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501(c)3 Nonprofit
Tax Exempt
ABOUT US
Our staff & volunteers
Our staff & volunteers
Our staff & volunteers
Linda Whitlow, Founder/CEO
We are a 501c3 charitable non-profit organization providing resources for cancer patients. Why? Read our testimonials to see why we are so passionate.
I know more about cancer than I have ever wanted to know. In 2001, I was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer (ductal carcinoma in situ, which means the cancer cells were very concentrated in one small area). A week later, I had a lumpectomy. A couple weeks after that I started radiation, every day for eight weeks.
Fast forward ten years. I have now been diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer, same breast. I had a mastectomy and stomach muscle was used to reconstruct the breast. I had a million questions. I had to find them for myself. One oncologist told me that if anything developed they had a pill for it. If that caused a problem, they had another pill to offset the side effects. A vicious circle.
My motivation for this organization is this: help survivors find answers for all of their questions; also, to find agencies to help them maintain their financial stability by getting help with utilities, food, child care, etc. when needed
Deborah Renee Ruffin, 1st Vice Chair
Cancer, scary, the unknown! Cancer first scared me when I found my own lump in my breast. As it turned out the cyst was benign. The days waiting for appointments and results were some of the longest days of my life.
Cancer still invaded my world when my oldest sister was diagnosed with breast cancer which eventually invaded her entire body and she was lost to us. As if this wasn’t enough, cancer invaded two more times with two of my sisters-in-law, both facing it twice, one surviving and the other leaving us.
Now, while the diagnosis, treatments, medication and side effects are tremendously challenging for cancer patients, so is the need for additional assistance. This is why we are here, to help breast cancer patients with finding the necessary additional services and resources that are so often needed.
Tracy Lynne Williams, 2nd Vice Chair/Secretary
My journey with cancer and the things I learned along the way. Cancer has taught me the true meaning of friendship and unconditional love. My first real encounter with cancer was on July 3, 2009, at the age of 45. I remember this day so well and I don’t believe I will ever forget it. This is the day that I found out my girlfriend had lost her battle to the disease. Now I knew she had cancer for several years, but never did I imagine that I would get a return phone call from her son, telling me his Mom had lost her battle the previous day. At that very moment I realized I would never be able to talk to her again. So much grief came over me; I was in disbelief that she was gone, then I thought about her 3 children. Who’s going to take these children? Since then, I have had several girlfriends that battled this disease and have lost their fight. I learned how to be more supportive of my friends while they are in a fight for their lives. I became a better friend and listener. I made sure to follow through on things I said I was going to do. I learned how to be patient and enjoy every moment.
Dec 24, 2013 is when I got really angry with this disease. This is the day my mother went to the hospital, never to come back home to her loving family. I felt like the Doctor didn’t know how to treat her and everything was a trial study. And please, let’s not speak about the insurance company. The lack of empathy they displayed was unconscionable, to say the least. My mind instantly went back to 07/03/2009 to my girlfriend’s children. Now I know exactly how those small children felt losing their Mom and I was just shy of my 50th birthday.
My motivation for this organization is this: to be a supporter to individuals who battle this disease and direct them to information that will help them in their daily lives.
Our history
Our staff & volunteers
Our staff & volunteers
We are a 501(C)3 charity.
As the Founder and CEO, I can unequivocally say that our commitment is borne out of our experiences with cancer, either directly or through family members and friends. My mother died from the effects of breast cancer. My Aunt died from the effects of breast cancer. My younger sister has survived and is thriving, thank God.
During my personal journey, I came into contact with many women who were totally devastated by the diagnosis and had no idea where to turn for help. Many faced financial ruin because of their medical condition. Many could no longer work and may not be eligible for short or long-term disability. Bills and basic living expenses such as food, rent, childcare expenses continue. Where do they turn for assistance? CANCER SURVIVOR RESOURCES!!
As I worked with church groups and civic organizations during Breast Cancer month in October, providing information and giving access to agencies where help could be found, I realized that one month a year to concentrate on this problem was not sufficient.
Out of this realization, Cancer Survivor Resources was birthed.
Our mission
Our staff & volunteers
Our mission
CAUSE: Patient and Family Support
Cancer Survivor Resources, Inc. (CSR) is a community based organization dedicated to providing information and support to cancer survivors. CSR seeks to provide free, clear, independent information and research to enable patients and their families to find resources to help them navigate the uncertain road of what is ahead during and after surgery and/or treatment and recovery.
Our mission and goal is to provide financial assistance to those undergoing treatment. Most larger foundations and organizations take 2-4 months to approve financial help. We want to be the bridge-gap to help them remain financially solvent until more substantial funding can be found. As patients are diagnosed and being treated for cancer, they sometimes need additional information on finding day-to-day help to assist them with their recovery, including finances. Where do I find help with daycare? How do I get back and forth to the doctor? What agencies/organizations are there to help with food, rent, utilities? Is there help for housing options for the homeless? Is there help for the uninsured? Am I eligible for in-home care/help? Can I get help with medications? We seek to offer comfort and support by ensuring that the information provided is useful and offered in a caring, respectful manner.
We have partnered with larger organizations that can give more substantial help, but the approval process is not a quick process, That is where we come in. We help with some of their expenses until they can be approved by a source that can sustain them for a longer period of time. We are always expanding and searching for more assistance options. We strive to make the information easily accessible, answered as many times as needed and simply, so that it is easily understandable. Survivors, education is the most important facet of understanding and dealing with cancer and all of the situations surrounding both treatment and recovery.
WE ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF RECOVERY!!