Group lends aid, comfort to breast cancer patients

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Five years ago, when Maria Ashmore was diagnosed with breast cancer, she felt alone.

Although her family offered the Montgomery woman support, she longed for fellowship with others who had spent time on the road she was about to travel.

That's when she envisioned "Women of Hope," a support group for people affected by breast cancer -- those newly diagnosed as well as survivors, caretakers and family members.

"This support group will help because we will have educational speakers as well as the camaraderie of meeting others in the same boat they're in," Ashmore said.

"Having that helps so much," she said of meeting other breast cancer survivors. "Talking from my own experience, if you can talk to someone who's been in your shoes, it helps so much more with the emotional pain the physical healing. The support you get from others who have 'been there, done that,' means so much in the healing process."

Experts also support the group. Its board members include local oncologists, radiologists and others in the medical field. This allows members access to the latest information as well as a pool of speakers to lend their expertise at meetings.

Now, Women of Hope is partnering with the American Cancer Society to train members to become active in the "Reach to Recovery" and "I Can Cope" programs.

It's been a long road for Ashmore and her fellow charter members -- 40 and counting. They went from getting the word out about the new organization to attaining nonprofit status (in January). They put on a successful luncheon/fashion event last week that drew more than 350 supporters -- double the number from Ashmore's 2006 effort, when she was going it alone -- and resulted in new members joining the group.

"We have come a long way in such a short time," she said.

Ashmore said one of Women of Hope's major goals is to become "a household name," in the same way the Joy to Life Foundation has become well known in the community.

She is passionate about her mission and, in retrospect, sees that everything fell into place not through coincidence, but through what she calls "God incidence."

"When I look back, I think God put this speed bump in my path for a reason," she said. "When I was diagnosed I was saying, 'Why did this happen to me?' Now I look back and see that God wanted me to slow down and realize, first, I'm not in charge of my life, and secondly, to step out in faith and help other people."

She said hope is the group's central mission.

"Once you've had breast cancer, you feel like you're walking around with a dark cloud over your head," she said. "But 90 percent of the time that cloud is wide open, and the sun is shining through."