Organizations

There's a Certified Mastectomy Fitter in Chicago, Pattie Cagney Sheehan, owner of Second Act. While the prostheses are not low-cost, many insurance providers cover them. Here's the information for Second Act:

3020 N. Lincoln Avenue

Chicago, IL 60657-4208

phone: 773.525.2228

mobile: 312.560.3076

fax: 773.348.2228

pattie@secondactchicago.com

www.secondactchicago.com

The following are resources that provide free breast prostheses:

Breast Cancer Network of Strength , formally known as Y-ME helps breast cancer patients and survivors regain their sense of well-being and self-confidence by providing bras, wigs, and/or prostheses at no cost to those with limited financial resources. www.y-me.org or 1-800-221-2141

CancerCare under their Women's Cancer Program, offers financial assistance and counseling, support groups, and patient education. They also provide free wigs and breast prostheses to women who have lost their hair or a breast as a result of their cancer treatment. 1-800-813-HOPE (4673)

Crickett's Answer for Cancer 1-301-935-4411 provides free wigs, mastectomy products, mastectomy and lymphedema massage, facials, and other pampering services, as a way to keep a woman feeling feminine and beautiful despite losing her hair and/or breasts.

Even though I'm not the founder of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, I have been involved from the very early beginnings back in 1999. I think one of the most important aspects to consider when starting an organization is determining if there is a need for the organization.

As a group, we looked at what breast cancer information/education was 'out there' and realized there was next to nothing about inflammatory breast cancer and there was very little research focus. For those reasons we opted to keep our focus quite narrow. There are great organizations doing a wonderful job with information and support for standard breast cancer and we have no desire to duplicate what they are doing. We keep our focus on inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and try to make our website and other information specific to the needs of the IBC community and those seeking IBC information. IBC research was extremely limited so we knew that needed to be a primary focus.

Funding is always a challenge. By remaining focused, not having a walk-in office, or paid staff we are able to keep our administrative expenses to about 7% of our budget. This allows us to put well over 90% of received funds into the mission and goals. In these economic times it can be difficult to function solely on private donations but we've been fortunate to have people who believe in what we are doing and contribute as they can.

In recent years we've partnered with a private foundation on some grants so we are able to support more research projects with their support. Often more can be accomplished if we find ways to work together.

Ultimately it is all about passion. You can't do this kind of work unless you have a passion for it. We aren't in it for recognition, personal gain, and certainly not for financial gain! Each of us involved with the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation does so because the disease has touched our lives in some way and as a result we've realized we must act. No longer is it about "us"...it is about all those who have been touched by IBC and trying to build a future without this disease. Even though I'm not the founder of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation, I have been involved from the very early beginnings back in 1999. I think one of the most important aspects to consider when starting an organization is determining if there is a need for the organization.

As a group, we looked at what breast cancer information/education was 'out there' and realized there was next to nothing about inflammatory breast cancer and there was very little research focus. For those reasons we opted to keep our focus quite narrow. There are great organizations doing a wonderful job with information and support for standard breast cancer and we have no desire to duplicate what they are doing. We keep our focus on inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and try to make our website and other information specific to the needs of the IBC community and those seeking IBC information. IBC research was extremely limited so we knew that needed to be a primary focus.

Funding is always a challenge. By remaining focused, not having a walk-in office, or paid staff we are able to keep our administrative expenses to about 7% of our budget. This allows us to put well over 90% of received funds into the mission and goals. In these economic times it can be difficult to function solely on private donations but we've been fortunate to have people who believe in what we are doing and contribute as they can.

In recent years we've partnered with a private foundation on some grants so we are able to support more research projects with their support. Often more can be accomplished if we find ways to work together.

Ultimately it is all about passion. You can't do this kind of work unless you have a passion for it. We aren't in it for recognition, personal gain, and certainly not for financial gain! Each of us involved with the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation does so because the disease has touched our lives in some way and as a result we've realized we must act. No longer is it about "us"...it is about all those who have been touched by IBC and trying to build a future without this disease.

We provide physical "Bags of Information" about all types of Cancer to communities that may not have access to a computer. We provide physical "Bags of Information" about all types of Cancer to communities that may not have access to a computer.