Who We Are
Our mission
To make a positive difference in the lives impacted by breast cancer and bring awareness through our efforts.
Since forming this team in 2014, we’ve contributed $606,424 to support breast cancer needs!
Get Involved
Making a positive difference by becoming a volunteer.
Attend an Event
Join us for one of our upcoming events to raise funds for TBF.
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About Team Breast Friends
Team Breast Friends was founded by a group of Corridor women in 2014 to raise awareness about breast cancer and to help those affected by the disease.
Since then, the group has grown significantly and so has its impact, with $606,424 raised and donated to support local women and men going through breast cancer treatment, and to aid local families hit hard by the enormous cost of medical care.
Team Breast Friends is a registered 501(c)(3) that hosts several annual fund-raising events: the 5k Rack Run, held in October, and the Drive Away Breast Cancer Golf Outing, held in May.
We invite anyone who wishes to raise awareness about breast cancer or support our efforts through financial or in-kind support to join us!
Our Timeline
Since our founding in 2014 Team Breast Friends has been dedicated to providing resources and support to those affected by breast cancer in the Corridor. Over the years, we’ve made significant strides in the fight against breast cancer, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our team members and supporters.
The founding ladies recruited 9 new people and formed the Iowa City Hope Team. Iowa City Hope held a wine tasting party with door prizes, community nights at a local restaurant and started their 1st vendor sale with a live auction of donated items from the community to raise the dollars needed to participate in a larger difference.
The team trained and participated for the first time in the Susan G Komen 3 day, 60 mile walk, a spectacular life-changing fundraising event in Chicago, Illinois.
Iowa City Hope continued raising dollars for research, education and awareness and walked in the 3 day event in Minneapolis, Minnesota again.
Iowa City Hope changed their name to Breast Friends.
Additional members joined and participated with Breast Friends for 3 days in Phoenix, Arizona.
Breast Friends walked for 3 days in Dallas, Texas.
Breast Friends walked the streets and raised awareness in Chicago.
Breast Friends returned to Minneapolis with a few new members for the 3 day event in August.
Breast Friends switched gears to the Avon 2 day / 39 mile walk in Chicago. In October, Breast Friends stepped up their fundraising efforts for the Johnson County area by completing the necessary steps to become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and changed their legal name to TEAM BREAST FRIENDS. Team Breast Friends had made the decision to have all monies raised remain in the community here to assist those in financial need and provide mammograms for those without insurance.
Team Breast Friends mission statement was recorded as follows:
“Our mission is to make a positive difference in the lives impacted by breast cancer and bring awareness through our efforts.”
Our mission would be impossible without our supporters in the community!
We started small, but together we have raised just over $300,000 since the conception of Iowa City Hope and now Team Breast Friends today. Together let’s find a cure for breast cancer and assist as many as we can in our community along the way.
After a successful 2014, we added the 5k Rack Run to the list of annual events where we raise funds to assist those in the community who are affected by breast cancer.
We also awarded Mercy Hospital Mammography Suite in Iowa City $5,250 for patients who need diagnostic treatment for underinsured patients, and distributed $600 of gas cards to patients to cover fuel expenses for traveling and commuting to treatment.
We grew our team by several new breast friends, bringing our board member total to 18.
Another big accomplishment was increasing the award amount to Mercy Hospital Mammography Suite hospital to $10,000 for patients, almost double!
We were also able to provide $2,400 in direct financial assistance to individuals.
We established a fund at the University of Iowa Foundation for breast cancer research at UIHC’s breast cancer department with Dr. Lillian Erdahl as our liaison.
We awarded individual grants totaling $2,000, and $5,000 to the Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center, Cedar Rapids, IA.
We held a golf outing and Plants for the Cure with much success! Together those 2 events have raised an incredible $15,000 which aided those in the community impacted by breast cancer.
We were excited to increase award amounts substantially with:
- $20,000 to the UIHC breast cancer department
- $10,000 to Mercy Hospital, Iowa City, IA
- $5,000 Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center, Cedar Rapids, IA
- $8,430 to individuals in need of financial assistance
A big accomplishment in 2019 was awarding:
- $25,000 total to Mercy Hospital in Iowa City ($10,000 for the Mammography Suite)
- The Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center in Cedar Rapids ($10,000 for comfort garments, education materials, and fitness classes for the patients and their caregivers)
- $5,715 awarded to patients in the treatment corridor.
- This year we also awarded UIHC $5,000.
Despite challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we were able to present a check to UIHC for $25,000, present Mercy Hospital $10,000, Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center $10,000, and $4,000 in individual grants.
In 2021 we were excited to award Mercy Hospital and Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center each $10,000 and award $6,395 in individual grants to fight breast cancer.
