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Help Cancer Patients Affected by Sandy!

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The Problem


Many disaster survivors learn after the disaster has hit that their home is under-insured or that they do not qualify for the FEMA relief necessary to rebuild their home. Persons battling cancer, leukemia, or HIV/AIDS typically do not have access to the medical insurance necessary to cover the cost of their expensive, but life-saving treatments, and must pay for these treatments out of pocket. When struck by a natural disaster, persons living with a life-threatening illness are often forced to choose between continuing to pay for their medical treatment, or rebuilding their home.


The Mission of Build For LIFE


Build For LIFE was founded in 2007 following Hurricane Katrina to rebuild the homes of disaster survivors battling cancer. Build For LIFE has recently expanded its mission to include disaster survivors struggling with other life-threatening illnesses such as leukemia and HIV/AIDS. The decision to expand the mission of Build For LIFE was made in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy where New York and New Jersey were severely devastated by the November 2012 storm.


How does Build For LIFE Accomplish its Mission?


We accomplish our mission by working with local hospitals and support groups to identify and prioritize individuals and families battling life-threatening illnesses affected by disaster. We simultaneously conduct outreach to local and national survivor networks to obtain volunteers for our rebuilding projects. 


What Makes Build For LIFE Unique?


Currently, there are no national or local disaster relief organizations singularly focused on identifying, prioritizing, and assisting individuals and families with life-threatening illness to return to their homes as quickly as possible following a disaster. There are also no disaster relief or support organizations focused on empowering the large scale, highly networked, and motivated survivor communities of life-threatening illnesses to volunteer on these time-sensitive rebuilding opportunities.


Advocacy through Empowerment


Build For LIFE believes that no person or family should be forced to choose between continuing their life-saving medical treatment or rebuilding their disaster-affected home. By empowering survivors and persons with life-threatening illnesses as volunteers on our disaster-relief rebuilding projects, Build for LIFE aims to bring attention to the double burden placed upon families with life-threatening illnesses affected by disaster.


Did You Know?


New York and New Jersey have the fourth and eighth highest rates of leukemia prevalence, and the first and fourth highest HIV/AIDS incidence rates in the 

United States respectively.


Of the 650,000 families whose homes were damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Sandy approximately 750 have a family member who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the past year and another 680 have a family member who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the past year.


In addition to your financial support, we want you and your friends and family to VOLUNTEER with us and help us to Build For LIFE.

 

Please register to volunteer with us by going to http://buildforlife.org/volunteer.php

 

Please Donate TODAY and please sign up to Volunteer TODAY.

 

With your support, we will Build For LIFE.


For more information, please visit our website: www.buildforlife.org

Organizer

Tracey Vitchers
Organizer

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