Breast Cancer Hotline Matches Patients with Survivors

Posted September 23, 2009, 8:59 am in Breast

Many years ago... two friends.... afflicted with breast cancer....passionate about breast cancer education and support... determined to do something about it....

Sound familiar? No, these women were not Sheila Solomon and Elaine Lustig. These were two women in Chicago who shared the same vision. Their organization, Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-ME), recently celebrated its 30th anniversary.

Like WPFT.org, Network of Strength’s Web site offers information about breast cancer, as well as emotional support, including message boards for discussions and feedback.

In addition to this education and support, Network of Strength also operates the very impressive program, “Your Shoes,” a 24/7 hotline which services in 150 different languages (800-221-2141). This service matches a caller with a survivor who has the specific characteristics the caller requests.

The service operates through IP technology, so volunteers (who are asked to donate at least 20 hours/month) can work from home. All volunteers must be breast cancer survivors who are at least one year out of treatment. They make themselves available during their chosen scheduled times. The calls are in a queue, and the first person available answers the call and addresses any immediate concerns. A caller is asked if she would like to be matched with someone by age, type of surgery, diagnosis, etc. If so, the responder contacts a Match Coordinator, and within 24-48 hours, the caller receives a call back from her “match.”

The language translation, if requested, is done through a third-party service. If a caller indicates the need to speak in a language other than English, the responder conferences in an interpreter in real time and the conversation continues.

In 2008, this organization fielded over 42,000 phone calls, hosted over 50,000 unique visitors/month at its Web site, sent an e-newsletter each month to its over 100,000 subscribers, and mailed a quarterly printed newsletter to over 400,000 subscribers (including a version for its Spanish-speaking audience). Network of Strength is truly performing an outstanding service to breast cancer patients and survivors nationwide.

In its mission to partner with M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando to defeat cancer as it affects women in Central Florida, all fundraising and volunteer activities of Women Playing for T.I.M.E. directly benefit our local community. It is comforting to know, however, that others are fighting the same fight and that the resources of organizations like Network of Strength are available to us and to our families and friends.