SHARE Self-Help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancers, Inc.

SHARE’s mission is personal to me. As the granddaughter of a breast and uterine cancer survivor and the daughter of a cervical cancer survivor, I know firsthand how critical it is to have a community that truly understands what you’re going through. When my grandma got diagnosed back in 2016 and again 6 months ago, I saw the questions, the fear, the taboo in the Latino community and their need for support that goes beyond doctor’s appointments. Now, as part of the SHARE community, I see that same impact on a larger scale every single day.

SHARE is more than an organization—it’s a community of people who show up for each other, educate, advocate, and make sure no one feels alone. From LatinaSHARE to AfroSHARE to our MBC programs, from patient navigation to grassroots outreach, the work we do changes lives. I’m proud to be part of this movement and even prouder to know that people like my mother and grandmother would have found comfort and guidance here. If you’re looking for support, education, or just someone to listen, SHARE is the place.

I first learned about SHARE and LatinaSHARE at a health fair, and I’m SO grateful I stopped by their table! That’s where I met Monica, one of the LatinaSHARE ambassadors. As a Latina, I was looking for support in my language and from women who understood my culture, and Monica made sure I felt seen and supported. LatinaSHARE didn’t just provide information—it provided connection, hope, and a safe space where I could ask questions without fear and learn without being judged. Their outreach efforts in the Spanish-speaking community are incredible, making sure no one has to go through this alone. Representation matters, and LatinaSHARE is leading the way in making support accessible for all.

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SHARE is an excellent first stop for resources for women with cancer, and I appreciate that it expressly focuses on serving women of color who are disproportionately impacted by these diseases.

My name is Susan. I have been going to the SHARE Self-help group for about 3 years. I'm a busy mom to 3 kids, but I try to keep my second Thursday evening of every month free, to allow myself some SHARE time. I look forward to our meetings, because everyone there is very welcoming. I learned a lot about breast cancer treatment options, the latest research topics on cancer, and how to be stronger inside and out. This is one of the few places that I feel comfortable talking about my struggles with breast cancer. My only regret is that I didn't find SHARE sooner. My hope is that more people will have access to SHARE.

SHARE Cancer Support is the first place I called to ask for resources and help - I received phone help from a very attentive, informative woman and that made me feel connected and not crazy or alone. Once I started attending their in -person support groups, I felt much more connected. I enjoy the community at SHARE and how accessible the volunteers and staff are - I've reached out several times for help and advise or even a direction to go in and they've listened and offered resources.

When I was first diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer I was stunned, deeply depressed and in a total panic. I felt my life was over. At my lowest point, I reached out to SHARE several times, and each time the wonderful volunteers listened and help keep me from spinning out of control. SHARE found a peer with a similar clinical profile who was living a full, productive life many years into the disease. It gave me hope. One of the volunteers even followed up on my latest test results by emailing me. They make a personal connection that was a lifeline to me. I am sure I will call again. I do not live close enough to attend group sessions, but am looking forward to joining the telephone support groups.

SHARE is an amazing support group for those of us dealing with breast and/or ovarian cancer. When I had a bilateral mastectomy in 2011 I attended a group that was inbelievably supportive and helpful. I learned more from the women in this group than I did from any of my doctors ( a sad but true fact) which helped me enormously. Five years later I have become a breast "helpline" volunteer so that I can give back some of which was given to me. I speak with women around the country, many of whom have no where to turn to, who are ever so grateful to have a group like SHARE. And, as a volunteer, I never cease to be amazed at how much information on so many varied aspects of cancer support SHARE has gathered and continues to update, from moral support to financial aid assistance to seminars and webinars on a variety of subjects that impact women with cancer. At every turn SHARE seems to be expanding its outreach to be able to help more and more women. Kudos to SHARE!

I volunteer at Share although I do not have the dubious honour of being "a survivor" so do not "work" the "help line". Even so I still witness the hard work and dedication these women do to help empower, encourage, and inform others who are dealing with this insidious disease and their families. Women helping Women for 40 years!

I've been working with SHARE for several years and have never met a more dedicated staff or group of volunteers. Through their presence in New York City and their national reach through their website activities and helpline SHARE has reached thousands of women and their families and caregivers in their 40 years of operation facing breast and ovarian cancer. It is a very unique peer to peer grass roots non profit.

I love being a volunteer with SHARE. I am a breast cancer survivor of 8 years and appreciate that I can help others answering our telephone support hotline. SHARE has a wonderful database of services available to our callers for their local area and we are constantly updating our database. We also offer webinars, in-person support groups in our NY office and telephone support groups forMetastatic Breast Cancer , Breast Reconstruction, Lymphedema and more. Please call us at 844 275 7427 - we would love to speak with you.

I am still associated with SHARE twenty-five years after calling its Hotline upon a breast cancer diagnosis and have had the opportunity to watch the organization grow with the changing landscapes of breast and ovarian cancer. During this time I was a 'client', a volunteer in many capacities, including running support groups and training other organizations to use the peer support model , a Hotline staff person, and for quite a number of years now am part of the Board of Directors. I never 'left' as I have great respect for the work that SHARE is doing and enjoy being part of the challenge that the organization has faced as it continues to expand its services to more people and in more meaningful forms.
I have worked with other non profits and find that SHARE is unique in the way it reaches out to people and continues to accommodate the needs of its participants and the communities it serves. And with awe, have watched how it has been instrumental in empowering people who deal with these cancers.

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2007. I attended a support group that I was not happy with. A year or two later I met someone who was a volunteer for Share. She gave me the information to attend the Harlem Share Support Group. Once there I knew I would look no further. I also became a Share Ambassador. Share is Caring, Share is Love, Share is Home.

I m a Breast Cancer Victor who is recently celebrating My 11 year cancersavery. I very grateful to Share being the first support group that i engaged with when i was first diagonsed with my cancer. I 'm truly thank and blessed for my life as a survivor and thank that Share gave me a strong and supportive organization that i could turn to and seek knowledge and information about my disease. They are dedicated and very helpful for any one going thru the experience as they concerning and truly wonderful source to provide an individual their families and caregivers a place to turn too when you're dealing with a crisis . Their support given is one that i'm gratefully for having and knowing and they also are a group that it doesn't end it continuing long after for as much as you need. I just want to say congratulations on 40 years, HAPPY 40th Anniversary to Share i 'm so happy to have you to turn to when i need a place the turn.

On my first day after getting home from the hospital, a neighbor mentioned that her boss went to a support group called SHARE. I called the SHARE Helpline the same day I learned about it and was told about a support group. I went once and felt so good to be in the company of these SHARE women that I kept going. It turned out that my support group experience was phenomenal. The first day I went I had no idea what it was going to to be about. Marjorie, the support group facilitator, offered to go with me to my first chemo appointment when she realized I was single. I couldn't believe she made that offer, it empowered me to take care of myself. I couldn't believe she would be so selfless.

It was through a routine mammogram that my early stage breast cancer was detected.
My onocologist recommended SHARE to me. Through SHARE I met a survivor who was instrumental in helping me cope and endure the challeges ahead, talking over the concerns and making everything seem normal and manageable. After my recovery I hosted a designer talk (I am a fashion and accessories designer ) at the New York SHARE office and demonstrated scarf styling tricks I used through my treatment that made me feel put together, comfortable and beautiful. I am so thankful for SHARE staff and community, very empowering!

SHARE Cancer Support spreads the message of support and community for women facing breast and ovarian cancers. They provide women with tools to empower women in their journeys. They provide support, encouragement and knowledge to help them navigate through their diagnoses. AND , all services are free !

I benefitted so much from SHARE's support group meetings that I joined them as a Helpline Volunteer, a Peer Volunteer, and a facilitator of their Young Women with Breast Cancer group.

