A Note From Molly MacDonald – Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Known to many as Pinktober, October is a month dedicated to “breast cancer awareness” and all things PINK.

But what does breast cancer awareness mean? For some it is a reminder to get your annual mammogram. For others, October is a painful reminder of their breast cancer experience, and the tens of thousands of lives lost annually to this disease.

For us at The Pink Fund, October is a month when our cause marketing partners and those who host fundraisers, such as jeans day and school Pink Out games, raise money for our “essential” mission.

Without support from The Pink Fund, many individuals in active treatment for breast cancer are at risk for what is known as treatment nonadherence. In other words they don’t show up for chemo infusions or radiation, or they don’t fill prescriptions. Treatment nonadherence can lead to earlier mortality, an outcome that is unacceptable.

When lost income collides with the cost of health insurance premiums, high deductibles, and co-pays, patients and their families are at risk for catastrophic financial losses. The threat of foreclosure, eviction, vehicle repossession or utility shut-offs can result in patients making decisions to stop treatment and return to work.

Many of the women we have the honor of helping share that these are choices they feel compelled to make, until they learn about The Pink Fund.

For women with metastatic disease awaiting a social security disability decision or SSDI payments to begin, The Mary Herczog Fund can provide them with up to six months of financial assistance.

If you know someone who may need our help, please direct them to us. And should you decide to give help, please hit the donate now button.

With gratitude,

Molly MacDonald
Founder and CEO