Cancer Partners
Breast Cancer Action
Breast Cancer Action is a national education and advocacy organization focused on carrying the voices of people affected by breast cancer to inspire and compel the changes necessary to end the breast cancer epidemic. BCA is the watchdog of the breast cancer movement. We are able to tell the truth about the epidemic because we are the only national breast cancer organization that does not accept funding from entities that profit from or contribute to cancer, including the pharmaceutical industry.
Our Program Priorities include:
1. Putting Patients First: Advocating for more effective and less toxic breast cancer treatments.
2. Creating Healthy Environments: Decreasing involuntary environmental exposures that put people at risk for breast cancer.
3. Eliminating Social Inequities: Creating awareness that social injustices lead to disparities in breast cancer incidence and outcomes.
4. Carrying the Voices: Providing information to anyone requesting it.
To learn more, please visit http://bcaction.org/.
Breast Cancer Fund
In response to the public health crisis of breast cancer, the Breast Cancer Fund identifies—and advocates for elimination of—the environmental and other preventable causes of the disease. Founded in 1992, the Breast Cancer Fund works from the knowledge that breast cancer is not simply a personal tragedy, but a public health priority that demands action from all.
As a result of our work, we envision a world in which:
1. We live without fear of losing our breasts or our lives as a result of what we’ve eaten, touched or breathed because the environmental causes of breast cancer have been identified and eliminated.
2. Most breast cancer can be prevented, while safe detection and treatment of the disease are the standard and available to all.
3. We have succeeded in informing and mobilizing a public that is unrelenting and holds government and business accountable for contaminating our bodies and our environment.
4. Public policy protects our health and is guided by the principle that credible evidence of harm rather than proof of harm is sufficient to mandate policy changes in the public’s best interest.
5. We have done justice to the women whose struggle and dedication inspired our resolve.
To learn more, please visit http://www.breastcancerfund.org/.
Campaign For Safe Cosmetics
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is a coalition effort launched in 2004 to protect the health of consumers and workers by securing the corporate, regulatory and legislative reforms necessary to eliminate dangerous chemicals from cosmetics and personal-care products.
Key nonprofit coalition partners in the Campaign include the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow (represented by Clean Water Action and Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition), the Breast Cancer Fund, Commonweal, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, and Women’s Voices for the Earth. The Breast Cancer Fund, a national 501(c)(3) organization focused on preventing breast cancer by identifying and eliminating the environmental links to the disease, serves as the national coordinator for the Campaign.
We’re working with more than 100 endorsing organizations, thousands of grassroots supporters, and over 1,300 companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
To learn more, please visit http://safecosmetics.org.
Cancer Climber Association
The Cancer Climber Association (CCA) offers hope through inspiration. Our mission is to help those touched by cancer by focusing on living an active, healthy lifestyle. Originally founded in 2001 by Sean (a two-time terminal cancer survivor and elite mountaineer) and his brother Seth, The Cancer Climber Association had its sights set on funding cancer research. After contemplation and the realization that it takes many years for donated money to actually support research, Cancer Climber decided that it wanted to help people touched by cancer now, not years down the road. We then focused on hope and giving people the tools needed to overcome cancer with the right attitude and to come out on the other side with a more positive outlook on life. Hope and inspiration is key to the association’s groundwork and foundation. As we continue raising money for the mobile camp, we also have in mind cancer survivor grants. CCA is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
To learn more, please visit http://www.cancerclimber.org/.
Cancer Warrior Coalition
The Cancer Warrior Coalition was founded with the belief that “knowledge is power.” Jeff Chancellor, Founder and President of Cancer Warrior Coalition, believes that this disease can be overcome by empowering patients with the education and information necessary to successfully battle the daunting opponent that is cancer. To this end, to join millions around the world in the goal of eradicating cancer, Jeff intends to bring to fruition a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center, leading the way in the advancement of minimal radiation therapy using new and ever expanding modalities. Cancer Warrior Coalition and its global network of sponsors, volunteers and supporters strives to promote dedication to the pursuit of scientific discovery and the further advancement of radiation therapy.
It is the goal of Jeff Chancellor to create a coalition of organizations, private citizens, public and private corporations and cooperating local and state governments united in the global commitment to bring cutting-edge equipment, facilities and researchers together to provide a solid foundation for translational studies that will develop techniques and tools in the fight against cancer and other degenerative diseases. His vision is to create and build a centralized location for patient cancer therapy, and to provide the necessary research to fuel the sciences of cancer and tumor elimination, and fundamental particle and nuclear physics research.
To learn more, please visit http://cancer-warriors.com/.
