October is Cancer Awareness Month yet it does not just rear
its ugly head in October. This devastating
disease is with us every day and everywhere we look. It empties bank accounts and takes lives and
shows absolutely no remorse. It has no
real rhyme or reason and strikes at its own will. It leaves a trail of despair and for those
who are fighting the battle is in a fight for their lives. When you have a strong support group it helps
with the beating that Cancer delivers but if you are a single mom with a
smaller support group, limited funds, and children you want to see grow into
beautiful adults it can feel like you stand alone in the world fighting the battle
against this inexorable monster. But
there is hope for a single mom. They do not have to stand alone.
Hope for a Single Mom is a non-profit organization dedicated
to helping single working mothers in their battle against breast cancer. Hope for a Single Mom was founded by Donna
Sullivan, a Florida Brevard County resident.
Back in August 2010, Denise Moore, a single mom was diagnosed with
breast cancer and underwent a bi-lateral mastectomy with reconstructive surgery
on August 23rd. She had to miss several
months of work. She received no income
during that period and began to fall behind in her bills. Thanks to Hope for a Single Mom she was able
to keep her mortgage and car payment up to date and pay off some of her medical
bills.
Donna, the sister of Denise Moore, the first recipient of assistance
from Hope For a Single Mom, was astounded when she saw firsthand how fast and
messed up a person’s finances can be destroyed by a Cancer diagnosis. In hopes
to help her sister and nephew during their trying times, Donna teamed up with
the women of her Mary Kay unit selling lots of lipsticks and donating part of
the profits to help Denise keep her home and her car. Much like the Pay It Forward movement, Brevard County citizens caught wind of this and joined in to help Denise. Banning together as a community, over $5000
was raised and given to Denise. Denise
said it was the most unbelievable feeling to know others cared so much to help
her stay in her home. She vowed to her
sister to beat her cancer and pay it forward to another local single mom.
Every year since 2010, a single mother is selected with care
by Donna, Denise and their friends at Breast Friends of Florida and shown the
same supportive assistance as Denise did back in 2010. Breast Friends, a
non-profit organization, is located in Brevard County and is dedicated to
improving the quality of life for women with breast cancer and other woman
related cancers. Hope for a Single Mom
has partnered with Breast Friends and keeps their focus on giving HOPE to our
Single Moms here in Brevard.
To learn more about Hope for a Single Mom and to get
involved, please visit: http://www.hopeforasinglemom.com
