Recipient Stories

Dance for the Cure has served women residing in Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset Counties who are going through financial difficulty due to a diagnosis of breast cancer. Patients reach out to Dance for the Cure through their doctors, hospital social workers, community members, family or friends.

To date Dance for the Cure has gifted over $1,400,000 to the individuals identified by the pink ribbons on the map below. Our recipients are extremely grateful for the monetary gift which has great value in their time of need. To know that others care about them and are willing to help make their lives a bit easier by helping with a medical bill, transportation to treatment, childcare costs, food for their family, or other daily costs of living brings joy to them as they navigate through a difficult time.

Each ribbon on the map below represents a Dance for the Cure recipient.

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Co-Founders Corner | Holding a Household Together

Co-Founders' Corner Co-founder Corner is a series where we share what we see and hear through our work with local breast cancer patients. These stories reflect the everyday realities behind each request for support and the many ways your generosity makes a difference. One of the things we hear most often from the women who contact Dance for the Cure is concern for everyone else. Before they talk about themselves, they talk about their children. They talk about an aging parent

Sharline Leslie, In Her Own Words

My name is Sharline Leslie and like so many others, my life changed the moment I heard the words “you have breast cancer.” In an instant, everything felt uncertain—my health, my future, and how I would continue to show up for my family during such a frightening time. As a mother, I’ve always been used to being the strong one, the caretaker, the person holding everything together. But cancer has a way of humbling you. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed, scared, and em

Milena Alfaro, In Her Own Words

Twice the Battle, Twice the Strength: My Journey as a Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor In 2020, at just 32 years old, I faced the battle...

Jessica Martinez, In Her Own Words

“Step by step, day by day” is the motto I live by. You never know how strong you truly are until life forces you to find out. My name is...

Melissa Kurdyla, In Her Own Words

Hello there, my name is Melissa Kurdyla. For anyone that knows me, they know that I can handle mostly anything that comes my way without...

Meredith Pisaeno, In Her Own Words

August of 2023 was just like every other month....until it wasn't. I had just finished my fifth half Ironman (1.2 mile swim/56 mile...

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OwnWords

I wanted to thank you all for your generosity. It means that world to me that we have incredible organizations, such as your own, looking after those recovering from breast cancer. Upon my complete recovery, I look forward to working with you and the rest of the team to give back in any way I can.

Thanks to Dance for the Cure for helping me to deal with my cancer in an informed way because the woman I spoke to was very willing to share her story with me and give me encouragement and hope which to a cancer patient are invaluable assets. The check I received went a long way to paying doctor's bills.

I'm blessed with all my family, friends, and now Dance for the cure. l would like to thank you for all your help and support you have given me and all the women during this journey.

Your check came at a time when I really needed it and I can’t thank you enough.

Words can’t express what your kindness and generosity mean to me. I am thankful for people like you . God Bless.

From the bottom of my heart I thank you all so very much. It feels like a Boulder has been lifted from my shoulders.

From the depths of my heart I have been so touched by your amazingly generous help during the course of my breast cancer treatment. I would not have been able to get through this without your financial help.

I can never thank you enough and I will never forget your generosity.

Thank you, indeed, for your generous and kind donation. I appreciate that you have given me the financial help that I needed.

Thank you so much for your organization and for all that you do.

Social Security is my only income so this check all help me with my medication and medical bills. Thank you so much.

Your support and generosity will help us to pay down our medical bills. We are so grateful.