Meet Colleen Shaffer, Our Founder.....
Circle of Hope, Inc. would become a 501c non-profit in January 2004 to offer financial and
emotional assistance to individuals with breast cancer
who live, work in or receive treatment in the Santa Clarita Valley.
My name is Colleen Shaffer, founder and Executive Director.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 1999.
Following a double mastectomy, I underwent chemotherapy and radiation,
resulting in a remission that lasted for 3 years.
During that time, I began counseling individuals with breast cancer
at every stage of their journey, from initial diagnosis through
treatment and reconstructive surgery, including, for some,
the frightening news that the cancer has recurred.
In 2002, my own cancer came back with a vengeance, spreading
to my liver, spine, and hips. Having learned so much from others,
and faced with this new crisis in my own life, I made a choice
based on my belief that in every crisis lies an opportunity --
the "Angel of Hope" was born. Dressed in a pink satin gown,
with a pink wig and glowing pink wings, I began a new life,
determined to show that breast cancer, even at the metastatic stage,
is not a death sentence. Metastatic breast cancer nowadays should be viewed as a chronic disease amenable to treatment with new treatments developed all the time. I celebrate over 5 years with "mets", but I will be on chemo for life.
But what of those who can't afford treatment, or who can't benefit from outside support due to emotional or financial hardship? Too many people, I discovered, kept falling through the cracks. It was heartbreaking -- having been a hospice caretaker, welfare recipient, and now cancer patient -- to realize how devastating it is to be faced with financial burdens when the focus should be on recovery. Once again, I was faced with a choice, and Circle of Hope, Inc. was born. Rooted in experience and nourished by a commitment to serving the people who need our services most, Circle of Hope, Inc. is well on its way. New protocols and medications keep changing those statistics. I have hope for the day that I'm no longer a patient but, instead, a true survivor! Circle of Hope... a reason to hope. A dream that became a reality thanks to your support.
Anyone interested in contacting me for appearances as the "Angel of Hope"and/or for speaking engagements, please call Circle of Hope, Inc. at (661) 254-5218. |
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