United Breast Cancer Foundation Inc

The Individual Grant Program is a unique and special program, a trail blazer of sorts. Created in 2007 with the intention of financially assisting women and men who are managing breast cancer or are within three years remission. This program offers customized support geared towards each individual’s personal needs and circumstances. Like our clients, no two grants are ever alike.

When a client turns to UBCF for assistance through the Individual Grant Program, they are met with compassion and respect by our knowledgeable and thoughtful program manager. UBCF guides each client through the simple application process. After careful and thorough assessment of the client’s needs, UBCF constructs a grant that will best serve the needs of the client.

We have found over the years that when our client’s experience a reduction in stress, they are more focused on their healing journey, more capable to manage the challenges of overcoming breast cancer. The Individual Grant Program provides financial support for the following types of expenses: medical procedures, prescription medications, COBRA insurance coverage, housing expenses, utilities, therapeutic treatments, transportation expenses, healthy and nutritious foods and holiday gifts.

United Breast Cancer Foundation understands that a woman faces many physical and emotional challenges after a mastectomy. For many women who’ve had mastectomies, their natural inclination is to have reconstructive surgery as an effort to regain a sense of well-being, of moving on and forward with their lives. Unfortunately, breast reconstructive surgery is not covered by most medical insurance plans. UBCF strongly believes that reconstructive surgery should be an option for Every Woman(R) who has experienced a mastectomy.

The choice to have reconstructive breast surgery may be a challenging one to make, however, UBCF believes that if a woman chooses this surgery, she should have the opportunity to have it. Due to the great expense of surgery, many women do not pursue it. UBCF is here to provide access to this important aspect of recovery - helping women feel whole again.

UBCF approaches cancer prevention, treatment and recovery from a whole-body perspective - it's so important that our clients are treated as a whole person, not just focusing on medical challenges. Cancer is often termed a disease, defined as an abnormal condition that impairs bodily functions. However, cancer is also a “dis-ease” where the body is out of its natural state of “ease”, harmony and balance.

UBCF aims to inform our clients that by coupling a western approach to treating cancer with complementary medicine, their natural state of balance, harmony and ease may return and potentially flourish in a way never previously experienced. Working with the mind-body-spirit connection is just as vital as treating the cancer. Clients applying for a Holistic Care grant can expect to receive assistance with some of the following services: diet and nutritional counseling and supplements, counseling, mind-body therapies, energy healing, reflexology, lymphatic massage, acupuncture/ acupressure, nipple tattooing, breast forms, compression sleeves and head coverings.

This very special program was developed by United Breast Cancer Foundation's long-standing President and Executive Director, Ms. Stephanie Mastroianni. Inspired by her own challenges as a student entering college and seeking scholarship funding, Stephanie spent many long hours researching various scholarship opportunities. While the depth and breadth of scholarships available to young women and men entering college was impressive, she was unable to find a scholarship opportunity that was tailored towards her specific life experience. When Stephanie was a child, she experienced the tragic loss of her mother, Audrey B. Mastroianni, to a valiant fight with breast cancer. Stephanie vowed to create a scholarship opportunity to assist students who have suffered the loss of a parent or guardian due to breast cancer and when the time presented itself, she did just that.

In 2005, the Audrey B. Mastroianni College Fund was established to honor the legacy of Mrs. Mastroianni, a teacher and firm believer in education and continued personal enrichment. In the Fall of 2005, UBCF awarded its first Audrey B. Mastroianni College Scholarship to Dena, a young woman who had just graduated high school and was entering Art School. Dena pursued her degree in Art history. UBCF was extremely pleased to support Dena throughout her studies, even funding her semester abroad to study art in Italy.

Of the hundreds of thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer this year, many are mothers to young children at home. The United Breast Cancer Foundation understands that cancer does not simply affect the patient - the entire family is impacted by a diagnosis. UBCF has developed the Child Sponsorship Program in response to our clients requesting support for not only themselves, but their children.

Wendy, a young, single mother, 32 years old with three children ages 8, 5 and 1 all depending on her for love, security and a sense of home, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She had no means to care for her children while receiving treatment and was actually living out of her vehicle. In fact, Wendy nearly decided to forego treatment so she could be with her children. UBCF stepped in, provided Wendy an Individual Grant and provided her children assistance through the Child Sponsorship Program. Wendy and her three children are now living in a safe environment and Wendy is responding well to her treatments. Through this program, UBCF provides healthy food, assistance with medical treatments, counseling services, back to school clothing and supplies, and special holiday gifts.