My Hope Chest was founded by breast cancer survivor and Las Vegas Showgirl Alisa Savoretti in the fall of 2003., She was 38 and without insurance at the time of her diagnosis. Following a mastectomy and only 5 months after finishing chemotherapy, Alisa returned to the Las Vegas stage and her career as a professional dancer – this time however, minus one breast.
Billing herself as the “Lop-sided Showgirl”, Alisa shared her personal story on the local CBS affiliate. Alisa had to wait nearly 3 years for her own reconstruction. That’s when she realized a huge gap in treatment for uninsured women who had a mastectomy and were unable to attain reconstructive surgery.
With the help of members of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), My Hope Chest was formed. It became a 501(c)(3) in December of 2003, and is the only national breast reconstruction organization with a core mission to help uninsured and underinsured women heal completely.
“I realized how my own self-esteem, confidence and self worth as a woman returned when I could look in the mirror and see my whole physical being once again. It was my healing, a restoration in body mind and spirit.”
"After surviving breast cancer in 2001, Alisa Savoretti, then working as a dancer in Las Vegas, couldn’t afford reconstructive surgery after she had a mastectomy. So she stuffed the right side of her bra with tissue, billed herself as the 'Lopsided Showgirl' and went on with her life."
I have never questioned why I was diagnosed with cancer at 38. I have always believed I was chosen—and destined—to start My Hope Chest.
After seeing pink ribbons for decades and knowing the magnitude of the dollars raised in the name of breast cancer, I was confident that support and funding would be readily available to address this final step in treatment. I was mistaken. It has not been easy.
Hundreds of breast cancer organizations operate across America, many with overlapping missions focused on awareness, education and general resources. We don't believe in the need for redundant missions of "awareness." My Hope Chest, MHC, was created to address a specific unmet need: helping women complete their treatment and rebuild their lives after mastectomy.
There is a misconception that every aspect of treatment is covered by the larger breast cancer charities. Sadly, this has kept our national chairty under the radar and underfunded, with limited financial ability to serve all who come to us. The irony... we receive most of our referrals from the largest institutions, yet no funding has been provide to help.
Breast cancer "Awareness" should focus on women still suffering after mastectomy - on the thousands of “survivors” needing finanical aid to finish their desired treatment.
Research has identified that one in eight women are diagnosed each year with breast cancer.
THE WOMEN NO ONE COUNTS
Over the past decade, hundreds of thosands of American women underwent mastectomy for breast cancer. Based on national reconstruction rates, nearly half a million may not have received breast reconstruction.
Some women made an informed choice to remain flat. Others never had a true choice. They were uninsured, underinsured, unable to meet deductibles and coinsurance, could not afford time away from work or never knew financial help existed. National cancer registries track the procedures women receive—but not how many still want reconstruction and cannot afford or access it.
My Hope Chest counts them. We hear their stories. We see the need. And, we need more funding to finish their treatment.
To our knowledge, there is no national registry counting the women who still want reconstruction but cannot afford it.
What percent of survivors who want breast reconstruction fall through the cracks, unable to attain their final step of treatment?
In 2008 My Hope Chest was the first to seek this much-needed data launching the Breast Reconstruction Survey with help from Living Beyond Breast Cancer, and the Young Survival Coalition. We still truly believe there are millions of survivors, over decades, that gave up hope long ago to ever be able to afford or attain this surgery. We re-launched the survey in 2019.
The survey was deployed on June 13, 2008 and the saved report contains 348 total responses: 238 completed surveys and 110 partial responses. While our initial response pool was small, the findings prove the problem exists.
Of those answering the insurance question:
Among the 67 respondents who appear to have entered the study’s uninsured or financially affected section:
82.09% said they would have had breast reconstruction sooner if they had insurance or the financial means.
We created the survey. We began gathering their stories. But without funding or national partners willing to help distribute it, the study was forced to stop.
Today, these women remain largely uncounted—not because they do not exist, but because no one has invested in finding them.
My Hope Chest knows they are out there. For more than two decades, women have found us after years of believing there was no help. Others may have stopped searching altogether.
It is time to finish the study—and help finish their treatment.
The BEST DAY for any charity no matter their mission, is when their services are no longer needed; we all live for that day. Thankfully there are dozens of organizations, both large and small, addressing main issues, outside of early detection, including mammograms. Thankfully, great strides are being made towards a cure and more are surviving each year.
FACT: America's largest funders of breast cancer research are the Department of Defense, Army researchers, second only to the National Cancer Institute.”
