Breast Cancer Financial Assistance

Did you know that, on average, breast cancer has the highest treatment cost of any cancer? Nationally, the total cost for breast cancer care is over $16.5 billion. Finding financial assistance for breast cancer is often an additional burden that comes with the physical and emotional challenges of this diagnosis.

Types of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a complex disease that can develop in various forms with different characteristics and treatment options. The most common types of breast cancer include ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma, inflammatory breast cancer, and triple-negative breast cancer.

Some breast cancer treatments may be covered by insurance–but before health insurance, a mastectomy can cost between $15,000 and $50,000. A lumpectomy followed by radiation can range from $17,000 to $35,000. Chemotherapy costs can total $10,000 – $100,000 depending on the number of treatments, method of administration, and selection of drugs.

Common Costs Associated with Breast Cancer Treatment

*The cost of chemotherapy can vary greatly depending on the regimens. Regimens using biologics (types of regimens extracted from, or semi-synthesized from biological sources) often have higher mean costs than regimens not using biologics.

Types of Breast Cancer Treatment

There are several different types of breast cancer in women. The specifics of the tumor makeup impact how the cancer is treated. For example, the location where the cancer began, i.e., milk ducts, connective tissues, or milk-producing lobules, provides a strong indication of the type of cancer the patient may be experiencing. 

The main breast cancer types include:

• Ductal carcinoma (invasive or noninvasive)
• Invasive lobular carcinoma
• Sarcoma (phyllodes tumor or angiosarcoma)

Treatment Options Available for Breast Cancer

Local Treatments – Surgery and radiation are both considered local treatments that treat the tumor without affecting the rest of the body. Most patients will undergo surgery to remove the tumor physically. After this happens, the patient’s cancer team will determine if there should be a radiation follow-up.

Systemic Treatments – Also called drug therapies, these therapies can reach a tumor anywhere in the body. A patient takes them by mouth, through injection into the muscle, or directly into the bloodstream. Depending on the type of cancer, drug therapy may include:

• Chemotherapy – Special medications in the form of pills or administered
  intravenously can be used to shrink or eliminate cancer cells

• Hormone Therapy – Blocks cancer cells from receiving hormones needed to grow.

• Immunotherapy – Uses a patient’s own immune system to eliminate cancer cells.

• Targeted Drug Therapy – Uses drugs to target and shrink or destroy proteins in breast cancer cell.

Patients typically weigh all their treatment options, including the effectiveness vs. possible risks or side effects, before undergoing breast cancer treatment.

Finding Financial Assistance for Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer medical expenses associated with breast cancer procedures, rehabilitation funding for therapy, and long-term health care costs will vary depending on the situation. However, regardless of the specifics, the expenses can add up quickly for patients and their families. 

Help Hope Live is your community-based fundraising source to assist with the unmet medical expenses and related costs that can result from living with breast cancer.

Which Costs Can Fundraising for Breast Cancer Help With?

• Medications
• Travel expenses for rehabilitation and treatment
• Relocation or moving expenses related to the diagnosis (such as in the case of moving to be closer to a rehabilitation center or hospital for treatment)
• Temporary housing due to relocation
• Mileage, tolls, and parking fees for visits to rehabilitation center or hospital
• Home health care services
• Physical therapy and vocational rehabilitation

Turn to Help Hope Live for Financial Assistance for Breast Cancer Patients

Through community-based fundraising, our nonprofit organization is dedicated to helping you raise funds for the medical expenses associated with surgery or ongoing support for breast cancer.

How Does Fundraising for Breast Cancer Work?

The fundraising process with our nonprofit starts with a few simple steps:

1. Complete a short campaign request at helphopelive.org/get-started/apply
2. We will contact you if community-based fundraising is a possible option
3. You’ll be paired with a Client Services Coordinator
4. Your Coordinator will provide you with one-on-one fundraising help, including personalized materials and guidance on rallying your community, sharing your story on social media, reaching out to the press, planning in-person or virtual fundraising events, and much more

How Is Help Hope Live Different from GoFundMe?

Help Hope Live differs from GoFundMe by:

• Verifying your medical need for complete donor confidence
• Enabling donations that are tax deductible
• Providing one-on-one fundraising help
• Managing all funds raised to protect your state-based benefits (funds raised are not considered personal income/assets to you)
• Paying bills directly allows you to focus on treatment and recovery

We are a nonprofit organization with more than four decades of fundraising experience and a 4-star Charity Navigator rating.

Does Community-Based Fundraising Work?

Here are some Help Hope Live medical fundraising success stories:

“Help when you don’t know where to turn to or what to do about a mountain of bills related to health care.”

According to a 2020 survey of Help Hope Live clients, working with the nonprofit for medical fundraising is “a life changer: less worries, which optimizes health”. Over 94% of our client would recommend our nonprofit to another patient.

"The Longorias refuse to give up!”

In 2020, mother of three Carmel Longoria learned that her cancer was no longer in remission. Carmel found herself unable to work while she juggled not only chemotherapy but also medical-related travel to maintain her treatment. That’s when Carmel’s loving community turned to Help Hope Live, raising over $12,800 in just seven months.