Cancer Wellness Foundation of Central Alabama

Description of Organization

Incorporated on February 24, 1997, the mission of the Cancer Wellness Foundation of Central Alabama (formerly known as the Montgomery Cancer Wellness Foundation) is to provide supportive services, educational services and assistance to cancer patients throughout Central Alabama including those patients who lack the resources necessary to otherwise receive comprehensive health care. The CWF is like no other organization. We are dedicated to providing direct patient support once a cancer diagnosis has been made. We are not involved in testing, research or other activities covered by agencies like Joy to Life and the America Cancer Society. We are a small nonprofit with a limited budget, and our survival is dependent on individual contributions, grants, local fundraisers and support from businesses and surrounding communities. 

The Wellness Foundation, through educational and support programs, seeks to empower those affected by cancer in order to enhance the quality of their lives. It is dedicated to providing one-on-one patient services to every patient with cancer, and their families, who find themselves in need of assistance with transportation, medication and/or social services and insurance navigation. The Foundation offers services for all cancer patients, both insured and uninsured. Advocacy services are available regardless of income level; however, patients who receive services paid for directly by the Foundation are qualified based on their household income.

Clients are referred to the Foundation through area oncology doctors who see the financial struggle their patients are facing.  Most often, clients are in a waiting period for their benefits and need help immediately.   Some of the financial needs of cancer patients are never met by their insurance companies or government funded medical programs. To determine eligibility for the Foundation’s Social Services program, the prospective client meets with the Foundation’s Social Worker.  She assists with the necessary paperwork if needed and assists the client in accessing these services. She works in conjunction with the Foundation’s Patient Advocate whose main job responsibilities include helping patients navigate the difficult process of finding co-pay and prescription assistance programs for patients with enormous prescription bills and enrolling in the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan.

 Staff/ Board of Directors

The program is overseen by the Foundation’s Executive Director, a full time employee. Daily activities are carried out by the Executive Director, Transportation Coordinator, Patient Advocate, Program Assistant and Executive Assistant, each according to her specialty.   

Carol Gunter is the Executive Director and her role is to manage the overall operations of the Foundation. She is responsible for:

• All grants and fundraising initiatives.  
• Developing all community relationships and corporate partnerships. 
• Supervision and evaluation of all staff and coordination of board of directors. 
• Oversee all fiscal operations, including budgets and expenditures. 
• Handles all marketing, public relations, special events and administrative duties

The Patient Advocate (Jodi Hollon)  researches options to cover medications that the patient cannot afford and then makes applications and appeals on behalf of those patients in need. 

The Transportation Coordinator (Allyson Blankenship) manages the patient transportation program, helps patients to navigate government resources such as Social Security Disability and, as all staff and makes contact with other resources in the community to meet patient needs. 

The Program Assistant (Melodie Trammell) assists the Patient Advocate and the Transportation Coordinator. 

The Executive Assistant (Jennifer Sims) maintains and prepares bookkeeping including payroll, assists the Executive Director on programs and oversees all office needs.  

Together we give help and give hope and the way that we do this is by:

•          Providing transportation, whether private transportation companies or reloadable gas cards, to get patients to and from chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For those that do not have access to a personal vehicle we use private and public transportation services, such as buses, taxi services and private transport companies. Many patients travel two hours several days a week for treatment.  

•          Obtaining prescription medications for free or at a low cost. We find grants from pharmaceutical companies to help patients cover the cost of their drugs. Hours are spent on the phone or on hold with these companies. We also have a Well card program that covers the co-pay for a few dollars out of pocket instead of any traditional co-pay amounts. Patients qualify by household income. 

•          Coordinating free lymphedema compression products to breast cancer patient.  Patients are given a prescription for a compression garment and often times this are not covered under insurance. We have a screening process and if they can’t pay for this, we will are invoiced and pay for the garments. 

•          Purchasing Boost or Ensure for cancer patients at high risk of malnutrition.

•          Offering free wigs to any patient in need - patient that came this week. 

•          Supplying Patient Education with Chemo Comfort Care bags to give to all new patients – These bags are given out at patient education. The bags are filled with items they will need while going through treatments. Thermometer, pill boxes, blankets, fuzzy socks, Chap Stick, lotion, puzzle books, hard candy

•          And Lastly, Advocating on behalf of patients while they negotiate insurance issues and government programs such as social security, disability and Medicaid. – A lot of patients need assistant in this area. 

As you may or may not know, the Foundation is supported entirely by gifts from individuals, businesses, grants and fundraising efforts. We are always looking for ways to create opportunities to pair fundraising with awareness.

In 2024, the Cancer Wellness Foundation of Central Alabama provided:

• $46,057,166.32 in total assistance with medications through our Patient Advocacy program.
  1. $66,119.79 – Retail value of Well-Card Program 
  2. $1,020,464.49 – Co-Pay Assistance from various foundations
  3. $44,980,612.04 – Free drug program through manufacturers.
• 959 patients received transportation assistance (ambulatory and non-ambulatory) and 9162 (unique) rides for patients to the cancer center. (patients who do not have their own transportation)
• $197,983.48 in transportation assistance – includes private transportation and reloadable gas cards. 
• 2600+ Chemo Comfort Care Bags to new patients
• Distributed 188 cases of Boost or Ensure to cancer patients who are identified as at-risk for malnutrition.
• Provided 60 lymphedema compression garments for breast cancer patients. 
• The Wig Gig – 55 Free wigs to cancer patients