Compassionate Communications
WHO: Compassionate Communications is an organization focused on providing support and encouragement to individuals facing life-threatening illnesses. In this transformative program, the incredible power of compassion is used as a catalyst to augment treatment through uplifting communication between patients and caring individuals who want to help them.
WHAT: Compassionate Communications provides people with the opportunity to send cards of love and support to individuals who are undergoing treatment and battling with life-threatening illnesses. Our easy-to-use website connects these groups of people with a source of healing through the personal touch of hand-written cards.
WHY: The power of love, support and encouragement heals! The healing warmth of words brings hope to individuals in need. Not only do these individuals benefit from the warmth of healing words, the card writer benefits as well. As documented by Dr. Stephen Post in Why Good Things Happen To Good People, “When we genuinely love others, when we extend our hearts in compassion toward their needs, we trigger powerful hormonal reactions that not only makes us feel better but actually increases our quality of life and perhaps our longevity as well.”
To learn more, please visit http://www.compassionatecommunications.com/.
Faye’s Light
Faye’s Light is a 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit organization. We provide quality-of-life services to those currently undergoing treatment for cancer. These services complement medical care and include holistic treatments and spa services, with a focus on mind, body, and spirit, all at no cost to the recipient. As of June 2008, Faye’s Light has provided more than 2,500 free, professional services, to both men and women, throughout the entire Chicago Southland area, including Chicago, Evergreen Park, Palos Heights, Orland Park, Lemont, Mokena, Frankfort, Tinley Park, Beecher, Chicago Heights, Crete, Home-wood, Flossmoor, and Olympia Fields. To our knowledge (and we did the research!), we are the only program in Illinois to offer FREE services to the extent we do, and for the length of time we do. Our program is currently offered at Faye’s Light in East Hazel Crest, IL, Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, IL, and The Cancer Support Center in Mokena, IL.
To learn more, please visit http://www.fayeslight.org/.
Imerman Angels
Imerman Angels connects a person fighting cancer today (“cancer fighter”) with someone who has beaten the same type of cancer (“cancer survivor”). The relationship provides a fighter the opportunity to ask personal questions and receive encouragement from someone who is uniquely familiar with the situation. The relationship provides a survivor the opportunity to personally help a fighter as he or she battles the disease.
The nature of the one-on-one relationship is up to each fighter-survivor pair. Perhaps the survivor will go to the fighter’s first chemotherapy treatment, or maybe the pair will simply speak on the phone from time to time. In other words, the fighter and survivor determine the depth of their own relationship.
In addition, Imerman Angels also connects “caregivers.” A caregiver is a friend or family member who is supporting a cancer fighter. Like fighters and survivors, they wish to be paired up with another caregiver who relates to and understands their situation. For instance, we have introduced the mother of a three-year-old cancer fighter to the mother of a four-year-old cancer survivor.
Although Imerman Angels is based in Chicago, we help cancer fighters and survivors across the United States and the world. While sometimes a cancer fighter and survivor live in the same city, we have connected people from different cities, even different countries. We have found that the one-on-one relationships are not limited by geography. For example, we paired up a cancer survivor in northern California with a cancer fighter in Guatemala.
Whether you are a cancer fighter, survivor, or caregiver, our service is 100% free. Imerman Angels does not turn anyone away.
Imerman Angels is a federally registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.
To learn more, please visit http://www.imermanangels.org/.
Summit Cancer Solutions
Summit Cancer Solutions, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing cancer survivors with affordable and empowering exercise programs in a healthy, positive, and non-intimidating environment within their community. Summit was founded in 2002 by 4-time breast cancer survivor Karen Hornbostel. We provide a six-month exercise program for ALL cancer survivors to aid in recovery and general fitness during and after treatment.
To learn more, please visit http://www.summitcancersolutions.org/.
Think Before You Pink
Think Before You Pink™, a project of Breast Cancer Action, launched in 2002 in response to the growing concern about the number of pink ribbon products on the market. The campaign calls for more transparency and accountability by companies that take part in breast-cancer fundraising, and encourages consumers to ask critical questions about pink-ribbon promotions.
To learn more, please visit http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/.
Without Limitz
Without Limitz, Inc. (NFP) is a federally registered 501(c) (3) dedicated to encouraging and providing assistance to cancer survivors in order for them to accomplish personalized aspirational goals. Created through founder Brendan Swan’s vision of returning to the running circuit after losing a portion of his left lung and ultimately his entire right lung to cancer, Without Limitz was established in the hope of inspiring other survivors to conquer cancer in their own way; thus, overcoming their own limitations and boundaries. Additionally, Without Limitz has implemented a hardship grant program focused on helping cancer fighters and caregivers to battle the unforeseen financial hardships that all too often accompany a cancer diagnosis.
To learn more, please visit http://www.withoutlimitz.org/.