This Ties That Bind Us is sponsored by Matt The Carpet Guy.
REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - The Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition is working to ensure no one faces breast cancer alone by providing education, financial assistance, screenings, and survivor support to patients.
The coalition provides services ranging from screenings and educational programs to mentorship and survivor support for people battling breast cancer.
In addition to emotional support, the organization also helps patients manage financial burdens such as copays and other treatment-related expenses.
Over the years, the coalition has hosted several fundraising events, including Dewey Goes Pink, an event that raised more than $380,000 to support breast cancer education efforts.
But for Meridith Rothstein, one of a small group of employees at the nonprofit organization, this work is far more personal. She assists the coalition with its tasks of helping breast cancer patients find support, education, and financial assistance. Rothstein understands the fear and uncertainty that come with a diagnosis because she is a survivor herself.
Rothstein was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 while living in Anchorage, Alaska. She said the diagnosis came during her first mammogram.
“I went for my first mammogram, and there was nothing on the left side,” Rothstein says. “When the right side came up, I could see what looked kind of like a spider.”
Now, she uses her experience to connect with newly diagnosed patients and reassure them they are not facing cancer alone.
“When someone gets newly diagnosed, we’re there to let them know, ‘Hey, I’ve been through this. Let me walk with you,’' Rothstein tells CoastTV.
The coalition’s staff includes several cancer survivors, something Rothstein said helps strengthen relationships with patients seeking guidance during treatment.
In addition to emotional support, the organization also helps patients manage financial burdens such as copays and other treatment-related expenses.
“I see so much change in the patients when you say, ‘Well, don’t worry about that, I’ll get those things covered,’” says Rothstein. “You just see those shoulders relax, and it’s already so much when someone says to you, ‘You have cancer.’”
While the work can be emotionally difficult, especially when patients lose their battles with cancer, Rothstein said the mission continues to drive her forward.
“Losing patients is hard,” she says. “I promise them, in your honor, I will continue. We will fight. We will find the end to this.
For the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, the mission extends beyond treatment, ensuring that no one faces breast cancer alone.