About Us

Beyond Awareness Into Action!

Mission Statement

The purpose of My Hope Chest is to help restore self-esteem, dignity and confidence to breast cancer survivors by facilitating and funding reconstructive surgery for those who don’t have adequate financial means to afford it and to educate survivors on their breast reconstruction options.

My Hope Chest is the only national 501(c)(3) social service organization focused on providing reconstructive surgery for uninsured and underinsured breast cancer survivors. Our goal is to act—to heal and provide closure to the breast cancer journey. We help give survivors hope and restore their feelings of self-worth and completeness by enabling those desiring reconstructive surgery to have it.

Official Breast Reconstruction Awareness Ribbon

Official Breast Reconstruction Awareness Ribbon

Our Program

  • Expedites the healing process by providing surgeries as quickly as possible after mastectomy, restoring self-esteem and dignity to all breast cancer survivors
  • Educates survivors on their breast reconstruction options
  • Raises public awareness about the need for breast reconstruction as the missing part of treatment for uninsured survivors
  • Educates women on what to expect the first year after diagnosis and connects mastectomy patients with each other for support

Our Future Goals

  • To get legislation passed requiring insurance companies to pay for mammograms or Digital MRI’s for all women 35 and older and for women with a family history of the disease, 30 years and older
  • Implement a program that starts to educate young girls in the school system about the importance of self-exam from an early age
  • Partner with hospital systems like HCA, Advent Health, Trinity Health and others, to share our vision, recognize the gap for thousands of survivors feeling disfigured after mastectomy, and make space at last for helping this unseen segment in the vastness of breast cancer.

Awards & Recognition

Affiliations

  • NACE- National Association of Catering and Event Planners
  • National Consortium of Breast Centers
  • American Society of Plastic Surgeons
  • Ewomen Network
  • Women In Networking
  • National Association of Professional Woman
  • 2012-13  USO Tampa Bay

Honors

2016 Community Award

LocalShops1, St. Petersburg

2016 Person of Interest

PEOPLE Magazine Online

2015 Spirit of Humanity Award

DeBartolo Family Foundation, Awarded $25,000

2013 “9 Names to Know in Breast Cancer”

Reader’s Digest Magazine- Natl.

2012 Community Hero

Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero, Awarded $25,000

2012 Top 50 Entrepreneur

Business Leader Magazine’s Award

2010, 2011, 2012, 2016 Woman of the Year Finalist

‍Tampa Bay Business Journal

2009  2011 Everyday Hero

Bay News 9

2008 Americorp’s Governor’s Five Points of Light Award

Nevada Finalist

You Can Help a Breast Cancer Survivor Heal

Together we can ensure that no one has to live without their breasts after cancer, regardless of their financial situation.

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