We all know what we know about breast cancer. We know that 1 in every 8 women will be diagnosed with it in their lifetimes. We all know someone who has been diagnosed or maybe even died because of it. And we all know that after all the campaigns and fundraisers and walks and pink ribbons, we are still far from finding a cure.

The Breast Cancer Network of WNY. You may have heard about us and know about our mission to support the wellbeing of all people in Western New York who have somehow been impacted by breast cancer. Maybe it was you, or your wife, daughter, sister, or mom, aunt or grandmother. When it’s 1 in every 8 women, it’s really not very far from impacting all of us.

The Breast Cancer Network of WNY. We are independent and local and every penny of every donation we receive stays right here in our backyard. We are about WNY. EVERYTHING we do is for you and your families, your neighbors, your friends. National organizations have come and gone and left the important work in their wake, left it to local people and organizations like us. And what about that work? 

The Breast Cancer Network of WNY. Since 1988, our support and love for those impacted by breast cancer has given strength to women who didn't know where else to turn. Our support groups, education programs, TLC Totes for newly diagnosed women, and ability to add our “I know what you mean, I know how you feel, I felt the same way” perspective to every woman’s fears have placed us in a unique position to help where others cannot.

Help us help others. Please, our call goes out to you for financial support so that we can do the work we need to do. Western New York experiences more than 1.400 new cases of breast cancer every year.  In Erie County alone, that number is 885. What if we could reduce that number by educating the community about the importance of regular breast screenings, and supply transportation for women who couldn’t get to those appointments? What if every woman didn’t have to worry about telling their children that they were diagnosed with breast cancer? 

There is so much work to do. And we need your help. I was brought to breast cancer when my wife was diagnosed at age 47. She died six years later and left two beautiful granddaughters behind. The girls were only 2 and 4 years old then. They were too young to understand but I wasn’t. I remember thinking how unfair it was  that those girls were going to grow up without their grandmother. They are 13 and 15 now, both beautiful, and I know there is a special space in their hearts that will forever be reserved for their grandmother who breast cancer deprived them of.

People all over Western New York are missing loved ones. The Breast Cancer Network can’t cure breast cancer, but we can help our fellow WNY’ers cope, we can help our friends understand, we can teach our neighbors and children about the facts and encourage them to be involved in this very important cause. We can promote regular breast screenings and advocate for more research funding and we can stand firm in our commitment to our daughters and granddaughters that we can somehow make a difference.

Can you please join us in making that difference?

Sincerely,

Rob Jones, Executive Director