NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: To Life!
Photos by Debi Gustafson
“When they leave and they have this new beautiful wig on and they have a huge smile on their face, or they receive a prosthetic breast and they feel more like a woman again…”
One thing that stuck with Allison Burton-Chase since she first interviewed for the executive director role she currently holds at the organization To Life!, is the patient-first mentality that rings true in everything they do – and what they do for the community carries immeasurable impact.
To Life! provides personalized support, tools for informed decision making, and enhances the quality of life for those affected by breast cancer in the Capital Region. They operate three different locations in Amsterdam, Saratoga Springs and Delmar, where their office space is.
Mara Ginsberg founded To Life! in 1998 after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 37. She wanted to provide the community with the welcoming space she felt was lacking in the conventional treatment world, to more comfortably navigate the challenges a diagnosis can bring. To Life! offers onsite medical counseling and information that ditches the typical hectic, impersonal, and sterile environment of a doctor’s office.
This philosophy is part of what drew Allison to the role back in January, after having worked in academia as a hereditary cancer and behavioral medicine researcher. She retains a strong passion for patient-provider relationships and teaching individuals to advocate for themselves.
“This opportunity [allowed me] to go from trying to train the next generation of providers to be good at their jobs and provide a good environment for individuals and families going through these very difficult situations, to [working] for an organization that directly allows people to learn these skills for themselves,” Burton-Chase said.
These advocacy skills are often translated through To Life!’s support group services. Their robust programming offers individuals the opportunity to connect with someone for every part of their battle. Their monthly group meetings offer support for everyone from newly diagnosed patients to those in a metastatic status. Positively Living is another group that meets for those navigating post-cancer diagnoses, where individuals are living as “survivors and thrivers.”
Peer mentoring is another crucial resource To Life! provides for those looking to connect with someone one-on-one, as opposed to a group setting. Their social worker Dana Pleskovic will match individuals with someone who can serve as a mentor during their experiences. Matches could be between two people who have been given the same kind of chemotherapy drug or even the same surgery, making sure to go beyond just comparable diagnoses.
Also pivotal to their commitment to care are their three boutiques that offer wig, hat, and scarf fittings as well as mastectomy fittings. Gina Patterson, who manages the Delmar Boutique, sees firsthand how these services touch the lives of those who utilize them.
“I see the clients firsthand here in Delmar and, especially when you’re talking about the wigs and a prosthetic breast, when they come in to do those appointments, you can see the nerves. But when they leave and they have this new beautiful wig on and they have a huge smile on their face, or they receive a prosthetic breast and they feel more like a woman again… that’s why it’s so important,” Patterson said.
Patterson worked in primary care medicine for close to 20 years, but she left her role once the pandemic hit to take care of her son. But the silver lining in it all was finding her place at To Life!. Patterson’s mother is a survivor of breast cancer, so the role just felt right, offering her a way to give back.
The boutiques accept insurance for fitting appointments. Those that don’t have insurance are still welcomed with open arms, as they have a variety of donated products available as well.
Patterson feels passionate about the way the boutiques provide a necessary service for those affected by breast cancer and hopes to see the organization reach broader communities.
“I hope to see it continue to expand. We currently have three locations and I’d like to see us get into some of the more underserved communities,” Patterson said.
Burton-Chase hopes for a similar expansion because like many nonprofits, the biggest challenge is often getting the word out. In doing so, this helps them receive the funding to offer their services for free, whether that be in their boutiques or allowing individuals to attend educational support retreats.
“My goal and dream is to be in a situation where we can provide new products to absolutely anyone who needs our services,” Burton-Chase said.
If there’s one team that can make this dream a reality, it’s the To Life! team. Everyone from the volunteers, to the four full time employees, 10 part time employees and Board members, are monumental in making up their small but mighty team, serving an even bigger purpose. Burton-Chase joined the organization as an outsider, but quickly saw the passion that drives the group.
“I am really lucky; I stepped into an organization with a fantastic group of people who are completely committed to making the world better in whatever way they can for individuals going through breast cancer, whether they’re a family member [or] the individual themselves,” she said.
By recognizing all the intricacies layered within such a challenging disease, the staff of To Life! helps make the lives of those affected by breast cancer just a little bit easier, and offers an encouraging toast to life.
To learn more about To Life! and the services they offer, visit their website at tolife.org.