SHARE is an amazing organization and strong support network for women. Top-notch educational programs, too!

I'm a volunteer at SHARE, and I have been moved and amazed by every day I've been there. I have witnessed many a call and in-person visits where women struggling with breast or ovarian called the Helpline scared out of their wits and yearning to talk with somebody who has been there--for empathy, compassion, sound suggestions, concrete information, etc. One woman was so profoundly grateful that she hugged the Helpline Director tightly, and she said SHARE saved her life! My mother died of ovarian cancer, and I wish she would have known about this vital organization. They throw out lifelines every day, and I'm so proud to volunteer there. Kudos to SHARE!

Not only am I a breast cancer patient who attends the many support groups, lectures, phone-in support groups, and Webinars that SHARE offers, I am also a volunteer! After my very first time attending the ongoing breast cancer support group, I thought, "SHARE would be such a wonderful place to volunteer!" I work as a Helpline volunteer which is the most rewarding volunteer job I have and I also help as an admin. I love SHARE because it has top-notch support groups led by people who have actually gone through breast or ovarian cancer and are survivors. It is such a warm and inviting environment and I always feel comfortable sharing what I am going through in the group. Kudos to a fantastic organization! Keep up the great work, SHARE!

Even having worked at SHARE for a short amount of time, I can see that this organization is not only helpful, but essential to getting women through the daunting process that they face as they power through these cancers. SHARE spreads hope to patients, loved ones, and supporters, all the while educating and empowering the community. To put it simply, SHARE fearlessly saves lives.

Breast and ovarian cancer support has always been a cause close to my heart after losing both my mother and my grandmother to these diseases. When I found myself in New York with time to spare I started volunteering at SHARE and I was pleased to discover what a fantastic charity this is. The various SHARE support programs and the helpline are invaluable for women who have been diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer. It really makes a difference for women to speak to others who have actually "been there".

Shortly after I was diagnosed at age 34, I began attending support group meetings for young women with breast cancer at SHARE. These meetings and the women I met through them were extraordinarily helpful. They allayed my fears, gave me tips on how to cope, encouraged me, and understood my experiences in a way that others couldn’t. It was so wonderful to sit in a room full of breast cancer warriors; it gave me hope and made me feel less alone.

SHARE was the first phone call I made to any cancer support place after I got diagnosed. A friend told me about it, said I could speak with someone my age who has had a similar cancer as me, so I have it a try. I was feeling so lonely and scared, I needed to speak to someone who had been through this! I got this wonderful woman on the phone, Marjorie, who was so caring and understanding and very, very knowledgeable!! She asked if I wanted a call back in a few days, and I said yes. She offered me her email address and said I could email her whenever I wanted. I hear from her and I emailed her, she was such a great sounding board! She led the Tuesday night cancer support group, so I took the bus from NJ into the city to meet her personally and attend her support group. Months later, I am still making the trip into the city to her group, and we had an ongoing Wednesday phone session, as well as frequent emails. I've met some wonderful meetings in the SHARE support group, and it's been helpful for me during the time of treatment and surgery. I'm truly grateful for this organization!

SHARE is a wonderful organization dedicated to helping survivors of breast or ovarian cancer. I'm a survivor and know that firsthand. SHARE's resources educate survivors and help us to become better self-advocates. It offers a national helpline with regular caller follow-up, support groups for survivors and caregivers given locally or nationwide via the telephone or web, and excellent education programs by renown doctors, presented locally, by webinar or Talk Radio. SHARE is a wonderful community of staff and volunteers working together to support survivors and caregivers. I now volunteer for SHARE and can't think of any other organization that I'd prefer to support.

SHARE is an amazing and useful nationwide organization helping women with breast and ovarian cancer and their caregivers. I have learned so much important information and found a tremendous amount of support through my involvement with SHARE. A wonderful group of committed staff and volunteers.

Like many women, I was terribly shocked when I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2010. I felt lost, alone and scared. Someone told me about SHARE helpline and I got a tremendous support from the conversation with a long time ovarian cancer survivor. I felt touched, empowered and not alone. I felt so much gratitude to that woman (and I still do) that I decided to give back to other women and became a volunteer. The work that SHARE does for women living with breast and ovarian cancer is invaluable. Their motto "no one should go through this alone" reflects on all their services: women living with cancer groups, caretaker groups, Webinars, 24/7 helpline, seminars. Thank you SHARE.

As an ovarian cancer survivor and volunteer at SHARE, I see first hand how SHARE helps the women who call in. SHARE offers an invaluable service to these women, many of whom have no one to speak with and to share their concerns, fears, and hopes for the future. The organization is efficiently run and the dedication of its staff and volunteers is most impressive.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the spring of 2013 and I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through it without SHARE. I attend meetings in person and the facilitators are both caring and knowledgeable. Being in a room where every single woman has had breast cancer is amazing and powerful. The depth of caring and wisdom is amazing. The telephone hotline is a wonderful resource. And now, more than 2 years after my diagnosis, I continue to attend SHARE's "post" meetings. I can't say enough about was a Godsend share is.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993. I first heard about SHARE from the wife of one of my authors (I was an editor in scholarly publishing), herself a breast cancer survivor. Like many other women I'd been dealing with the disease as best I could, but I had no connection with other survivors. I first came to SHARE to attend support groups, then for many years I participated in wellness programs, especially yoga. In more recent years I've continued my connection with SHARE as a volunteer, mainly in the office during the day, but also at special events such as the Share-a-Walk (in former days) and the chefs event, A Second Helping of Life. At the present I come in to the office to proofread the Calendar of Events. I can't speak warmly enough about what SHARE has meant in my life! It's been a source of support, enlightenment, good cheer, fellowship, and not least of inspiration. I've met any number of remarkable women (and men) at SHARE. I've now been associated with SHARE longer than with any other organization in New York City.

Toward the end of 1989 I learned I had breast cancer. I was in shock. I'd always been healthy, and that fall, about to turn 49, I felt better than ever. Thought I'd just sail into my 50s. But no. 1990 began instead with a lumpectomy, followed by chemo and radiation.

A friend told me about SHARE, then a much smaller organization, and SHARE invited me to join a small group of women just beginning treatment. For six weeks the group would be led by a woman who'd had breast cancer herself; after that we could decide if we wanted to continue on our own. Twenty-four years later we're still meeting. Not as often as before, but often enough to stay in touch.

What a gift, to have company through the miseries of treatment. My doctors were wonderful, my husband, children and friends loving and supportive, but the women in my group were going through what I was going through, and that made all the difference. We showed each other scars and bald heads; we laughed and cried together. Supported by SHARE, we pulled each other through. I will always be grateful for that.

Japanese Share has been helping japanese women with breast or ovarian cancer in a lot of ways. We gave them many opportunities to talk about their issues and fears and they get to open up their hearts. We encourage each other and see our future with different perceptions. At the end of the day, they go home with more positive attitudes. I absolutely honor this non profit organization and believe that we help japanese women go through their hard times.

I attended cancer survivor meeting at Share because I was diagnosed breast cancer in 2014. I was told from my doctor that my cancer was non invasive and tumor was small but I had no idea what to do. The meeting was useful and I collected a lot info from survivors. I was so impressed, everyone in the meeting was positive fighter facing to their own cancer. The place for this kind of meeting is important, especially for the patient who needs advise.

My relationship with SHARE began with a phone call to the helpline last July. I was leading a breast cancer patient support group for the Japanese community in New York, but we were having our meetings in cafes and restaurants, with no place of our own. By the end of that phone call the SHARE Japanese program was born.
Today, we offer group support meetings twice a month at the SHARE main office.
Now SHARE is becoming a great partner to the Japanese community, while understanding our unique culture that creates different demands.
The SHARE Japanese program is slowly and surely helping many Japanese women, who have been touched by breast and ovarian cancer, throughout the US and even to Japan.
SHARE is empowering me and my community, as well as our family, every day.

