Breast cancer is a huge challenge that can change a mother’s life and have a big impact on her family. Though it can feel like a lonely, isolating experience, it’s one that families don’t have to go through alone.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — the perfect time to highlight local resources that can take some of the stress out of the experience while giving everyone time to focus on healing. Here’s where to find support in the Baltimore area.
Fundraisers/Awareness
Community events can be a great boost to morale, and taking part in them can help support local cancer-fighting organizations and ongoing research.
BreastFest Baltimore
Hosted by national breast cancer organization The Tyanna Foundation, this event from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Copper Union in Baltimore benefits the Hoffberger Breast Center at Mercy Medical Center. Play games, sample food from local vendors and enter silent auctions with the funds raised going towards a good cause.
tyanna.org/events/breastfest-baltimore-2025
Making Strides of Baltimore
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is the largest network of breast cancer events in the United States. This year, through its non-competitive walking event at the Camden Yards Sports Complex in Baltimore it aims to raise $400,000 for the American Cancer Society. The fundraiser kicks off in Lot C at 8 a.m. Oct. 25.
instagram.com/makingstridesbaltimore
Local Support Groups
Battling breast cancer is a hard journey to do alone — and even with the support of family and friends, it can be helpful to lean on women who are going through it, too, and can provide support and encouragement.
Baltimore Cancer Support Group
This is a general cancer support group that meets on Mondays at the Carroll Nonprofit Center in Westminster and Thursdays at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Baltimore. The group also maintains a resource library that members can access at any time.
Living and Loving Life Support Circle
A support group specifically for breast cancer survivors, this group holds meetings on the third Monday of every month at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Weinberg 6/7 Learning Center and focuses on physical and mental self-care.
Breast Cancer Centers and Services
Navigating a major medical journey is that much easier at specialty centers that are designed to focus exclusively on that illness and can further connect families with resources.
The Jean Steirn Cancer Program
As part of Pro Bono Counseling, a Maryland-based free mental health organization, the Jean Steirn Cancer Program connects cancer patients and survivors with mental health professionals and gives them a space to work through mental health issues that may arise from dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Financial Support
Medical bills can put a lot of extra stress on families when their focus should be healing. Here are some options for financial assistance for patients.
Moveable Feast
For more than 30 years, Moveable Feast has been providing free, home-delivered meals to chronically ill people in Baltimore, including people with cancer. These meals are tailored to the specific nutritional needs of each recipient. Meal delivery volunteers also check up on each recipient, which is especially helpful for people with chronic illnesses who live alone.
The Red Devils
This Maryland-based organization helps fund treatments and resources for breast cancer patients, including transportation to and from doctors’ appointments, financial assistance with utilities and rent and massage therapy. The Red Devils has partnerships with 31 different hospitals in Maryland.
