Who do you know that runs a business AND gives products or services to non-profits?
We are grateful to connect you with our “Angels”, companies who sponsor My Hope Chest as part of their giving plan. We ask that no matter where you live, please patronize these wonderful individuals who have given of their time and talents, services and products to help keep My Hope Chest afloat!!
We only work with the best… They are our “Special Angels!”
GRAPHIC AND WEB DESIGN
LBW Design Inc.
LBW Design is My Hope Chest’s largest and most wonderful Angel to date…
Neil Blackburn has donated every single printed and visual graphic to My Hope Chest since our beginnings in 2003. His tireless effort, often into the wee hours of the am when we needed a poster or graphic for an event, Neil has been a true and much appreciated blessing helping to brand our charity. Talented, professional with decades of experience…. LBW Design and Neil are top class! Neil has never said no when asked for anything… I am personally asking that you visit his site and benefit from his great talents! Thanks ~ Alisa, Founder of My Hope Chest
Concept Creation
We have never worked with a programming talent quite like Crissia Reay. Crissia has programmed our last two websites as we have changed with the times from Flash to WordPress. I have seldom if ever heard her say, “I don’t know how to do that”. If you have programming needs, this gal is sharp as a tack! (and she’s sweet & patient too).
RDesign Inc.
RDesign is one of our Graphic and web optimization partners. With a creative style that is a perfect fit, we are lucky to have the time and talents of Raffi Darrow and RDesign. Check out logos they designed for our events like the BoOobie Ball, Hot August Night, Hope Floats and Angel’s Descending. MHC LOVEs RDesign! We couldn’t be more grateful to this talented team for all their hours donated. Click here for great graphics, web development and marketing… see for yourself 
MARKETING AND PR ~ Sharing the important work we do.
Three Girls Media
The newest member of our Angel support team… and one of the most important to us in 2011!
Three Girls Media has outlined a major PR campaign for MHC in 2011, created our first Virtual Press Kit and helps with press releases as events come up. How lucky are we!?? We are confident Three Girls will be responsible for getting MHC in print and on the airwaves this year and their efforts will take us up, up and away. Please contact this dynamic and talented trio for any of your business needs.
PRINTING ~ The backbone of communication
A HUGE shout out to our last minute printing savior George at Colorgraphix!! We can’t help but recommend George and his staff for your printing needs….. Their work was superior and of the highest quality… and the customer service exceptional
PHOTOGRAPHY ~ Documenting our successes!
Life Improvement Media
A huge shout out to Erik and Jaime for shooting and videos of the Tee for Two Charity Golf Classic!
a breast cancer survivor, i was directed to your group by a relative since i do want to give back. a question i have is that i thought medicaid paid for reconstructive surgery for uninsured patients.
thanks!
Hi Debby… Thanks for your note.
You are correct…. IF women qualify for Medicaid and they can find a plastic surgeon that will take Medicaid, they are taken care of… Those with the biggest problems are women seeking “delayed” reconstruction and that is who we help mostly at this time.
The fact is, like many govt programs, there are loop holes that prevent many from qualifying for Medicaid and when they don’t, they just fall through the cracks and are unable to get this “final step of breast cancer treatment”.
My Hope Chest has a wait list that grows weekly…. We launched the Breast Reconstruction Study to assess the need. Out of approximately 400 women so far, our study proves that nearly 7 out of 10 who have lost their breast, are uninsured and want breast reconstruction….
This shows us that 1000′s of women, a silent epidemic, are living right now, post mastectomy, missing one or both breasts and unable to heal completely as they have a daily reminder of their cancer journey- and these women will live for “years” like this. They call and email and are referred to us weekly by the “LARGEST” breast cancer agencies in America, the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen, etc. However, we can’t even begin touch the need yet… helping only a handful of women a year… when we could probably facilitate 100+ surgeries a year.
My Hope Chest operates with an very small, entirely volunteer team right now and that is solely the reason we can’t keep up with the need- yet
People need to know the problem exists, become aware we exist and support this important work… Is is not about or for us… but for society and filling another gap in care. (We are hopeful that 2011 is our year!)
The Woman’s Health and Cancer Right’s Act passed in 1998 mandates that insurance MUST pay for breast reconstruction…. Why? Because it is a part of “Treatment”… reconstruction is not “augmentation” is not cosmetic and the law states says it’s so… My Hope Chest simply picks up where the other “pink ribbon” charities leave off…. Still, there are about 10 states that somehow do not have to abide by this law. We simply don’t have the man power to find out why…
Breast Cancer is the most heavily funded cause in our country but donations continue to the same 10 charities that fund “redundant” issues… We hope to educated survivors like yourself that there are many great grassroots organizations out there helping with programs that are “unique and necessary” like ours of course, but bill pay groups are great too… If a patient can’t work, she can’t make the money to pay her electric, right?
We will be happy to answer any further questions regarding donations, corporate sponsorship or major gifts. Please email info@myhopechest with Donation Questions in the subject or phone 727 -642-4243.
My breast cancer (Stage III) was diagnosed in November 2011. I had a mastectomy of the left breast. I asked the surgeon to remove both breasts at that time and she refused. She said “We are not here for cosmetic reasons.” Because of the trauma, fear, and the fact that I had a rapidly growing tumor, I went ahead and had the surgery. I then endured 6 chemotherapy treatments that were three weeks apart, followed by 35 radiation treaments. I lost my job at the end of June 2012 while in the middle of the radiation treatments. I was more worried about the status of my health insurance than my job. I was on COBRA for July, August, September and October 2012. On October 11, I received a Notice from Blue Cross that my insurance was being cancelled as of November 1st. I called Blue Cross to ask how this was possible and what could be done about it. I was told that since my employer went out of business, there was no main policy. If there was no main policy – there was no COBRA. COBRA is an extension of the main policy. The only thing I could do was to convert my group insurance to an individual policy at the cost of $1,426 a month, and they only accept two months’ premium at a time. My husband and I had no choice but to get credit card advances and fall into the rabbit hole of mounting debt. I had my right mastectomy and began the reconstruction process on both breasts on January 9, 2013. Due to the surgical drains falling out prematurely (right – three days after surgery; and left – four days after surgery), I now have severe pain in the right breast. It fills up with fluid every 4-5 hours that needs to be squeezed out to relieve the pressure of the fluid. So far, I have been cut and drained three times. Plus I had a doctor who yelled at me for crying! My new doctor has advised that the only thing I can do to stop this crazy cycle of pain and drain is to have another surgery to remove the tissue expanders probably within the next two weeks. Then, he wants me to heal, heal, heal, and don’t even think about another reconstruction attempt for at least 6-8 months. I am now traumatized at the thought of another attempt because this one was a nightmare. Not only am I in pain every day, we are also going broke. Do you have any words of advice for me?
Sincerely,
Jane Barkley