Nonprofit of the Year Finalist | Small: GYN Cancers Alliance

Education, resources and support are the chief methods by which GYN Cancers Alliance seeks to allow women diagnosed with gynecologic cancer the freedom to pursue treatment. The nearly 25-year-old organization removes financial barriers and instills hope, says Executive Director Jan Atteberry Robbins.

“We don’t say no to anybody as long as they’re being treated here in Springfield, Joplin or in that service area,” she says, noting as of June there were almost 300 gynecologic cancer patients receiving resources and support monthly from the nonprofit – a nearly 250% increase in just over two years.

Even with the increased client count, Robbins says the small but tight-knit three-person staff – aided by 10 volunteers – has continued to meet the need for services with no restrictions based on financial status.

Robbins says the nonprofit’s growth rate is due to building awareness in the community, adding those receiving aid from GYNCA also are helping spread word of its services. That includes its Fueled by Hope program, which provides gas cards to cover fuel costs for women seeking treatment, virtual and in-person support group meetings and a 24/7 private support page on Facebook. It also maintains an emergency fund for nonmedical expenses to cover home- and vehicle-related bills to keep clients in their homes and have reliable transportation to treatments.

“We can’t help everybody pay a $1,200 mortgage payment, but we can pay half of that and then help someone else pay their utility bill and then help someone else get their car repaired,” she says. “We can’t do 100% for everybody, but we can do a little bit for a lot.”

Operating on a roughly $355,000 budget, GYNCA annually holds a pair of fundraising events: Teal to Heal and the Spring Luncheon and Survivor Fashion Show. Its annual giving campaign, Circle of Joy, is in memory of founder Joy Lamberson-Klock, who died in 2003 following a battle with ovarian cancer. The nonprofit also fundraises at smaller events throughout the year with a special focus on September, which is Gynecologic Cancers Awareness Month.

“Our biggest impact is that we show hope,” Robbins says, adding GYNCA shares notes from clients and their families with its board of directors about the support and smiles the organization puts on their faces. “We do quite a bit with a little group. I just wish more people could openly talk and get help, not feel insecure about the cancers down there.”

What is the heart of your organization’s mission?
“We’re peoplecentric. They’re not numbers; they’re families, and we’re part of their journey. They’re our why.” —Jan Atteberry Robbins