by For most of our almost 30-year existence, the WBCC has maintained that pink ribbons and “hope” are not enough to stop women from dying from breast cancer. We’ve focused on taking action – “STANDING UP AND SPEAKING OUT” – to make sure there is appropriate research funding allocated, to ensure all women have easy access to lifesaving breast health care, to make sure legislators have facts to help them make good policy decisions, to inform ourselves and the public about how they can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer in the first place. We work with policy makers and researchers to be sure breast cancer advocates have a seat at the table when decisions are made.
Hope does have a place in our work, but we can’t count on it to do the work. For that we need you.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE REALLY, REALLY NEED YOU.
A few weeks ago, board members and key stakeholders – myself included – met with facilitators to discuss our future. We are one of the lucky small non-profits that survived the pandemic, despite having to cancel our signature fundraiser for 2 years. But we’re now on a precipice.
It’s heart wrenching for me personally, after over 25 years with the WBCC and with the consent of leadership, to be absolutely transparent about this. The work we want to do – NEED to do – is threatened.
NO OTHER BREAST CANCER ORGANIZATION IN WISCONSIN DOES WHAT WE DO.
Our discussion started with a round robin in which each of us was asked to share our reasons for being with the WBCC. What brought us here? What has kept us here? It was powerful, emotional and at one point required tissues. What we learned was that despite the varied and very personal reasons we were sitting around that table, we all shared one common belief. Our absence in the breast cancer community would leave a gap. A gap that can’t be filled by any of our sister breast cancer organizations whose missions are also critical, but different.
And so, we brainstormed like a family around the kitchen table. What can we do to get our bank account back where it needs to be? Let me be completely clear here – our expenses are bare bones. We’ve run, almost all of our years, on volunteer power and a very part time staff (currently only 12 hours a week). And I will tell you first hand that all of us who worked “part-time” put in full time hours without extra compensation because our hearts were so in it. Our expenses can’t be cut any more than they are. We don’t have a parent organization to bail us out. We need income and we need it now.
Back at the metaphorical kitchen table, we went round robin again and each of us committed to what we could do – either financially ourselves, or through reaching out to new potential donors, planning fundraising events, or finding new opportunities to set up information booths that bring new people into the organization (now that we can do that again!). It was so uplifting, and in a way, even more emotional than our first time around. HERE WAS HOPE. But as I said, HOPE alone isn’t going to cut it. We need action, just as we’ve always known.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD.
October is around the corner. Breast cancer “awareness’’ messaging will be everywhere. Unfortunately, awareness doesn’t result in good outcomes either unless ACTION follows it. We need to step up because there is critical breast cancer research funding and legislation hanging in the balance.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO TAKE ACTION?
A donation. An offer to host or plan a small fundraising event. A connection you might have to a donor. A commitment of your time – because we need human resources too! We can all do something. If you believe in the work the WBCC has done for 28 years to improve breast cancer outcomes in Wisconsin, know that your donations will stay right here.
I have hope. I know the women surrounding me at that table and I know many of you out there reading this. WBCC has come through tough times before and I am hopeful that we will do so again. PLEASE CLICK A BUTTON. IT STARTS RIGHT HERE. Thank you.