Dana Farber Cancer Institute: Adult Social Work

️ As Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues, I have been trying to find an organization to get involved with for quite some time. Many of us know that most donations and organizations focus on funding research for a cure or new treatments, and while that's crucial, I've felt that the support for those who are currently in the fight for their lives are not as appreciated or made a focal point in terms of being provided funding.

Over a decade ago, I lost my mother (Gretchen Reardon Sullivan) to stage four breast cancer. She was an incredibly strong and charismatic woman, and one thing that she always preached was having hope. The word "Hope" meant so much to her, that she had it tattooed on her arm during her battle. But it wasn't just her remarkable strength that kept her going; it was the incredible support group she was a part of, a group of strong women fighting their own cancer battles. Of that group, there was only one survivor (Kathleen Forbes), and when I reached out to her over a year ago, she had told me that "as a long term cancer patient and survivor, there is not enough mental health options avaiable to us". In today's world, where we're so focused on addressing mental health issues, myself included, I can't help but wonder how these brave individuals wake up each day fighting a life-altering disease. Being with others who knew exactly what she was going through provided my mom with a safe space. It gave her the comfort of knowing she wasn't alone and the ability to talk to people who truly understood what she was going through.

Recently, I had the privilege of connecting with my mom's former social worker, thanks to Kathleen. She introduced me to the Dana Farber Adult Social Work program. Their team organizes these support groups, provides much-needed treatment for anxiety and depression, and offers support for the emotional turmoil that comes with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. They also help alleviate the financial and work-related strains that cancer can bring and provide additional resources to breast cancer patients.

I've decided to make a personal donation to Dana-Farber's Adult Social Work Program because I genuinely believe in the importance of social work in the battle against cancer. I believe it's time to shift our focus and provide funding to those currently in the midst of their own cancer battles. It's important to provide funding for mental health therapy and support resources to the families enduring the hardest of times.

In the future, I hope and aspire to become even more involved, extending support to an organization or creating my own one day, that provides social work initatives to various types of illnesses; especially those facing a financial burden. Personally many of my best friends parents and relatives have lost there lives or been tremendously impacted by a wide range of illnesses. But for now, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I'm asking for you to consider donating to this great cause.

A donation would mean a lot to me, my family, and the cancer patients who are currently in need of these social work services. Those who know me well, are probably suprised by this well written and politically correct exerpt, which I put a lot of time into, but will gladly end it with f*ck cancer!

Thank you so much for your support,

Liam Sullivan