Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks – based in Springfield – and Freeman Health System have joined to help breast cancer patients.
“Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks (BCFO) provides a resource for families who are financially impacted by breast cancer, so that they don’t have to chose between staying in treatment and keeping the mortgage paid on their home, that is essentially what we do,” BCFO executive director Crystal Webster said. “Freeman [Health System] has partnered with BCFO to provide this safety net.”
According to a press release from BCFO, “One in eight women will face a diagnosis of breast cancer at some point in life. While going through treatment, many face financial hardship from additional medical expenses and time away from work from treatment and treatment effects…The issue of uninsurance and underinsurance also impacts women in the four-state area. A simple screening mammogram can lead to early detection of breast cancer; however, one in three Missouri women over age 40 has not had a screening mammogram in the previous two years. For many women, the expense of an annual mammogram puts this life-saving test out of reach.”
Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks began back in 2000. Breast Cancer survivor Mary Beth O’Reilly founded BCFO to address the needs of local women impacted by breast cancer. After losing a 31-year-old friend, Kristen O’Brien Hardy, to a late breast cancer diagnosis, O’Reilly began working to ensure that resources be made available to local families so that women like Hardy could have some financial relief while going through treatment for breast cancer.
Commitment to the need
BCFO is a resource for individuals and families in the four-state area who are impacted by breast cancer. Along with community education, mentoring programs and support groups, BCFO assists with free screening mammography and is the only local organization providing non-medical financial support to those facing hardship as a result of breast cancer.
“We want people to know how to find us if they need us or if someone they know needs us,” said Webster. “The best way is for them to contact us directly and they can go to www.bcfo.org to download an application or they can call us 1-866-874-1915, if they need help because they are going through treatment for breast cancer or if they would like to access any of our other services, including the free mammographys.”
In the past 10 years, BCFO has provided more than $1 million in assistance to families across the Ozarks impacted by breast cancer. The organization provides help in real and practical ways, from assistance with rent and utility bills for someone in treatment to school clothes for the children of families impacted by breast cancer. They routinely provide short-term, non-medical financial assistance to residents of the four-states area who are in current financial treatment for breast cancer with demonstrated financial need.
“All of the donations made in the four-state area, stay in the four states area, to help patients right here,” she said.
Webster is excited about the recent contract.
“We are so excited to be a part of this community,” Webster said. “We have had a very warm reception from the medical community here and it is exciting to work one-on-one with patients, who are clearly in need of these services.”
For more information, contact www.bcfo.org, or call 1-866-874-1915.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. —
