The Breathing Room Foundation

THE FOUNDATION IS ORGANIZED TO PROVIDE AID AND SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES SUFFERING WITH THE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES OF CANCER.

BRF'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED CARE AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY CANCER BY ADDRESSING THEIR MOST CRITICAL NEEDS SO THAT THEY CAN CONCENTRATE THEIR EFFORTS ON REGAINING THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1997, BRF HAS WORKED TO BUILD A COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING THE DEVESTATING EFFECTS OF A CANCER DIAGNOSIS. FOUNDERS DIANE AND BERNIE FITZGERALD'S VISION FOR BRF WAS SPARKED BY DIANE'S ONGOING BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER AS THEY PARENTED THREE YOUNG CHILDREN. DIANE AND BERNIE NOTICED THAT THE TREMENDOUS SUPPORT THEY RECEIVED FROM THEIR LARGE FAMILY AND TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY DID NOT EXIST FOR OTHER FAMILIES FACING THE SAME HURDLES, SO THEY FOUNDED BRF TO CREATE THAT SUPPORT FOR OTHERS. SINCE THAT TIME, BRF, A 501C3 ORGANIZATION, HAS SERVED OVER 15,000 CANCER PATIENTS AND 43,000 FAMILY MEMBERS. IN THIS SERVICE, BRF BELIEVES ALL RECIPIENTS AND VOLUNTEERS MAKE UP ONE COMMUNITY, ONE FAMILY, FIGHTING CANCER TOGETHER. TO THAT END, BRF PARTNERS WITH HOSPITALS AND CANCER TREATMENT FACILITIES IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION TO EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY MEET THE NEEDS OF CANCER PATIENTS IN OUR FIVE COUNTY SERVICE AREA. SOCIAL WORKERS AT EACH PARTNER INSTITUTION ASSESS PATIENT DIAGNOSIS AND NEED TO ENSURE THEY FIT THE BRF MISSION. ONCE A PATIENT IS REFERRED TO BRF, A STAFF PERSON CALLS THE PATIENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES AND NEEDS AND TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR HOW BRF CAN OFFER THEM "BREATHING ROOM" FROM THEIR ONGOING BATTLE AND EVERYDAY STRESS. OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS THEN GO TO WORK FULFILLING EACH FAMILY'S NEEDS. OUR HELP ALLOWS PATIENTS TO CONCENTRATE ON TREATMENT AND RECOVERY WITH THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEIR FAMILIES' BASIC NEEDS WILL BE MET. BRF RELIEVES THE FINANCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL BURDENS INDIVIDUALS FACE WHILE BATTLING CANCER THROUGH ITS FOUR MAJOR PROGRAMS: COMFORT PROGRAM, CRITICAL NEEDS FUND, CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS AND BREAKING BARRIERS.COMFORT PROGRAM: EACH FAMILY RECEIVES SUPPORT FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. THIS SUPPORT IS INDIVIDUALIZED TO EACH FAMILY'S NEEDS BUT OFTEN INCLUDES DELIVERIES OF HOME-COOKED MEALS AND GROCERIES, HOUSE CLEANING OR YARD WORK AND OFFERINGS OF COMFORT ITEMS AND GAS OR GROCERY STORE GIFT CARDS. BRF ENSURES ALL OF THIS SUPPORT IS ACCOMPANIED BY PERSONAL TOUCHES, INCLUDING GREETING CARDS, PHONE CALLS, AND OTHER COMMUNICATION TO CHECK IN ON FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THEIR CANCER JOURNEYS- ALL DESIGNED TO ENSURE NO ONE FEELS ALONE IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.CRITICAL NEEDS FUND: INITIALLY, FAMILIES ARE OFFERED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR A ONE-TIME PAYMENT, MADE DIRECTLY TO THE VENDOR, FOR SUCH NEEDS AS RENT OR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE TO STOP FAMILIES FROM BEING EVICTED, UTILITY BILLS TO KEEP THE HEAT OR WATER ON, OR MEDICAL BILLS.CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS: BECAUSE WE REALIZE THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN BECOMES A MAIN CONCERN WHEN A FAMILY MEMBER IS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, WE CONCENTRATE A LARGE PORTION OF OUR EFFORTS ON ENSURING THE CHILDREN IMPACTED BY CANCER, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THEIR OWN DIAGNOSIS OR THAT OF A FAMILY MEMBER, CONTINUE TO HAVE