Women's group raises $25,000 for breast cancer fund

By Jason Foster - jfoster@heraldonline.com

York County women who can't afford treatment for breast cancer now have an ally to offer help — and hope.

The York County Cancer Association recently formed the Breast Cancer Support Fund to give financial assistance to uninsured or underinsured women in the county who are battling the disease. Still in its infancy, the fund has steadily grown through fundraisers and other donations.

But Thursday, the fund got its largest donation yet from local women who can relate. The Pink Ladies, a group of local women, more than half of whom are cancer survivors, gave $25,000 to the fund that was raised through the group's second annual Party in Pink fundraiser in September.

That amount dwarfs the $10,000 the group raised last year that had them “jumping over rainbows,” said Pink Lady member Constance Collins, 48, of Tega Cay, a breast cancer survivor of nearly two years.

“What are you jumping over now?” asked Bob Porterfield, president of the York County Cancer Association, after hearing how much the Pink Ladies raised.

What separates the Breast Cancer Support Fund from national fundraising efforts is that all the money goes to women in York County.

“You like to keep it in your own backyard,” Collins said.

The $25,000 donation brings the total money raised this year for the fund to $36,910. The community is willing to give because of the prevalence of the disease, said Rosemary Clement, a cancer nurse navigator at Piedmont Medical Center.

One in eight women will get breast cancer at some point in their life, and South Carolina's rate is 19th highest in the nation, Clement said.

“It just is affecting everybody,” said Clement, 52, herself a breast cancer survivor of three years. “People just want to do something to help.”

The money raised so far may seem like a lot, but it could potentially just cover one woman's treatment, Clement said.

That's why it's important to continue raising money and to let women who can't afford care know there's help available, advocates say. Efforts are ongoing to increase donations, including events like the mother-daughter Pink Ribbon Tea, a fundraiser for moms and daughters to have fun together while learning about the disease and the importance of preventative care.

These and other events that spread awareness and raise money to help people fight cancer can do a lot for the spirit of someone battling the disease.

“The need is so great,” said Porterfield, 77, a three-time cancer survivor who has been cancer-free for two years. “It gives folks hope. They know there's somebody who cares.”

That the new breast cancer fund exists at all is a testament that good can come from bad, Porterfield, Clement and Collins said.

“We're all here because of our cancer,” Collins said. “That's the silver lining.”

Want to help?

If you would like to donate money to the York County Cancer Association's Breast Cancer Support Fund, or to the organization in general, call 803-412-6022.

If you would like to organize a mother-daughter Pink Ribbon Tea to help raise breast cancer awareness, call Rosemary Clement at Piedmont Medical Center at 803-323-2935.