Breast Cancer Survivors

Our Mission

Breast Cancer Survivors is a (501 c 3) non-profit corporation formed in 1998 to help people undergoing breast cancer treatment who are in need of financial assistance and support, especially financial assistance to meet their everyday needs. Although there are many sources of support for people with breast cancer, this one area has been woefully neglected. We rely on volunteers, grants, donations, and fund raising activities to support our goals, which are to...

Assist Breast Cancer patients in need when current income and resources are insufficient to meet their basic financial necessities
Provide interim financial safety net which serves to assist them while they are undergoing treatment or surgery
Advocate for these Breast Cancer patients when they can benefit from referrals to other organizations which provide further types of cancer support services

BCS was formed in 1998. Since then, we distributed more than $1,000,000 to over 200 individuals, and provided assistance to a total of 350. The major characteristics of the people we served are..

100% women (we offer our services to men and women, but so far only women have availed themselves of our services).
85% white; 6% Latino; 3% African-American; 3% Asian; and 3% mixed race (self-identified
Average age = 54 years old. Youngest 35; Oldest 67
54% from Orange County; 16% from Los Angeles; 14% from San Diego; 6% from San Bernardino; 6% from Riverside; 4% from outside Southern California.
BCS funds were spent for rent/mortgage - 100%, utilities - 30%, food - 20%, medical care - 10%, and car payment - 10% (many of our cleints needed help with more than one living expense, such as rent and utilities).
Over 90% of the women we have helped are still alive, which is an extremely high percentage given the at risk nature of the population.

Our assistance helped keep these people in their homes so that treatment could continue with as little additional stress as possible. This is crucial. Surviving breast cancer treatment is sufficiently challenging without having to worry about a roof over your head or where your next meal is going to come from, or how you are going to feed your children.

Our research indicates that there are up to 2000 people in the Southern California who could utilize our services. So far, we are able to reach only a few. Your help is needed if we are to fill the gap in this crucial service. Become a volunteer or board member, sponsor our activities, participate in a fund-raising event or make a donation today!

How to Contribute

You can help BCS in many ways. We are grateful for the following contributions:

sponsorship
cash donations
office supplies
fundraising
clerical help