POSITIVE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES. WE HOLD ANNUAL PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE EASTER BASKETS, FULFILL HOLIDAY WISH LISTS, DELIVER ALL-INCLUSIVE THANKSGIVING DINNERS, AND OFFER SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND BACKPACKS TO EACH FAMILY.BREAKING BARRIERS: AS DESCRIBED IN MORE DETAIL BELOW, BREAKING BARRIERS ASSISTS IN REMOVING BARRIERS TO CANCER CARE, WITHOUT A ONE-YEAR LIMIT TO SERVICES. THE GREATEST NEED WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IS TRANSPORTATION, SO BRF PROVIDES RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR RECIPIENTS TO GET TO AND FROM CANCER TREATMENTS. CANCER TREATMENT SAVES LIVES- BUT ONLY THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO CAN SHOW UP. TRAGICALLY, TOO MANY CANCER PATIENTS LACK THE RESOURCES OR SUPPORT TO CONSISTENTLY ATTEND CANCER TREATMENT. THE PURPOSE OF BRF'S BREAKING BARRIERS PROGRAM IS TO TEAR DOWN OBSTACLES SO THAT CANCER PATIENTS CAN SHOW UP FOR THEIR LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT. OFTEN THIS PROGRAM SERVES A LIFELINE TO RECENTLY DIAGNOSED PATIENTS TO RELY ON UNTIL THEY AND THEIR SOCIAL WORKERS CAN LOCATE AND APPLY FOR OTHER TRANSPORATION RESOURCES OR WHEN FAMILY MEMBERS OR SHUTTLE SERVICES ARE UNAVAILABLE ON CERTAIN DAYS OF TREATMENT. WITH AN EFFORT TO SUSTAIN AND ADVANCE THE BREAKING BARRIERS PROGRAM, BRF HAS HIRED A STAFF MEMBER TO COORDINATE SERVICES AS WELL AS FACILITATE COLLABORATION IN THE PHILADELPHIA COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT BROADER SOLUTIONS TO THE TRANSPORTATION GAP. BRF PARTNERS WITH ROUNDTRIP HEALTH TO PROVIDE DOOR-TO-DOOR RIDE SERVICES FROM A PATIENT'S HOME TO THEIR TREATMENT FACILITY, TAKING AWAY THE ANXIETY OF LACK OF TRANSPORTATION. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS LACK OF TRANSPORTATION DOES NOT STOP AT ANXIETY. IN FACT, EVEN JUST TWO MISSED RADIATION APPOINTMENTS INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD A CANCER SURVIVOR WILL EXPERIENCE A RECURRENCE OR DISEASE BY 9%. BUT, RESEARCH FROM THE SYDNEY KIMMEL CANCER CENTER AT JEFFERSON HEALTH IN PHILADELPHIA IDENTIFIED PATIENT-FOCUSED TRANSPORTATION PLATFORMS, LIKE ROUNDTRIP HEALTH THAT BRF UTILIZES, AS A SOLUTION ENSURES "ONCOLOGY PATIENTS ARE MORE COMPLIANT WITH TREATMENT REGIMENS." IN FACT, JEFFERSON HEALTH SOCIAL WORKERS REFER PATIENTS TO BRF'S BREAKING BARRIERS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AT ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES. ON TOP OF THE LASTING CRITICAL NEEDS FOR TRANSPORTATION TO CANCER TREATMENT THAT EXISTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, DOCTORS CONTINUE TO ADVISE CANCER PATIENTS NOT TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION OR OTHER SHARED RIDE OPTIONS, INCREASING THE NEED FOR SAFE, RELIABLE, PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION. TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING UNMET NEED, BREAKING BARRIERS WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS:DIRECT RIDES THROUGH ROUNDTRIP HEALTH: IF RIDES ARE NEEDED, BRF REGISTERS THE PATIENT IN THE ROUNDRTIP PORTAL SO THAT THE REFERRING PARTNER, USUALLY A HOSPITAL OR SOCIAL WORKER, CAN THEN SCHEDULE THE NECESSARY RIDES FOR THE PATIENT. BRF THEN PAYS THE COST DIRECTLY TO ROUNDTRIP. SINCE NOVEMBER 2018, BRF HAS PARTNERED WITH ROUNDTRIP. THIS INNOVATIVE COMPANY EMPOWERS HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO COORDINATE RIDES ONLINE AND WITH MOBILE TOOLS TO MAKE REQUESTING TRANSPORTATION SEAMLESS. IN 2021, BRF PROVIDED 5,603 RIDES THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND IN 2022, THE PROGRAM GREW TO PROVIDE 7,000 RIDES THROUGH ROUNDTRIP. FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAMS IN GAINED THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS, CORPORATE SPONSORS, FOUNDATION GRANTS, FUNDRAISING EVENTS AND IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS.