Together, putting the power of kindness to work.
“Prior to the creation of the Be Kind Project: Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center did not have a fund specifically to help breast cancer patients in need of financial assistance with supportive care expenses not covered by insurance. This could include funding for things like diagnostic MRIs, clinical trials, genetic counseling, supportive therapies for hair preservation or stress relief, and family financial assistance to help with palliative care, bereavement or psycho-oncology services for patients, their spouses and their children.”
Linda Lotz
Chief Development Officer – Oncology
Banner Health Foundation
The Problem.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of cancer that is more difficult to diagnose and treat than most other types of breast cancer.
1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
~15% of breast cancer diagnoses are TNBC
These cancers occur at twice the rate in black women compared to white women in the US, and are also more common in premenopausal women and those with a BRCA1 gene mutation
Five year survival rate for TNBC is 77% vs 93% for other types of breast cancer
Be Kind Project: Breast Cancer Patient Assistance Fund, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center
Be Kind Project is happy to announce a $1,250,000.00 donation and endowment for a patient assistance fund in partnership with Banner MD Anderson. This will assist individuals diagnosed with breast cancer, their families, and their children. The fund is designed to aid those in need of treatments and assistance not covered by their insurance.
- $1,000,000 endowment fund: this will provide an annual stream of support in perpetuity.
- $250,000 operational fund: this will allow the program to begin to assist patients immediately.
Below are some examples of financial assistance:
Clinical Needs
MRIs for patients with dense breasts and family histories of breast cancer, clinical trial participation and important genetic studies.
Supportive Needs
Scalp cooling therapy which can help preserve hair for chemo patients, acupuncture and other supportive therapies and services.
Children & Family Needs
Psycho-oncology services for children and assistance for spouses/couples dealing with intimacy or body image issues post-treatment.
We are changing lives and want to change more.
Help us put the power of kindness to work.