Thank you!

Aiko Brody

For me the most impressive aspect of Share that I have observed is the constant search for new programs with which to get their mission across to women and organizations that support women in their quest against breast and ovarian cancer.

SHARE is an excellent partner in working to help Latina cancer survivors!

Share provides innovative and informative educational opportunities through free Webinars. These are done including well-known oncologists with information both patients and their families will want to know.

SHARE has two special roles in my life. I was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer in August, 2000. About a week before chemo was to start, my surgeon told me to “get a port.” Still reeling from surgery, I neglected to ask what that was or why I needed it.

I called SHARE’s toll-free number, a knowledgeable woman quickly called me back and said, “A port is a great idea and it will save your veins from all the needle sticks you’re going to have.” I was very grateful and will always remember the SHARE Helpline volunteer’s clear explanation and her warmth.

Fast forward to 2011, I was eleven years out from diagnosis and ready to give back some of the support I had been given. I was rigorously trained to become a SHARE Helpline volunteer. I have been on both sides of the Helpline.

Some women I talk with ask, Will I survive? They ask which is better, surgery first or chemo first? How bad is chemotherapy? How can I ask my doctor all the questions I have? And some women just need a friendly ear as they talk about the life-wrenching issues a cancer diagnosis imposes. I love the challenges of this work and I love the deep satisfaction this work gives me. I love the organization which allows me to do this.

Women are diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer every day. Their needs are great. I want to see SHARE grow so it can reach more women. This non-profit that I know so well is deeply worthy of wide exposure and financial support.

Judith Fox

I am a 20 year breast cancer survivor & advocate who sought support & information when
I was diagnosed. SHARE staff & volunteers became my new breast friends. They held my
hand through diagnosis, treatment, after care, recurrence, side effects & a new life with
chronic cancers.
My way of appreciation was to give back volunteering through advocacy & health fairs.
Through them I volunteered for several years bringing scores of NYC women to the NBCC
Advocacy Conference & as the NYC Volunteer Coordinator with the advocacy efforts of the
National Breast Cancer Coalition, as well as helping to establish the NYS Breast Cancer Network.
Many of my friends have died early deaths because of this incidious disease which is why
SHARE supports the NBCC efforts to find a cure by 2020 & to end breast cancer. SHARE's
ability to maintain its presence during the past 20 years & grow more meaningful programs
& information, is a testament to its endurance.

January 2012 I was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive breast cancer. I found SHARE while surfing the internet . I called 2 am, left a message an my call was immediately returned the following morning. My mentor Jeanne was so helpful and caring, listened to an ear full never judging me, letting me express all my feelings concerns and fears. Share as helped me so much that I looked forward to my bi weekly calls from Jeanne. Sometimes I called SHARE before Jeanne's call because I was afraid of an upcoming surgery, test, chemo or radiation. Who ever was working at the time would comfort me and make me get through the day.

It is not just phone support that makes SHARE special . It is the abundance of services they offer. Webinar's, educational programs and on going support groups and so much more.

The support team of SHARE was there for me, now as a breast cancer help line volunteer I will be there for you . Why not give SHARE a call today :)

www.sharecancersupport.org

844 ASK-SHARE

I have done some Pro Bono consulting for SHARE and my wife is a SHARE volunteer. I find that the work that SHARE does every day is truly life changing for the women they provide advice and comfort to. They reach out to breast cancer survivors throughout the US. Survivor's questions are directly answered by peers; women who have contracted the same type of cancer and are living through the same life experiences as the caller. SHARE goes well beyond the provision of their help line. SHARE volunteers visit medical schools to advise medical students and physicians on how to best communicate with their future and existing patients. SHARE also regularly visits corporate sites to answer questions from women survivors and care givers. Many SHARE staffers and volunteers keep up with the latest research by attending breast cancer medical conferences to understand the latest treatment protocols and then use this information when talking with callers. Some SHARE women also participate in evaluating funding requests associated with breast cancer research that are hosted by the government. And finally SHARE women utilize their time and energy to lobby congress for additional funding for breast cancer research. It is for these reasons that I believe SHARE is such a special organization.
Leon Heller

I know first hand the benefits of the services SHARE provides to women and their families. SHARE is an amazing organization and has proven over the years the value of self-help support and education in dealing with a diagnosis of breast or ovarian cancer.

After telling me I had breast cancer my surgeon gave me the name of SHARE and it was the kindest and most compassionate thing she could have done for me. And contacting SHARE the next day was the best thing I could have done for myself. They help me put what little I knew in some sort of order and told me what kind of questions to ask and whom to ask. The helpline became my lifeline through my surgery and the weeks following. They got me through my crisis and I knew I wanted to do the same for others.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999. I was shocked and very scared. My chiropractor told me about SHARE. I called and then participated in 2 support groups. It was very comforting to share my fears and concerns with other women who were also going through breast cancer. I am still close with one of the women who was in my SHARE support groups.

When I retired from teaching I wanted to give back to SHARE. They were there for me in my time of need and I wanted to be there for them and help other women who are going through breast or ovarian cancer. I have been a SHARE volunteer for almost 14 years now.

SHARE is a wonderful self-help, nonprofit organization. All of the staff at SHARE give 100% of themselves. Many of these women also had breast or ovarian cancer.

I am proud to be part of this wonderful organization.

Adrienne

I am gratified by the feeling of helping someone who is embarking on the same journey I did. Reassuring them that they will be ok and easing their fears is priceless. It is about helping a woman at her most vulnerable time and giving her support. It's about letting her know she's not alone. This is what SHARE is about.

Callers are beyond overjoyed when they are finally able to connect with me, a match volunteer who has their same exceedingly rare permanent pain disability from breast cancer surgery. I had to go out of state to Sloan's pain clinic to finally obtain a diagnosis!

I am also able to assist those afflicted with my secondary more common treatment induced handicap. In addition, I try to provide hope to women who have been diagnosed with the ultra rare & aggressive type of breast cancer that I had 15 years ago.

I direct them to neurologists and anesthesiologists for the pain syndrome (post lymph node dissection nerve pain) and also to specialists who treat patients with a compromised lymphatic system like I have from surgery/ radiation. I refer to my list of major U.S. cancer centers (teaching hospitals.)

I help with medical insurance battles as well. I was treated for a fibrosarcoma in the area of my anatomy affected by my pre existing impairments from breast cancer surgery. All sarcomas represent only 1% of all cancers -utterly uncommon- I fought my HMO (successfully!) for 51/2 months for an arm salvaging operation at Sloan- Kettering, an out of state/ out of network facility.

Shortly after I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, I began to attend a SHARE support group. Meeting other women in treatment made me feel "normal" again. I went to more meetings and wanted to give back what SHARE had given me: I trained as a Helpline volunteer as soon as I passed two-years out of treatment and have been a Helpline volunteer ever since. SHARE also provided me with patient-advocate training, another role I embrace. Most importantly, SHARE has demystified breast cancer and has allowed me to understand what's going on in the scientific world without scare tactics and without hype.

Thank goodness a friend told me about SHARE when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer! I called SHARE's helpline and signed up for a support group for newly diagnosed women like myself who were all in shock and terrified of dying. The group made it possible for me to go through treatment with hope and the knowledge that others who really understood what I was going through were there to give me strength and help me get through this. Since then, I've had the honor to become a member of SHARE's Board of Directors (and Board President for a time), and I've seen first-hand how much good SHARE does with its limited resources. They provide information, support, education, and advocacy for diverse women with breast, ovarian, or metastatic cancer, and their friends, family, and caregivers, all provided by survivor volunteers and a small, incredibly dedicated staff. Every penny in SHARE's budget goes a long way in helping SHARE see to that no one has to face these cancers alone.

