the concept can transcend to other cancers, chronic and life threatening diseases. We are hopeful that caring women will open chapters anywhere there are women diagnosed with breast cancer.
Please email us if you are interested in starting an a Breast Friends Affiliate
Starting a Breast Friends Affiliate
There are several aspects to Breast Friends, yet we understand that a new affiliate needs to take baby steps. The first and most important part of starting an affiliate would be to get 2-10 very committed volunteers that agree with the Breast Friends philosophy and are interested in helping newly diagnosed women and their friends and families. We have found that a good place to start is with breast cancer survivors and/or family or friends who have been directly affected by breast cancer. eg. A woman who was diagnosed a couple of years ago, the daughter whose mother was diagnosed or a woman who has lost her best friend to breast cancer, these people will understand the need and want to get involved.
Many women epitomize the Breast Friends support role with out being asked or joining an organization, these are perfect candidates for volunteers and affiliate organizers. These ladies have a nurturing, helpful spirit and many will find this an organized way of doing what they do naturally. Whether it’s the woman herself who’s gone through breast cancer or her support system, these women get it. They have lived it and they understand how important having friendship and support during this time can be to a women’s healing and well being.
Getting Your Name Out to Your Community
After you have a few women who are committed to making a difference, you will need to make your presence known to your community. Let them know who you are and what you, through Breast Friends, are planning to do for your community. This will include speaking around the community, press releases for media attention, raising money, getting involved in the breast cancer community.
Talk it up, let people in the community know that Breast Friends is there and you are filling the need of creating a better support system for the breast cancer patient. As representatives of Breast Friends you will want to be doing a lot of speaking to civic groups, women’s organizations, health fairs, anywhere a group of people are gather that will listen about breast cancer. Make sure you have a couple of people who are knowledgeable about breast cancer (do your homework) and are willing to share their personal story with a group. We have found that there are opportunities to educate and to inspire and sometimes different speakers can fill the different needs in the community. Read some of the latest research to keep up to date and interesting. Many will see you as the expert and will want to ask questions.
If this is scary for you, consider joining a local Toastmasters club to practice being more comfortable speaking in front of a group. This is a skill that can be learned. You don’t need to be a professional speaker, your enthusiasm and belief in what you are doing will come out loud and clear, but you will want some basic presentation skills. If you come across some great opportunities, maybe even larger groups, we have several professional speakers who may be able to speak for you. Contact the Breast Friends office and we can get it on the calendar.
Breast Cancer Presentation
Create a speech or presentation that you can deliver to mixed audiences. Speaking opportunities vary in length so it’s important to be able to add or subtract from your presentation depending the time given. Plan on anything between 10 minutes to 30 minutes and be open to doing a Q & A time as well. Talk about your breast cancer experience, using humor and stories. It’s always nice to ask your audience how many survivors you have and also how many people have been touched by breast cancer. In a room full of middle aged people you will find most have been touched in some way. By knowing who specifically has survived cancer or been touched directly, it’s easier to relate to the audience.
Raising Money
Obviously, money is an important piece of creating a successful organization. Breast Friends is a non profit organization and so the tax Id on our 501 c 3 is available to obtain cash and in-kind donations. Record keeping is essential to your success and to ours. Training for non profit accounting will be available to each affiliate. Part of fundraising is to also acknowledge and thank those that are responsible for those donations. Letters of thanks need to be written promptly. If an item is given to the organization (in-kind donation), for instance a computer, acknowledge the items receipt and your appreciation but don’t set a monetary value for the gift. It is up to the donor to establish a value for taxes purposes.
There is an art to fundraising and as you get larger, we will go into more detail. In the beginning, just telling people about your efforts and asking for what you need will come pretty easily. If you need office supplies and you have a relationship with a local office supply store, you may want to ask for a non profit discount or the way you can get something for no charge. Most businesses have a process in place for their philanthropic needs. Most businesses need to give a certain percentage of their profit each year so if they have been affected by a breast cancer diagnosis directly or indirectly they will be a good candidate for your fundraising efforts.
Prepare of list of contacts, of people you know in the community. Discuss how these people might be of assistance, fundraising, contacts in the community, business owners, volunteers etc. Also prepare a list of other people you would like to know and discuss how you might go about meeting them to talk about Breast Friends. You will be surprised to see that someone in your inner circle may already know them or has a friend who knows how to reach them. “Six degrees of separation” is the theory that anyone on earth can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries. It works.
