Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Sandy Goldberg.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dr. Goldberg. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Diagnosed with breast cancer is 2000 I soon learned how lucky I was – surrounded by phenomenal support and, most importantly, great insurance. As NBC’s Health and Nutrition Contributor (now “retired”) I had the opportunity to share my diagnosis and treatment through the Emmy winning One Woman’s Story. Then, after a meeting with the American Cancer Society, I created and hosted a cable call-in show. My life changed as a result. I soon learned that callers were using our show as their primary health source and, as I answered the overflow of calls after we went off the air, that there was an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy at not having finances or health insurance. People felt they didn’t matter. It broke my heart.
So after a long and teary conversation with my husband, A Silver Lining Foundation was born in 2002. From a single program providing resource information, the foundation has grown to five programs. At the heart of our mission, based on my late mother’s philosophy – we are all family and we have to help each other through the tough times – is our Buy A Mom A Mammogram program which funds the entire spectrum of breast health testing for uninsured and underinsured women and men at 15 partner hospitals in the greater Chicago. Elgin and Rockford areas.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No road is ever smooth when your dream first takes shape. The initial response “there are plenty of organizations out there funding research. Sandy.” “There are,” I said, “but we take it one life at a time.” Funding certainly affected and affects what we do. As word of our breast health testing spread and the number of hospital partners increased, every dollar raised takes on added significance. Even though our reimbursement rates are negotiated with our partner hospitals and are significantly lower than private insurance and more than Medicaid, the sheer numbers of those in need (particularly with the current healthcare instability) is a challenge. We do NOT take funding from the state or from the federal government.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
A Silver Lining Foundation or the mouse that roared as I call it is comprised of multiple programs all dealing with access to breast health testing, education and, resource information. We are known for helping everyone who comes our way that is uninsured or underinsured, male or female, regardless of age or country of origin. Donations made in specific support of our Buy A Mom A Mammogram breast health testing program are utilized 100% for testing, not operations. I am proud that everyone is treated the same. All we care about is providing testing that could potentially save someone’s life.
What were you like growing up?
I was fat, with thick glasses, buck teeth, and bad skin. Although my sister and I were born in Chicago we were raised in rural Arkansas and I always felt and was treated, as an outsider. At the core of what we do at ASLF – I will never let anyone around me feel as though they don’t matter.
Pricing:
- Our negotiated rate for a screening mammogram is $135
- The average cost of taking a woman through the entire process of testing is roughly $600
Contact Info:
- Address: 134 N. LaSalle, Suite 1218
Chicago, IL - Website: www.asilverliningfoundation.org
- Phone: 312-345-1322
- Email: drsandy@asilverliningfoundation.org
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