The Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Foundation’s mission is “to provide financial assistance to those across Canada who have been diagnosed with breast cancer”
With any cancer diagnosis many patients are at a loss; not only has their world been turned upside down and their health / life now at risk, many will now also experience financial worries that may never have existed before. Loss of income, Medication, Transportation Cost, all of these can manifest into a huge concern, especially for those that are self-employed, homemakers or those that do not have extended health benefits through their employment. Government assistance is also not available to many who are in the early stages of cancer.
Through personal experience, the charity realized that battling for your life is a very tough challenge with physical, emotional, mental and financial battles to overcome. In realizing this it was decided to try and help as many breast cancer patients as possible since the foundation was started in 2000, specifically to help fill that financial void as much as we can. All money raised is put into a trust and patients make a formal application with their financial requests. Every year, every week the need for assistance is constantly on the rise with an average of over 10 applications per week being received.
While there are many other organizations raising money for breast cancer, the majority of those monies raised goes towards research thereby not helping the patient’s with their financial crisis. This is where the Kelly Shires Foundation is different in that ALL money raised goes directly to the breast cancer patients, not research – DIRECTLY TO THOSE WHO NEED IT NOW!!!
The Kelly Shires Foundation has been primarily supported by funds raised through the Snow Run www.breastcancersnowrun.org. In April 2010 the newest chapter, TraX4 Breast Cancer, www.trax4bc.com an ATV event was launched in Ontario, as the increase in demand in assistance was quickly resulting in a shortage of funds. As of 2023, The Kelly Shires foundation raised over $8.3 million dollars dedicated towards breast cancer patients requiring financial assistance.
For more information on the Kelly Shires Foundation or to learn more about Kelly’s Legacy please go to www.kellyshiresfoundation.org