Get to Know Others in the Breast Cancer Community
In most communities there are breast cancer organizations of some kind, so it’s important that you familiarize yourself with their services and try not to duplicate them. It’s important to introduce yourself to these people and create partnerships so the people you serve will not fall through the cracks. If others are concerned you are stepping on toes by starting a Breast Friends chapter, just assure them there is plenty of breast cancer being diagnosed for all of us, unfortunately.
Introduce yourself to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society and tell them what you are planning by bringing Breast Friends to your area. Ask about other organizations in the community that you can collaborate. Ask them about events they sponsor, Relay for Life or Making Strides against Breast Cancer. ACS usually has free materials you can get to share with people at events you attend.
Contact the local hospitals, cancer centers, doctors and nurses who work directly with breast cancer patients. Talk to anyone who deals with early detection, mammography, chemotherapy, radiation and even your plastic surgeon that do reconstruction and educated them on what Breast Friends is doing in the community. Introduce yourself and explain some of the programs you plan to bring to the community and see if they will partner with Breast Friends in your efforts. Offer to speak to breast cancer support group if they have one. Leave behind Breast Friends brochures and materials when appropriate.
First I Cry
The “First I Cry” project is one that most medical facilities will find helpful and should be willing to help with its distribution. First I Cry is an envelope that can be adapted for each area of the country. The outside pink envelope is a message of hope directed toward newly diagnosed patients, a kind of “welcome to the sisterhood”. Inside is a silk screened handkerchief with the Breast Friends logo, a list of contacts for area support groups (you will need to gather that for your area). Also in the packet, Brest Friends signature and the most important piece, is a sealed envelope with the instructions to, "Give this to someone who cares." In the sealed envelope is a special message to the potential care-giver (friend or family) about the role they will play in the survival of the newly diagnosed patient along with some practical tips on how to help.
If the patient indicates they have no one to give the envelop, distributing agencies (i.e. medial offices, specialty mastectomy shops, etc.) will ask the patient if it is OK if they contact Breast Friends and have a volunteer contact them. If the patient agrees, a call will be made the local contact and a volunteer will contact this woman. During the initial few conversations or meetings a decision is made as to how much support is needed and or wanted. At his the additional family and friends can be rallied and suggestions made for additional support. Additional volunteers can be assigned tasks as well, depending on the individual needs.
Volunteer Match Program
The Breast Friends Volunteer Match program offers a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community by introducing newly diagnosed breast cancer patients to a survivor or other compassionate volunteer. Breast Friends’ volunteers help by establishing a personal relationship with a patient for as long as needed, which can be days to several months in duration. Our volunteers will encourage her to reach out to others for support. Breast Friends volunteers also teach family members how to support the patient and offer practical ideas on how to help the patient reduce her trauma of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Our volunteers help her through this difficult time by providing her with emotional, physical, spiritual, and social support.
Whether the patient needs a shoulder to cry on, help with household chores, someone who can listen, perhaps that has undergone their own diagnosis and understands the fear and loneliness that accompanies a cancer diagnosis, Breast Friends‘volunteers will be there when needed most. Training manual for volunteers dealing directly with patients is available to all Breast Friends Affiliates.
Caregivers Brochure
For those patients with a strong support team, whose friends find themselves needing ideas, Breast Friends has created the Caregiver Brochure. These brochures should be provided to medical facilities in and around your area. This brochure replicates some of the information that is in the First I Cry packets as well as includes practical ideas for the Caregiver to take better care of themselves. Information in the brochure was compiled by survivors and caregivers that have gone through the breast cancer experience.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
September and October tend to be very busy months for breast cancer activities. Find out what activities are in your community and plan around those dates.
Find out when and where the closest Race for the Cure happens and if you haven’t participated, plan to get involved. Ask about how large the Race is in your community and if they have a Health Expo where Breast Friends can have a table or booth. Ask the Susan G. Komen Foundation community education manager what else they do in the community that Breast Friends might participate in. Explain to them what you are planning by bringing Breast Friends to your area. Ask about grant cycles and what their priorities are in your community. Ask about what other organizations are in the area that you might be able to collaborate with. Ask about materials you can get, generally Komen offers 25 pieces of several breast cancer materials each month for no charge. You can use at trade show, presentations or events.
Find out if there are any other events in your community, the closer you are to a large city the more events that are scheduled. Avon may have a 3 day walk, or Komen may have their 2 or 3 day event. You’ll want to participate in some of the women’s health fairs and events if time and money are available. Don’t spread yourself out too thin, there’s always next year.
Please email us if you are interested in starting an a Breast Friends Affiliate
