The cancer diagnosis was unexpected. At 42, Amy Rowley was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer) in April 2017. “I had a flexible work schedule, good health insurance, grandparents, and other support and it was still really hard,” recalls Rowley. She wondered how families managed who were missing any one of these things.
Amy is a wife, mother, and business owner. “As I neared the end of my active treatment (chemo, surgery, radiation), I recognized a need locally for a nonprofit organization to assist local families with the non-medical costs of cancer. My goal is to ease the burden of cancer by offsetting some household expenses for Thurston, Lewis and Grays Harbor County families, hopefully avoiding bankruptcy, maintaining stable housing, and reducing stress,” she adds. The result was her founding of The Mayday Foundation in 2018.
The Mayday Foundation, a 501(c)(3), provides immediate, practical financial support for non-medical expenses like rent, utilities, groceries, transportation costs and other household expenses. With medical expenses being the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States, it is not a surprise that any family dealing with cancer will have unexpected expenses. “Eighty percent of the people we have helped had never asked for help before,” says Rowley. Since its inception, The Mayday Foundation has raised nearly $1 million that has assisted 148 families.
The Mayday Foundation works closely with social workers at regional cancer centers to identify local families in need. Those eligible for help may include a person in active treatment or a member of the immediate family including a child. The person must live or receive treatment in Thurston, Grays Harbor, or Lewis counties.
The emphasis is on immediate, practical household support so a parent can focus on treatment and regaining strength for the betterment of the whole family. All payments are made directly to third parties on behalf of the family. For example, rent checks are mailed to the landlord. In some cases, gas and grocery gift cards will be supplied. No funds are given to families directly and none pay for healthcare-related expenses. The Mayday Foundation gives short-term support as families work out long-term solutions.
To inquire about financial help for your family, email help@maydayfoundation.org.
For Additional Information
The Mayday Foundation
maydayfoundation.org
BY MARY ELLEN PSALTIS