25 years ago, when I had breast cancer, the Share support group I attended helped me cope with my diagnosis and gave me a chance to make some wonderful, lifelong friends. After retiring, I decided to volunteer at Share, answering helpline calls and co- facilitating the Newly Diagnosed Support Group. It is a privilege to be trusted by the women who call or come to the meetings and to make a difference in their lives.

Shortly after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I began attending support group meetings for young women with breast cancer at SHARE. These meetings and the women I met through them were extraordinarily helpful. They allayed my fears, gave me tips on how to cope, encouraged me, and understood my experiences in a way that others couldn’t. It was so wonderful to sit in a room full of breast cancer warriors; it gave me hope and made me feel less alone.”

A few years later, the Facilitator for SHARE’s Young Women With Breast Cancer Support Group decided to “retire” after eight years of service and I was asked to take her place. I was flattered to be asked and am honored to be able to spend time with these women warriors on a regular basis, and hopefully help them through their breast cancer journey.

~ Mary Vetting
New York, NY

SHARE has enabled countless women, their families and friends to cope with the realities and difficulties of a cancer diagnosis through their hotlines, support groups, education and wellness programs. I know this first hand, as an ovarian cancer survivor and as the former director of their ovarian cancer program.

I was honored to be invited o be a member of the Latina Share Advisory Board. In the time that I have known the program I have seen how the volunteers and staff extend a helping hand to women in need of advise and support. They often go above the call of duty staying on the phone into the night with women in crisis or visiting them at hospital bedsides. SHARE has created a community of women helping women to survive, learn from each other, and be comforted by. The LatinaShare program especially provides much needed support services to an underserved community that has few options to turn to. From Latina Share Spanish speaking women diagnosed with breast cancer can also benefit from SHARE’s programming. They get information and support that is presented to them not only in Spanish but in a culturally relevant manner. This work takes a lot of energy and dedication and I am proud to be a part of this organization. Now, whenever I encounter someone who could benefit from SHARES services either because they or a family have been diagnosed with breast cancer without hesitation I recommend that they call SHARE.

I "discovered" SHARE in 1992. At this point in my life I had healed and wiped the tears from my cancer diagnosis. However, when I visited SHARE I met with such a wonderful, generous, helpful group of women, that I decided I wanted to work with this organization and help spread the word about SHARE. I have worked with SHARE since then, doing outreach, advocacy and helping to organize the SHARE-A-Walk. I pray that SHARE will be available to more women until this dreadful disease is vanquished.

I don't know what I do without SHARE and the women who help make things happen. As a recent breast cancer survivor SHARE was the first place I called when I received word of my diagnosis. They immediately went to work and asked me questions and helped me calm down and assess my situation. They were able to refer me to a couple of doctors so I could get a second opinion - but mostly so I could get peace of mind that I was making the right decisions. Throught my recovery, I consistently called upon SHARE to ask questions about the process of my recovery and the treatment I was receiving. In each call they always took the time to listen and most of all to lend their hearts and support. I Still call upon SHARE for advice and to share my fears and frustrations. They are always there. I believe in SHARE so much that I am now on their advisory board - it is important that the women in New York know there's a place for them when it comes to breast and ovarian cancer. No woman should have to go through it alone and SHARE is definitely the best place to go. Anabel Evora

I do volunteer work at Share. When a woman calls our Help Line, they want to speak to
someone who has had BC, people will listen when they know you have walked the
walk. I have heard dozens of women cry on the phone , women of all ages, young women
with small children, at the time of a diagnosis they need reassurance, hope and that is
what we provide, at the end of a call, that can last an hour or longer, a sense of relief
and gratitude is what I hear, I wrap up my calls by telling them, just so you know my
diagnose was 19 years ago, I can't see their faces but I can feel their smile
on the phone and in my heart. Volunteering is a way of giving back as a survivor.

I've had first hand experience with SHARE as a recipient of services, a board and staff member and now as a volunteer and in each of those capacities I've recognized how extraordinary this organization is. For women and men newly affected by breast or ovarian cancer, information and resources provided by someone who uniquely understand the issues because they've been there, is invaluable. The support that comes from being able to give voice to your issues in a safe environment with up to date information is enormously empowering and allows those affected to deal with their lives more effectively and with an inceased sense of empowerment.

Breast cancer diagnosis is scary and typically never as straightforward as you think it should be. In my case, one dr. told me to get a mastectomy, one advised me to get a lumpectomy and another counseled a bi-lateral mastectomy. Chemo was also considered "optional" and there were different chemo options that I was asked to choose among if I decided to have chemo at all. It was overwhelming. I had no idea how to navigate this and was filled with anxiety. After I completed my treatment 6 years ago, I was determined to try to help women with the knowledge I gained so they wouldn't have to go through the stress I did. I love volunteering at SHARE. The organization helps me to keep growing in my knowledge of the disease and it's wonderful to touch others. SHARE makes a difference one person at a time. It's a fantastic organization.

I was diagnosed in 2001 with Breast Cancer and joined a SHARE support group. Even though I knew, I could always find support here, it wasn't until I became a volunteer that I learne, first-hand how much of an impact SHARE makes on the lives of women who face a diagnosis of breast or ovarian with cancer. I grew to understand the importance of their support system and what they contributed to a women's survivorship in their battle against these diseases. Here at SHARE one can find an oasis away from the stress and turmoil , that living with cancer can bring and find support, be it emotion, informational or avocational support

I was diagnosed 7 years ago and introduced to SHARE by my surgeon and by the American Cancer Society. At SHARE I found tremendous support from the group leaders and other breast cancer survivors. Only they could understand how I felt. SHARE has always there for me and I will always be there for SHARE and all the the women diagnosed with breast cancer./

I came to SHARE 4four years ago diagnosed with Metastatic Breast cancer, I was afraid and alone feeling no one knew my pain. I was directed to a support group who later became my second family. SHARE is and always will be considered my family because when you see your sisters they know you by your first name and there is never any quarrels about who does what. WE ARE ALL EQUAL..........

I was able to hear first hand a tremendous testimony of Ovarian and Breast cancer patient. their testimony and their good spirit, help women in my organization to be motivated to go and check themselves for breast and cervic cancer. their testimony inspired the ladies and also awared them of symtoms and tests need it to be done in order to find out about this sickness and keep themselves healthy.

Just being able to share the very personal effects of cancer and treatment helped relieve my stress about the unkown. Sharing information was the main reason I joined SHARE but the very personal way that members reached out to me, helping me cope with the uncertainty of remission is what I treasure most. A friend of mine who was also ill said she would not join a group because it is so depressing when a member dies from the condition that she is trying to beat. Knowing that an individual you got to know at meetings had a relapse or did not make it even after remission is depressing, but hearing from other members, alive, and living well with this disease lifted my spirits and gave me hope.

This organization has helped countless numbers of women with breast or ovarian cancer. It provides women with a sense of empowerment in dealing with this complex disease by offering help on so many levels, such as providing information about current research and how to cope with the impact of surgery and treatment. The thing about SHARE is that one derives benefit by both giving and receiving help.

I have been involved with SHARE for over ten years. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer twice and did not have the benefit of support that SHARE has to offer the first time. It was after becoming a volunteer on the hotline that I got my 2nd diagnosis and could not have asked for more support - it gave me emotinal support from women who had walked in those shoes, and practical support (when to shave my head, buy a wigs etc.). I continue to be a volunteer on the breast cancer hotline and am grateful to be able to use my experience to hold out a hand to other women. Thank you SHARE.

Through SHARE, I was able to get support and information from other women going through treatment as well as expert facilitators who had already been in our shoes. It was an open, collaborative, positive place where we could "share" and help each other. It was comforting to know I had many of the same questions and concerns other women did. SHARE was also a great resource for information -- both their library and referrals to experts.