There is a front end of treatment and a backend of treatment. Thankfully, breast centers, health departments and breast health navigators in every city provide immediate resources to newly diagnosed women. In addition, unlike 20 years ago, there’s a plethora of information available on the Internet on what to expect in the next steps from sources like the American Cancer Society, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and others. Education of the disease is pretty well covered.
Breast cancer agencies and organizations help the same women at different steps in her journey. Beyond awareness, efforts and dollars should then focus on addressing the gap in breast cancer treatment, like breast reconstruction and expensive insurance deductibles and co-pays.
Your commitment to our programs like distributing our Reconstruction Options Educational Brochure to breast centers, is a tangible way to help. This important information guides newly diagnosed women through the reconstruction process, providing HOPE for healing after mastectomy.
The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 mandated, insruance companies must pay for reconstrction- it's a part of treatment. A win for the insured! And, with the beginning of the government healthcare program, thankfully, many more Americans are insured. This is a blessing indeed. The problem remains for the uninsured to attain their surgery. They simply cannot afford the $25,000 est. fee for the series of 3 surgeries.
For the inssured... Since the new healthcare program started, My Hope Chest has had a spike in requests for assistance from insured individuals lacking their large deductibles of $6- $7,000. Essentially, they can pay their small monthly premiums, but can't use their insirance in a major crisis- like breast reconstruction, unless they can't meet their deductibles. A problem. Another little known issue for cancer patients during treatment, they are often unable to work. So, how do they put food in their fridge and gas in their cars? They suffer “financial toxicity” - the inability to keep up with household bills like rent, car insurance and more. My Hope Chest now assists our clients in both of these areas during their breast reconstruction process. Less talk…. more ACTION.
We hear from hundreds of survivors struggling to move forward after breast cancer. Many tell us they feel less than whole, and remain deeply affected by their cancer experience. Each time they look in the mirror they are reminded of the agonizing choice they had to make, sacrificing one or both breasts in exchange for their lives.
My Hope Chest’s crusade began to focus on the gap, the back end of treatment where survivors seeking breast reconstruction have fallen through the cracks and need our help.
While our nationwide wait-list continues to grow, the fact that thousands of survivors must live without one or both breasts, sometimes for years after surgery, remains little more than a whisper, is not okay. Even though we've expanded our services and are proud of the work we do for breast cancer treatment... we should not have a wait list. We need your help.
Be visionary! Expand your giving to aid in the total healing of a survivor’s journey. Enjoy the feeling you get from knowing that your dollars are providing a real and immediate solution to an unmet problem – and that you’re helping a real person right now.
With greater awareness comes a greater need and responsibility. My Hope Chest invites local business and corporations to discuss Win-Win Cause Marketing programs to help us continue our important work for survivors. I personally challenge business leaders to join My Hope Chest, be a visionary philanthropist… step away from the pack and make a major impact with your philanthropic dollars. A financial contribution to grassroots organizations like My Hope Chest have an extremely profound impact on our mission, I promise you.
My Hope Chest exists solely to pick-up where other organizations leave off, making women whole again in body, mind and spirit. We are dedicated and determined to bring clousre to the cancer journey for all women and their families. My dream... to eliminate our national wait-list and expand our mission to heal women all over the globe- this is surely a global issue.
Thank you for taking the time to read and learn why My Hope Chests work is necessary. I ask you to spread the word within your community and online networks to help increase the awareness of this gap in breast cancer treatment. Together we will change lives!
I am eternally thankful and grateful to my mother Betty, in heaven since 2020. Mom, one of the "Heavy Hitters" volunteers, was also a survivor. She stood by me in sickness and health and finanically supported the vision and beginnings of My Hope Chest, enduring to change lives because of her generosity.
THANK YOUS
There aren't enough words to thank my family, friends and hundreds of dedicated volunteers for their belief in our important mission. I am confident the universe will provide the essential funding we seek to continue our important work, just as I know I am destined to see this project through. I hope you’ve been empowered with new information to take ACTION and support My Hope Chest …Together we will “Bring Hope to Life!”
For more ideas on how you can help, visit SUPPORT MHC.
Do your self-exams and get your annual mammogram. (I personally recommend mammograms for women under 40 if there is a family history of breast cancer). There are often community resources that offer free or reduced fee mammograms in October - invest the small price that can save your life. Contact your health department, American Cancer Society or Susan G. Komen chapter in your town for a referral.
Thank you for caring and sharing My Hope Chest's mission. Please give as you are able.
God bless and in good health,
Alisa
Together we can ensure that no one has to live without their breasts after cancer, regardless of their financial situation.
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