Women being treated for or recovering from breast cancer can get help buying wigs or paying for hormone therapies, and even paying for groceries during the challenging weeks, with a grant from a nonprofit organization.
The Johnson County Health Department has been given $7,500 to help women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. The money comes from the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust, an organization funded with the $25 fee motorists pay if they select the Breast Cancer Awareness specialty license plate.
Women with inadequate insurance coverage can get help buying wigs, groceries or hormone therapies, or paying for rent or the mortgage, said Claudia Bigelow, health department office manager. The grant requires that the women live in Bartholomew, Brown, Johnson, Morgan, Marion or Shelby counties.
Each woman can get up to $750 in assistance, but if money remains at the end of the year when the grant cycle is ending, patients could ask for additional money, Bigelow said.
She wants patients to be aware that the money is available, and she hopes to get a larger grant in the future to help even more people.
“In my opinion, this grant is very important,” Bigelow said. “Sometimes it takes a while to get a grant off the ground. You try to get the word out, but there are people who hear the word ‘grant’ and the word ‘government’ attached to that and they get a little suspicious.”
The mission of the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust is to increase awareness of the importance of breast cancer screening, diagnosis and support services in Indiana.
Bigelow doesn’t want this to be an option. “I want to use that money to its potential,” she said.
At the moment, Bigelow is using the grant monies to help two women, meaning money remains to help at least eight other people.
"It takes quite a bit of time depending on the help they need," Bigelow said. "There is a lot of legwork required, but this is a passion for me. It’s absolutely worth the time. I will invest the time. I don’t want to let them down."
For more information, contact Bigelow at 317-346-4377.