I learned about SHARE during my hospital stay for a modified mastectomy and reconstructive surgery in 1997. SHARE was truly an anchor for me during the years immediately following my breast cancer diagnosis. It was so important and meaningful to be surrounded by other women who were "in the same boat", physically and emotionally. I actually participated in THREE groups, and all of my group leaders were outstanding. Through SHARE I learned about the "sentinel node dissection" procedure, a method of tracking cancer cell migration without removing a cluster of underarm lymph nodes. Also I learned of physicians in the NYC area who pioneered this procedure. I attended lectures about the newest techniques in breast conservation and reconstructive surgery. I borrowed materials from SHARE's library of books, videotapes and articles. Eventually I volunteered for SHARE, helping with office work and with SHARE-A-WALK. I secured a screening location for the film "Out of Africa", which SHARE aired for a fundraising function a few years a go. I continue to donate to SHARE, and I have a good friend who I met in one of my support groups. It's wonderful to know that SHARE is there for me if I should need its direct support in the future.

SHARE became a part of my life when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993. My mother needed to connect with women that understood what she was going through. My mom joined a group in Harlem. SHARE helped my mother understand cancer. My mother in turn helped her children understand cancer. SHARE members helped my mom and her children to not be afraid. My mom passed in 1997. In 1998, several members of my family proudly participated in our first SHARE walk-a-thon, in honor of our mother, Elaine M. Johnson. After that first walk-a-thon experience, I began recruiting friends and family to walk with me. Words can express the joy I felt walking every year. SHARE is a wonderful organization that not only helps women with breast and ovarian cancer, they also support family and friends of women with breast and ovarian cancer. My family wouldn't have adjusted as well without SHARE. Thank you SHARE.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I knew nothing much about it. My oncologist told me about SHARE. It was very helpful to know there was a network of people who were going through something like what I was. I started with a support group. I fount the yoga classes with Roberta Shine particularly helpful as well as some of the presentations, especially the "Fireside chats" I've not been able to be involved recently and miss those contacts

I am a two-time survivor of breast cancer. The first was in 1997 when I was diagnosed with invasive, aggressive DCIS. My surgeon is on the Board of SHARE, and I picked up a leaflet in her office. I had important decisions to make, and was completely overwhelmed. The hot line volunteers were wonderful support, and referred me to resources. Also the educational seminars helped keep me informed about the disease and the treatment options. At the time SHARE also had many wellness programs like yoga, meditation, reiki, support groups,etc. All of their services are free, and available in outer boroughs as well. Most of the staff consists of dedicated volunteers, almost all of whom are breast or ovarian cancer survivors. They have to be commended for the excellent service they provide with very limited resources.

Like most of us I was in quite a fog after being diagnosed with DCIS. My manager told me about SHARE and since I commuted to Manhattan every day and they had a location in Times Square I decided to attend. I only attended 3 meetings before my surgery but they helped me so much. The leaders were all survivors themselves, it was just women helping women so it was very comfortable. Listening helped me to ask the right questions at my doctors appointments and make decisions about next steps. This organization has made a major commitment to reach out and help - women helping women.

I called SHARE when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. My mother had had cancer, and now it was my turn. I used the Hotline, then joined a support group. I went to a meditation group. They held my hand and got me through. I then became a volunteer, ran support groups, and finally joined the Board. I have nothing but good things to say. SHARE is there for people.

This organization has been a sustaining force and friend for our cancer patients and survivors for several decades. Beyond their essential contribution as the largest breast cancer patient advocacy group in New York, SHARE is enhancing the knowledge of health care providers throughout NYC and helping hospitals like ours to make our service delivery more effective for ethnically diverse women. We anticipate that this collaboration will enable us to become better advocates on behalf of our diverse patients and survivors. We have grown a lot through our interactions with SHARE - they are an essential conduit for us to stay in touch with national and state level perspectives as well.

I was diagnosed in 1996 and found Share through friends. It was a lifesaver in so many ways. Telephone volunteers gave me support and information about how to proceed, and allowed me to feel I was not alone. I participated in an ongoing support group after my surgery and then returned for groups on reconstruction and lectures on new treatments offerred by nationally known figures in the field. It is truly a wonderful organization doing a tremendous public service for its clients on a shoestring budget.

I am one of the women who founded SHARE in 1976 - the charter vice-President. SHARE began at time when there was little information for survivors or breast cancer and one did not easily come out with the fact that you had the disease. I had a mastectomy, without reconstruction, in 1975. SHARE helped me to talk about my cancer, to get in touch with my fears about it (my sister had died of breast cancer 5 years earlier) and helped me resolve to help others like me. SHARE still does all these things and does them well. In addition SHARE is a leader in spreading the word about the need for more research, more search for a cure and more support for survivors.

I was diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer three years ago. Somehow in all my frenzy I was recommended to Share and to Roberta Hufnagel who ran a group for women with stage-four breast cancer. I went to the in person group she ran once because it is hard for me to get into New York City by train and then Share started a call in phone group specifically for women in my categorary. Since then I have called in every Monday at 4:00 pm almost all the time. I have missed very few sessions. During this time we speak about our own experiences, discuss medications we are on and how we are feeling emotionally. It is really a wonderful outlet for our feelings. The leader, Roberta Hufnagel, is very knowledgeable as well as very supportive. I look forward every week to my group but of course find it very hard when one of the members gets sicker or dies. In my case I have been doing well but now my markers are on the rise and the group has been there to support me. I hope that I can continue to be healthy and that I will have the services of this group to help me through the rough spots and that I will be able to help someone else too. Share is a wonderful organization helping people the best they can.

I came to SHARE as a volunteer in 1995. In 1998 I began working part time coordinating programs in Queens, New York. In 2002 I became the Director of SHARE's Ovarian Cancer programs until Spring 2009. SHARE had been there for me and I wanted to give back. At the time of my original breast cancer diagnosis there were other organizations out there. SHARE was the only one that empowered me while supporting me. The opportunities at SHARE are endless. You can come to SHARE when you are in need and leave, but why would you when you learn giving back can be a way to support you too. I now find myself living with two cancers and SHARE is there for me once more but I am there for SHARE. I can't wait until I have the energy to give back once more.

I became an ovarian cancer survivor during the summer of 2004. I was a wreck emotionally and my doctor recommended that I call SHARE. It was the first time I spoke with another ovca survivor and I was filled with so much hope. I joined a support group at SHARE and learned so much from other survivors: what to expect, how to handle side effects, how to communicate better with my medical team, where to get more information about novel treatment options. I learned about opportunities to attend conferences and learn more about the disease and how to become involved in awareness and advocacy. Then I volunteered on SHARE's hotline and then became a peer facilitator for the support group. I learned to become an advocate, for myself when needing to choose between treatment options, and also on the national level--raising my voice on behalf of everyone who has ever had to deal with an ovarian cancer diagnosis. Three remissions later, I am thankful for all that I have learned at SHARE and the opportunties I have had to pass along hope to other ovca survivors.

I learned about SHARE several years ago when I became involved with educating fellow lawyers and others in the legal community about breast cancer. I have known many people who were directly helped by SHARE, in a very meaningful way (I am also a nurse and so I have heard many accounts over the years.)I have learned a great deal from the SHARE programs and its website. For cutting edge information, they are an invaluable resource, and I have relied on them in identifying important issues for conferences that I have helped plan. They use their resources wisely, and they appreciate every gift. If I had vast resources to offer, they would be at the top of my list.

After my diagnosis of breast cancer a friend recommended Share. Going to Share helped me retain my sanity through all the fear and confusion. I felt so alone as no one I knew was going through the nightmare. I was put in a newly diagnosed group with a leader. At first it was akward and uncomfortable but after 3 months the group had so bonded we remained friends for over 8 yrs. Now some have passed and others have moved on with their lives. I'm can't imagine going through those first few years without the support of Share and the group. I think their support and love is why I am still a survivor.

