Circulo de Vida (Circle of Life)

Product Description

San Francisco, California, United States

Supporters

Meet Maria

In 2002 Maria was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. This news was devastating for Maria, her husband and 3-year old son. She underwent a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. Maria became a member of the young mother’s group, and her son attended the group for 3 to 5 year old children. Maria gave birth to a daughter in 2010. A year later, Maria was hospitalized due to severe back pain. A CT scan revealed tumors in her lung, spinal column, and femur. A biopsy showed metastatic cancer. The news prompted disbelief, anger, fear and sadness. She began radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

Homebound due to the severe effects of chemotherapy, Maria received one-to-one emotional support via Circulo de Vida’s home visits. She was able to obtain a humanitarian visa for her mother who helped in taking care of her son, now 16, and daughter. Unhappy with the course of treatment provided by her HMO, Círculo de Vida’s student intern assisted her in obtaining a second opinion. She attended Círculo’s Look Good/Feel Better program where she received a wig, turbans and make-up. When her son began to act out behaviorally, Circulo’s support counselor worked with Maria to help her better understand how parental illness can affect a teenager. She also suggested that Maria let her son’s school know what was going on at home so that he could receive additional support.

Presently, Maria is on a new chemo regimen that is less toxic, and although her tumors are still present, they have shrunk substantially. She is doing well, gaining back the weight she had lost. She continues to receive one-to-one supportive services from Circulo.

Círculo de Vida (Circle of Life) has a 20-year history of providing guidance and a helping hand to Latinos diagnosed with cancer in San Francisco. Founded in 1992, Círculo de Vida is the first successful Spanish-language support group program in the greater Bay Area and has since been a model for groups in five Bay Area cities. Founded on the principles of familismo (the importance of the family unit) and personalismo (the importance of warm interpersonal relationships) Círculo de Vida provides an invaluable and unparalleled service to Latinos living with cancer as well as their families – most of them immigrants, low-income, and without health insurance – as they navigate a frightening illness and an increasingly complex medical system. It starts with Círculo de Vida’s experienced staff who help interpret for the patient and physician at the time of diagnosis. It continues as Las Angelitas (the little angels) offer in-hospital and in-home support during surgery and treatment and in-home support for the terminally ill. Circulo’s counselors provide a wide range of Spanish-language support groups for the patients and their children, as well as case management and resource referrals.

Per the 2015/2016 census data, San Francisco has 121,774 Latinos of which 24% live below the poverty line and 20% are uninsured.

We are at a crossroads at Circulo de Vida, the San Francisco Bay Area’s only comprehensive therapy support and resource center for Spanish-speaking cancer patients and their families. We are currently looking to increase the organization’s capacity and sustainability. With a stable, increased funding source, Circulo de Vida can increase the number of therapists, Las Angelitas peer support counselors, and other support staff to meet the demand for services within their community.

Fundraising Goal: $135,000

We need to raise $135,000 to implement a strategic plan that will secure a stable funding pipeline necessary to continue Circulo de Vida’s expanded operations.

Our plan is to hire a Development Director and an Assistant Director: Two critical staff positions that will help Circulo de Vida increase funding outside of its daily operations. The Development Director will focus on increased awareness of Circulo’s mission within the community and local businesses. The goal is to leverage this awareness into larger fundraising events with repeat donors. The Assistant Director will focus on increasing the staff and scaling operations to meet the demand of the community.

We want to expand to meet the increase in demand for our services. Our program offerings include therapy support groups for men, women, children and teens including a young mother’s group which helps to equip them with the tools to cope with their children’s response to their illness. Another program offered is the Las Angelitas program where women recovered from cancer and previously received support from Circulo de Vida are trained to serve as peer counselors to provide one-on-one support to other women in their homes who are living with cancer and/or are too ill to attend in-person support groups.

We invite you to sustain and support the continued growth and development of Circulo de Vida, to ensure the needs of low-income, underserved, Spanish speaking families impacted by cancer continue to be served.

Client quotes:

“Circulo de Vida has provided a family atmosphere where I can express my fears and anxieties, and receive understanding, love, and solidarity.” Maricela N.

“When I was diagnosed with breast cancer I felt awful, anxious. I wanted to meet other women who had lived through or who were living through the same thing. I wanted to know their experiences, and at the same time, I wanted them to tell me how they got through the difficult moments.” Maria R.

Staff quotes from our “Las Angelitas” (the little angels) Program:

“I was diagnosed at 29, here in the United States, without any of my immediate family nearby. I think I would have experienced severe depression if not for the the support I received at Circulo de Vida. I am now giving back to other women some of the support that I received because I know how important it is to have someone to talk to and someone to lean on. It fills my heart with happiness to see women who were once depressed and fearful, smiling and laughing again.” Ana Estrada

Janie Trainor

8 years ago

$100

Boon Yeap

8 years ago

$100

Claudia Guerra

8 years ago

$50

Anita Kline

8 years ago

$50

Niharika Dixit

8 years ago

$50

Elizabeth Cervantes

8 years ago

$50

Anita Kline

Such a pleasure to support the great work of a great organization made up of great and kind and experienced people. Love you guys!

8 years ago

Sarah Kaplan

Blanca Batlle

Carmen Ortiz

Rosalind Padilla