Commitment of ABCD Mentors & Y-ME Peer Alumnae Means Rapidly Expanding Helpline Hours
ABCD’s Helpline, which provides One-to-One personal support from trained breast cancer survivors, has been busy. Expanded and enhanced in November 2012 with an influx of volunteer support from seasoned former Y-ME Hotline Peer Counselors, ABCD’s 14 year-old Helpline serves people from across the country.
The Helpline now takes calls from 9 am – 5 pm central time with prompt call back service to those calling outside of those hours. It is “staffed” by original ABCD Mentors and Y-ME “Alumnae” who have all completed special ABCD Helpline training. Hours will expand as additional members of the existing ABCD 300+ Mentor Corps complete Helpline training. Later in 2013, ABCD will host new mentor training in multiple locations throughout the country.
Helpline Mentors take shifts from their homes throughout the nation and in early summer Helpline hours will expand to 9 am – 9 pm central time Monday through Friday. The addition of weekend hours will swiftly follow. 24/7 One-to-One personal support is anticipated no later than December 2013.
Y-ME, one of the oldest breast cancer support organizations in the world, closed its doors in July 2012 after 34 years. Its primary service was a 24/7 hotline supported entirely by breast cancer survivors. Promptly upon Y-ME’s closing, ABCD’s Board decided to immediately expand ABCD’s Helpline as the return of 24/7 personal support was vital to the breast cancer community.
Today, all calls placed to Y-ME’s former 800 number and visits to its web site are directed to ABCD. If desired, callers to ABCD’s Helpline experience a seamless connection with ABCD’s signature service, One-to-One individualized mentor matching.
A distinctive aspect of ABCD’s Helpline includes direct connection to the many other support services breast cancer patients and their loved ones often seek – even if providing that connection requires ABCD to do additional research.
All of ABCD’s services are free and available to patients, families and friends.
To read the original announcement of the ABCD/Y-ME Alumnae partnership, click here.