I found out about Share at the hospital when I was undergoing treatments for breast cancer 9 years ago. They have support groups, telephone support and educational programs. They have many support groups geared to different interests and age groups. They helped me get through a very difficult time. Everyone I have dealt with at Share is caring and supportive.

I learned about SHARE from a friend over 8 years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After some encouragement and with some skepticism, I joined a SHARE support group. It was a wonderful experience and extremely helpful in dealing with the many issues around my diagnosis and treatment. In addition to being a recipient of services, including educational programs, I have since volunteered at SHARE in several capacities. Volunteering for me is an opportunity to use my breast cancer experience and knowledge to help other individuals and to advocate for improved diagnostic tools, treatments, prevention and a cure for breast cancer. SHARE’s staff is knowledgeable and supportive and, with it’s volunteers, form a community that provides opportunity for connection, support and empowerment. I'm always reminded how lucky I have been to have connected with SHARE. I hope that SHARE will continue to grow to expand its visability and reach, so that more people have similar opportunities.

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I had family support, but no support from anyone who had dealt with breast cancer personally. Someone at work introduced me Share and I became involved. I got involved on both ends. I started participating in groups when I was diagnosed with with breast cancer 21 years ago.I eventually led support groups. Now 21 years later I am still involved doing hotline calls from home. Share was wonderful for me and I hear the grateful voices of the women on the hotline. They are so grateful to have someone to talk to, even if they can't attend any of the programs. (Some of the women live in other states).

I was introduced to SHARE through a friend after my breast cancer surgery. I joined a 6-week support group at SHARE's midtown office in Manhattan. The facilitator, knowledgable and excellent in providing answers to questions that participants had and encouraging the group to participate in open discussions which helped to lighten the burden of dealing with the treatment and therapy following surgery, a highly anxious time in my life. I kept in touch with SHARE volunteering during the fund-raising walks that SHARE had and later participating in advocacy programs in DC and Albany. I served on the hotline for four years knowing I was empowering women during a difficult stage in our lives.

Helped organize SHARE's participation in meeting with Albany state leaders to discuss breast cancer survivor issues, and advocate for programs and services. A group of women affiliated with SHARE went to Albany and met with state leaders to keep them attuned and informed and request their support.

I have had the privilege of working on several of SHARE's ovarian programs during the last four years. The most significant being the implementation of SHARE's toll-free Ovarian Cancer Hotline. The Hotline is a service which provides women diagnosed with ovarian cancer or who have suspicious symptoms and their family and friends with support, information, resources and hope. SHARE's Hotline is staffed by trained volunteers are themselves ovarian cancer survivors, and thus can relate to callers on a personal level, identifying with the callers concerns, fears, and experience. Most importantly, having lived through the experience, SHARE's Hotline volunteers provide callers with hope.

The people at share were invaluable in helping come to terms with my emotions and experience of cancer. I didn't know what to think of my life after cancer, I didn't feel normal but Share made me find my new normal. I am so glad there were the programs the facilitate to support women trough this hard experience and the community they serve come together and find hope and strength.

This charity serves as a resource center for people with breast and/or ovarian cancer as well as for their friends and relatives. Share does wonderful job at passing along information in a gentle and very relevant way and they always have someone available to discuss anything from the specific to the general.

My work in advocacy was as unexpected as my breast cancer diagnosis. It was the women of SHARE who helped me in this journey. When I first walked through SHARE's door twenty years ago with a diagnosis that might have defeated me, I immediately felt a sense of empowerment. SHARE was and is a community where empathy, support and intelligent information overflow. My first support group there helped me adjust to my "new normal" and I later used that strength to facilitate many groups myself. The training I received was remarkable. With SHARE's guidance, I became politically active, lobbying in Washington DC and connecting to other advocates nationally, even inaugurating a breast cancer patient advocacy program in a New York hospital.

Even though I was officially the instructor, I learned so much more from the participants who attended my workshops and classes. We had lively forums in which women freely shared their own experience and what they had learned from research and personal interaction with health care professionals. Their needs led me to further develop classes addressing exercise for osteoporosis, in which they had a high level of interest. I would like to think that we evolved together.

When I was diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer, I despartely needed hope to face this deadly disease. As a Hotline volunteer for the past 4 years,I have have been priveliged to be the first survivor to talk to a newly diagnosed woman or provide needed support to a woman with recurrent disease or someone who has symptoms. This is the most rewarding "job" I have ever done.

In 1976 when I was diagnosed there was no SHARE but there was a surgeon (mine) who believed in self help. As a member of that self help group with many other angry & scared women we used that energy to form a group and named it SHARE. In reading all the reviews I am very proud of the organization SHARE has become. I am fortunate that 34 years later I am alive and healthy and I am relieved to know that if that should change SHARE will be there to help. As long as women are diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer there will be a need for SHARE.

I was the recipient of much information, help and kindness when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991. As a result of the information received I was able to make life saving decisions. Along with my doctor I decided on a lumpectomy rather than a mastectomy. This proved to be the right thing to do. Thank you SHARE.

I became a volunteer because SHARE was so helpful to me when I was diagnosed in 1996. I found it very comforting when I called the hotline and could speak with someone who understood the trauma of the newly diagnosed because she had experienced it. I joined a newly diagnosed group which provided both emotional support and a great deal of useful information. I continue to attend educational programs to keep up with the ever changing developments in breast cancer treatment and follow-up.

SHARE was a lifeline of emotional support and information at a very difficult moment. I don't know how my family and I would have survived that experience without their help.

A friend suggested that I contact SHARE, 25 years ago when, at the age of 41, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I found the support I needed to get through the trauma of the diagnosis, the recovery from surgery and the disorientation of life post-treatment. I began teaching yoga in their wellness program and continued offering classes for the next 20 years. I also serve on the Advisory Committee for Latina SHARE. SHARE has provided a safe, nurturing environment which has been an invaluable tool for me and thousands of others as we move along our healing paths.

Share is very effective in guiding women who have been diagnosed with or are living with breast or ovarian cancer. They have many programs that help them deal and live with these deseases through the many "FREE" programs they provide throughout the year. They also have a "Hotline" where you can call in and talk and ask questions of a "Survivor" who has been trained to help you.

SHARE offers breast and ovarian cancer survivors a way to keep up with the ever-changing developments in cancer care with meetings and lectures featuring prominent oncologists, cancer survivors, leaders of major advocacy groups, such as the National Breast Cancer Coalition, and legislators discussing health-care reform. It also provides many different support groups, including breast and ovarian cancer, caregivers and lymphedema, to name a few. The organization also offers national hotlines to help breast and ovarian cancer survivors cope emotionally and get information on attending support groups in their area and phone numbers and websites on obtaining financial support, such as Medicaid.

Women with Ovarian Cancer bonding together and sharing they're experience. The camraderie amongst these ladies informs me that I'm not alone. Tons of information is shared along with up to date health status. Also with women with breast cancer as well.

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, SHARE volunteers helped me overcome feelings of fear, confusion, and aloneness, and showed me the strength of self-help, peer groups in developing a feeling of empowerment in the face of this disease. Later on, as a volunteer, I was able to help other women go through this same process. SHARE was a pioneer in emotional support for women, by women who had walked in the same shoes.

they were very supportive when i was first dx with breast cancer. they gave me the strength i needed to keeping fighting, Alex and Ivis without them i could not have done it they were their 24/7 for me and so were the other survivors from the spanish support group. thank you Ivis keep doing the work you do for us at the latina share

My first contact with SHARE was nearly 10 years ago when I was newly diagnosed with breast cancer and joined a SHARE-sponsored support group. Almost immediately I was thinking of ways to "give back," training first as a Hotline volunteer and then going through a series of scientific advocacy trainings. SHARE has taught me that there is more to do than worry.

