By Melissa Johnson
The Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation makes an important promise–that 100 percent of all donations go directly to researching a cure for breast cancer. Foundation sponsors preserve that promise by covering overhead so that funds raised go where they belong. So far, that means $5.5 million dollars funding 55 research grants since the foundation formed in 2006.
Amy Caster, TBBCF’s development and outreach director, explains the importance of the generous people and businesses who gift sponsorships, calling them “vital.” She says, “Our commitment of donating all gross fundraising dollars to breast cancer research is made possible by our amazing sponsors, who enable us to cover the operating expenses needed to run the foundation as well as the cost of our signature fundraising event, our annual Walk for a Cure.”
Kathryn Wayland, co-owner of Reynolds’ Subaru & Boats in Lyme, says, “We have been a proud sponsor of The Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation for over 14 years now. As a local family business serving the transportation needs of the shoreline community, we value our relationships with our local non-profits like TBBCF, which supports the same shoreline community. We know too many of our own family, our employees’ families, our customers’ families and our community’s families that have been diagnosed with cancer or are still battling a cancer diagnosis.”
She adds, “Breast cancer has a lot more success stories today than 14 years ago, because of organizations like the Terri Brodeur Foundation. We want more survivors. Their founding and board members are loyal and committed. For those reasons we will continue to support them. Please consider sponsoring them and let’s try to make next year’s walk have even more survivors. Together we can make a difference because we already have made a difference.”
For sponsor Tom Garbati, owner of Thomas Garbati Builders in Waterford, breast cancer hits home. His wife, Dennaye, is a five-year survivor and, as a clinical trial participant, she has directly contributed to the kind of research that TBBCF grants fund.
“It’s a good cause,” he says of TBBCF sponsorship. “They do a lot of good, and all money they raise (outside of sponsorship) goes directly to research. Sponsors are well deserved.”
His wife “was fortunate enough to have good doctors and she didn’t have to go through radiation or chemo,” he says. “The trial monitors patients to see how they’re doing and hopefully make sure their cancer doesn’t come back.”
Dennaye’s good friend Pam Watt helped her through her cancer every step of the way, Tom says. Dennaye supported Pam as a member of the walk team Pam’s Pink Posse for the past 13 years, even before she herself was diagnosed. The team has consistently been one of the top walk fundraisers, and that money goes straight to research thanks to sponsors handling other costs.
Seven levels of sponsorship exist to fit almost any business or individual budget, from opal ($100) to platinum ($10,000). Depending on their gift amount, sponsors receive perks including social media recognition; a story in TBBCF’s monthly newsletter; waived walk registration fees; their logo on walk shirts, correspondence, and walk signs; a sponsor table at walk closing ceremonies; company ad or name listed in the walk program; hyperlinked company logo on the TBBCF website homepage year-round and more.
For more information on sponsorship and to help TBBCF keep its promise, tbbcf.org/become-a-sponsor