It’s hard to find someone who’s life hasn’t been touched by breast cancer in some way. I’ve had friends, colleagues, family members and even people I’ve interviewed affected by the disease. We all think about the physical toll the life-saving treatments often take, and the emotional toll on the patient and their loved ones.
But few of us think about the potential financial toll such a diagnosis can inflect on the patient.
Robyn Hersey, founder of the nonprofit Pink W.A.Y. (Women Around You) Foundation knows that toll all too well. While in the midst of treatment she lost her job, and subsequently, her health insurance. Faced with the double whammy of paying for care and paying her bills, Hersey was forced to sell her home and move into “a tiny apartment’ to make ends meet.
Determined that her hardship wouldn’t happen to anyone else, once back on her feet Hersey began looking for ways to offer support to fellow Western Massachusetts women struggling financially during breast cancer treatment. She donated the proceeds from her first fundraiser to Rays of Home, but wasn’t comfortable that the monies were going to the kinds of needs she wanted to fulfill. So, with the help of an accountant in her hometown of Ludlow, she formed her own nonprofit with the goal of providing financial help to breast cancer patients who demonstrated a true need.
Sixteen years later, Hersey, her board of directors and volunteers have raised thousands - their account held $40,000 just before COVID-19 hit and shut fundraising down - to help 200 women with bills, medications, wigs, special accommodations and more.
Undeterred by the pandemic setback where they emptied their coffers to help women - “breast cancer doesn’t stop for COVID,” Hersey told Prime - the Pink W.A.Y. is rebuilding, hosting a golf tournament, a car show and other fundraiser this year, culminating in their annual Gala in October.
Hersey said she’s hoping this major fundraiser- this year a masquerade ball- will bring at least $20,000 into the Pink W.A.Y.’s account. For more on Hersey’s story, including how you can get tickets to the gala, check out this month’s feature story on page 16.
How to help when someone gets “the diagnosis”
We’ve all faced it –someone we care about gets a diagnosis of a serious illness or condition. What do you say? How do you help? Where do you start?
Prime reached out to Cindy Sheridan Murphy, founder of Each Moment We’re Alive – a foundation that provides support to women and their loved ones – following a diagnosis of breast and other cancers – for help with these questions. Longtime readers of Prime may recognize Sheridan Murphy’s name from a story in the October 2023 edition, where she shared her account of overcoming her own breast cancer diagnoses –twice– and how it led her to found a nonprofit and develop support programs for breast cancer patients and survivors.
Prime asked Sheridan-Murphy, who in turn turned to the “ladies in my support groups” for help providing answers of what to do and say, and how to help. These answers came from people who are living with serious diagnoses, and are very candid about what the want to hear, and how they wont people to offer support. See their advice on page 20.
I wish I had their advice when my husband was going through treatment for throat cancer two years ago; it would have made both of our journeys a bit easier. I hope you find Sheridan Murphy’s advice helpful if and when you face a similar situation.
And though it is breast cancer awareness month, it’s still October, with all the fun of beer gardens, ghost walks, pumpkin picking, Halloween trick or treating and fall getaways. However you spend your time – be it a grand adventure or a walk outside – I hope you enjoy it. And as always, thanks for reading,
Debbie Gardner