My first contact with SHARE was through their survivor hotline. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I felt so isolated and confused. It was shocking and surreal. Speaking to someone who was a survivor was a blessing. I am so thankful for the voice on the other end of the phone that helped me through this challenging time. She knew what I was going through and became a valuable member of my support network. I also thank my primary care physician, a breast cancer survivor, for recommending that I call SHARE.

It doesn't matter your educational level or how in control you think you are, when you hear the doctor say "cancer" your world seems to stop. The isolation and fear can be overwhelming for the patient as well as the family. What could be more comforting than to have someone say "I understand, I've been through it"---that is what SHARE is all about. There are many organization that focus on research and finding a cure but for the people going through it right now there is SHARE.

I was diagnosed with late stage breast cancer and was set very much apart from ordinary life.I needed to learn more about the disease that was at the least changing my life drastically or at the most taking it completely. At Share I found an organization that offered the medical information I needed to understand what was happening to me within an environment that was emotionally nourishing. I also realized that my diagnosis put me in the position of being able to make a unique contribution to others. Share enabled me to do that by including me into their group going to Washington D.C. to lobby for medical research. In addition, I needed help to regain physical strength after very extreme surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Once again Share came through as their exercise program was geared to do just that. I am now feeling well and involved in an active life. Every once in a while I come in contact with a woman who has been newly diagnosed. It is always the same-- this woman is scared, bewildered,demoralized. Share is there, Share will help, Share's reason for being continues.

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990, and then again when I got hit with both breast and fallopian cancer in 2007, SHARE was a mainstay of support and information. The 1990 experience included a support group of women like myself -- premenopausal with young children -- which helped to lessen my isolation as a younger person with an older woman's disease. In 2007, again I found myself in a minority, this time with a BRCA mutation. And again, particularly through SHARE's peer referral system, I was able to talk with women who had also been diagnosed with a mutation and had to deal with the cancers and multiple surgeries and procedures that followed.

I joined SHARE soon after I was operated on for endometrial cancer. It was the link I needed between dealing with the fear and getting my life back. When I joined I believe I was the first hot line volunteer with EC. Helping others for the time I was involved helped me also. Great Great organization!!

Share was a blessing for me with the support groups and educational lectures for breast cancer. A tremendous source of updated information about breast cancer.

Share was an invaluable help to me when I had breast cancer and in recovery. The hot line volunteer was so helpful and comforting, the support group exactly what I needed during treatment, and I have greatly appreciated all the auxiliary activities Share sponsored or referred me to (recently a Qi Gong class at St. Vincent's) to ensure my continued health.

SHARE's services to the Spanish speaking community are unique in many ways. They offer support groups that not only serve the cancer survivors but their friends and family alike. SHARE has develop programs to address the needs of this community like no other organization in NYC has done. SHARE provides education, advocacy and nutrition programs in Spanish, to name a few. The latest idea, a novella to educate young Latinas about breast cancer. The attention to the needs and realities of this particular community is what makes SHARE, and particularly its LatinaSHARE Program such a success.

SHARE is an extremely important organization. They provide support & info for people who are dx'ed & dealing w/cancer in their lives. They are there for U at one of the most scary & anxiety-ridden times of your life.

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 4 years ago and went through major surgery and chemotherapy. Because of the rarity of the disease, local patients and survivors were few and far between. I went to the Internet and found acor and through them, SHARE. Even at a distance of 3000 miles, thanks to the Internet I have been able to acquire information via SHARE.

I found SHARE's services quite helpful when I was getting treated for breast cancer. They always have people available on their hotlines. I have also attended many educational programs and other activities that they sponsor. They are a great support to women being treated for breast and ovarian cancer as well as to their families.

SHARE provides peer suppport to women with breast or ovarian cancer and their families. It also educates and empowers them to effectively cope with their illness. SHARE is there for cancer survivors both during and after diagnosis and treatment.

I have worked with a number of non-profits in New York City, but few are as dedicated to empowering the people with whom they work as SHARE. Everyone - from staff to volunteers - is a survivor who is using her experience to educate and inspire others. SHARE gives people affected by cancer the hope and support they need to live their lives more fully than ever.

I attended programs at SHARE throughout my journey with breast cancer, from diagnosis, through various stages of surgery and treatment, to living cancer-free. At each step, SHARE had something to offer that was informative, e.g., latest advancements in treatments, sanity-enhancing, e.g., newly-diagnosed support group and a post-treatment support group, or just fun, e.g., Pilates classes. In my experience, every SHARE activity has been of the highest quality presented by caring, attentive, smart women, most of whom have been where I have.

I was introduced to SHARE soon after I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. I knew little about the disease & was very frightened at the prospect of surgery and chemotherapy. From the moment I spoke with the hotline director, I began to feel hopeful, as if I did not have to go through cancer alone and could have some control over the direction my life had taken. I joined a support group, attended informational workshops that gave me knowledge and support that empowered me to make treatment decisions and life decisions. My support group continues to meet several times a year & we will celebrate our ninth anniversary of being cancer-free next fall. I continue my connection SHARE as a volunteer on the hotline and in fundraising activities. SHARE operates on a shoe-string budget with a dedicated staff and volunteers. I have worked for non-profit organizations for 40 years and can honestly say that SHARE accomplishes more with less than any other organization I have ever seen.

Calling SHARE was the single best thing I did for myself when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993. Even though I had a loving family and wonderful friends, I felt terrified and alone in facing this crisis. A good friend urged me to contact SHARE, and I soon found myself in a support group with other recently-diagnosed women who knew what I was going through and how I felt, and with whom I could "share" my greatest fears and darkest thoughts without worrying about their reactions. The group was led by a breast cancer survivor who showed me that I could and would get past this crisis. This group was such a source of information, support, and inspiration for me, that I honestly feel that SHARE saved my life. I went on to become a support group facilitator myself and later a SHARE board member. With the help of a very small, dedicated staff, and a limited budget, SHARE makes it possible for legions of volunteers, most of whom have been through breast or ovarian cancer themselves, to help many others in need. SHARE is one of the few organizations where Hispanic women, women with ovarian cancer, and women with metastatic cancer can find help and support from others just like them. I only wish that SHARE had the resources to expand and extend its services to everyone who needs them.

Share helped me enormously as both a patient/client and then as a volunteer. Their counseling services and then their support groups helped me get through a very difficult and potentially life-threatening time in my life. I was so impressed with them that I subsequently became a volunteer and advocate, attending a training weekend in Washington. Thank you for empowering me and keep up the good work!

SHARE is an outstanding organization. I first heard about it from Elaine Lowenstein (may she rest in peace) in 1986. Gloria G.

This organization does amazing things for women (and their family members and others) who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis. I think that my group was the single most supportive and positive experience during the my treatment and recovery and was very helpful in dealing with the every day issues that arise. It deserves all the support it can get.

In 1995, I developed and directed the first direct service ovarian cancer program in the country which SHARE was starting as a new adjunct to its breast cancer program. It paralleled the breast program's services: hot line, support groups, wellness and educational programs. During my time at SHARE, we also started a project titled "SOS, SHARE OVARIAN SURVIVORS" dedicated to raising awareness for the need of early detection of a disease which was and continues to be difficult to diagnose in it earliest stages. Using ovarian cancer survivors/volunteers we spoke to groups in the medical community and the community at large (women's groups) about what it took to be diagnosed, what happened afterwards and where we were in our journey at that point. It was an extremely effective form of communication and a means of raising awareness for early detection. As we know, the experiential can be a very powerful tool to reach others.

This extraordinary organization offers services free of charge with a hot line, education programs, peer support groups and patient navigators. SHARE provides comfort and support for those newly diagnosed, in treatment, post treatment and metastatic. SHARE provides evidence based information to women to help them with decision making in their treatments. SHARE also has volunteers who focus on advocacy through legislation and science to be able to inform women on evidence based medicine, and quality care. These advocates also sit on committees and boards in decision making positions on breast and ovarian cancer health care and research funding. SHARE has been in existence for over 30 years. it has a small staff and a dedicated group of volunteers serving over 30,000 women and their families each year

Share has been an incredible force in my life. The women that I have met there will always be great friends, confidants and sisters in the fight of our lives. We Share with each other and help each other to find information. As a young woman diagnosed with breast cancer, I found it incredibly empowering to meet other women so willing to share their experiences with me in order to make mine easier to deal with. I enjoyed giving back in the same way. And it was therapeutic for me to do that at that time in my life.

When I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer more than 18 years ago, I was shocked, emotionally and psychologically broken, wrote a will and thought I was going to die. My partner had a friend who recommended SHARE. When I thought my days were numbered, SHARE became my lifeline, and I met the most caring, knowledgeable, empowering, supportive, loving women I could ever have imagined. I became attended support groups, shared my story which helped to help others advocate for themselves through the labyrinth of hospitals, doctors and insurance. My love of SHARE and what it has accomplished over the years has no boundaries. While I am no longer involved on a weekly basis, SHARE knows that they can count on my support anytime.

My oncologist told me about SHARE. I was very glad for the support it provided. For me, the yoga sessions at the office were especially helpful for the calmness and inclusiveness as much as the yoga itself. Roberta Shein was a welcoming a presence as anyone could have asked. I also appreciated the few workshops or presentations I was able to attend. The "fireside chats" with Dr. Larry Norton was particularly informative.

When I was first diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 1995, SHARE put me in touch with a survivor. At that time, I didn't know that women could survive this deadly disease. She gave me hope and support in those first trying months. Now fifteen years later, I do the same for others who call the Hotline.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and knew absolutely no one with the disease. By attending support groups at SHARE, I found so many women I could really talk to. The sense of community then and now is amazing. The level-headed information presented by speakers, by peer counselors and by patients, has helped all along the way. SHARE makes it possible for people to volunteer using their talents. I love this organization.

Share has been an amazing experience for me. Wonderful with warm caring women, provides current information and I am able to reach out and help.I am volunteer on hotline and occasionally volunteer on other outreach projects and advocacy

I have been familiar with the work of SHARE for many years. I know how many women the organization has helped. Many have said to me that SHARE saved their lives. My work with the organization was extremely satisfying and I continue to refer women to the organization whenever I meet someone who is going through breast or ovarian cancer or who has suspicious symptoms. There is nothing like peer support and having someone who understands what you are going through walking beside you.

Hearing women say "SHARE is saving my life" became a cliche, so often did I hear women, and some husbands, express their response to the support they were receiving from SHARE's many programs. As a long time breast cancer survivor and social worker, I experienced SHARE both as a recipient of its multiple services and as a volunteer able to evaluate its effectiveness. I found SHARE's educational programs invaluable, from quality of life self-care issues to cutting edge research presentations. Looking back, what stays with me most is the rich sense of community and emotional support I felt being with other women who struggled with the same things I had, and how vital I felt SHARE to be to my sense of well-being.

As a breast cancer survivor myself I have found it very meaningful to talk with women who are going through the trauma of a breast cancer diagnosis. When I am able to be helpful it is very gratifying. I have found that Share has played a big role in the lives of countless callers who have found a lifeline in finding someone from the hotline or among our peers who they feel can understand what they are going through. The fact that Share offers support groups and educational programs at no cost is also gratifying to our members. I have found that my volunteer work on the hotline has been both meaningful and gratifying.

After a year or so of receiving their help, I became involved with SHARE's lobby program up in Albany, NY and in Washington DC. It was not just rewarding, but empowering to belong to SHARE! I was very happy to be able to give back for the sake of any who follow because I'd been helped. I don't currently volunteer, but it's an organization, a group of people I keep very close to my heart.

SHARE is a critical, invaluable resource for women who have been diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancer. The hotline allows you to call and be matched with someone who can help you through a scary, confusing time. The support groups are well-facilitated. The advice is current and thoughtful, and the information is reliable. Additionally, SHARE runs and connects you to programs and seminars discussing the latest research and findings. I recommend SHARE to anyone dealing with Breast or Ovarian Cancer, whether for themselves or ones they care about.

I found Share Self-help to be a gusher (as opposed to fountain) of compassionate caring and crucial support during our time of need. We went to a variety of fascinating didactic educational programs; and one we found a speaker who we would eventually reach out to from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who would eventually be her attending physician. We also had a chance to interact and benefit from their extraordinary executive director on various occasions. I unequivocally recommend this wonderful support organization to breast and ovarian cancer fighters and their caregivers and support system.

I was diagnosed at age 42 with breast cancer in 2001. I didn't know who to turn to to get support or information until a friend told me about SHARE. Through their support group meetings and informational meetings about a variety of subjects, I got through the breast cancer treatment, a reaction to the post treatment medications and then a double prophetic mastectomy and the decision as to which type of reconstruction I should get. There was one informational meeting that I think saved my life: lymphedema. I was taught at that meeting that if I get a fever and redness in my affected arm, to go to the ER right away because it could be cellulites. Turns out, that's exactly what happened and if I had not known how serious it was, I would not have gone to the ER. I was told at the ER that I could have died from that infection (which turned out to be from a simple mosquito bite on my affected arm). None of my doctors told me about the dangers of lymphedema, but Share did. So I want to give a big THANK YOU to Share. Sincerely, Jen Serpenti

A great organization to advocate for breast cancer research, better treatment of minorities, lobby for more funding and disseminate up to date information on the state of the art of caring for breast cancer and ovarian cancer patients

Share is a wonderful grass-roots organization that keeps evolving to address the needs of women with breast and ovarian cancer. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to make a decision about my treatment, I called the hot line and talked to someone who helped me brainstorm. Later, when I was considering whether to have reconstruction after a bilateral mastectomy, I called the hot line and was paired with a peer match: a woman who had had a mastectomy without reconstruction who talked to me frankly about what it felt like, how she dressed, whether she had regrets. I was so moved by the help I got from Share that I now volunteer on the hot line myself!

I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1997 and had a recurrence in 2000. It was at that time that I new I wanted to volunteer at an organization that helped women cope with ovarian cancer. I trained as a hotline volunteer my first year and have spoken to hundreds of women calling with questions or fears regarding ovarian cancer. Thru this wonderful organization I have met hundreds of women who have been my strength and support as an ovarian cancer survivor and after 2003 a breat breast cancer survivor also.I hope every breast and/or ovarian cancer survivor knows of there services.

I am a triple negative breast cancer survivor with 8 1/2 years as a survivor. Excellent information is provided to anyone regardless of where you live. Greatr resource and outstanding services.

I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1988, before people spoke about it. I wanted to make sure that no one else faced it panic-stricken and alone so I talked about breast cancer all the time. When friends were diagnosed, I was usually one of the early calls. I knew SHARE was exceptionally effective when the go-it-alone professional women with whom I worked stayed in the support groups that they had agreed to attend only once. One friend's group continued to meet independently for many years after they had completed the program at SHARE. Now I speak in SHARE's new corporate seminar program on breast and ovarian cancer. You can see that the survivors are reaching participants with our stories and that they are thinking about the reality of these diseases differently, I hope in a way that will change how they manage the health of their whole family. The program is frequently invited to return, which shows that the companies also consider the initiative effective. With a corps of dedicated staff and volunteers, SHARE has an amazing impact for a relatively small organization.