Who We Are

About Us

We provide a Sense of Security from financial hardship while enhancing the quality of life for Colorado breast cancer patients in treatment.

In the effort to beat breast cancer, people and organizations raise funds for research, participate in support groups, and fund treatment for needy patients. Only patients and their families worry about other basic needs such as housing, food, utilities or transportation.


Sense of Security has provided more than $2.2 million toward housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, insurance premiums, and other basic living expenses of breast cancer patients in treatment. We have assisted nearly 2,200 Coloradans living with breast cancer in 56 counties statewide - and counting!


75% of the assistance we have provided has been for housing assistance and groceries. These basic needs have been the top requests from breast cancer patients throughout Sense of Security's existence.


We are proud that so much of our funding goes to ensure that breast cancer patients can stay in their homes and have enough good food to nourish them during their debilitating treatment.


Have more questions? Visit our Program FAQ's.

Our History

Donna's Story

In 1996, while in the midst of treatment for her second diagnosis of breast cancer - a terminal diagnosis - Donna Rogers told Vicki Tosher, her friend and a breast cancer survivor, that she would not have money for living expenses for a twelve-week period. Some people told Donna to sell her home, an idea Donna and Vicki found absurd. Patients recovering from cancer treatment should not be forced to abandon the only place they feel safe and secure; their home.


Through the support of co-workers who donated personal leave time and family who donated funds, Donna remained in her home until, at the age of 53, she lost her battle with the disease.


Sense of Security was founded in the memory of Donna's struggle by two women with a passion for women's health: Angela Ricker and Vicki Tosher. They recognized that a vital piece of the puzzle, financial assistance for everyday expenses, was missing from the broad range of services available for cancer patients and their families.

In March 2000, Sense of Security incorporated

In March 2000, Sense of Security incorporated in the State of Colorado and in June 2000 applied for 501(c)3 tax-exemption status from the Internal Revenue Service. Despite not having this important designation, the new organization received multiple donations from people across the country who felt strongly about our work.


In recognition of these donations, Sense of Security advertised its services across the Front Range and began accepting applications in August of that year for the Sustained Assistance Program, our only program service. In September we served our first two grantees. The IRS granted 501(c)3 tax-exemption status in October 2000 and we began our work "officially."


The rest of our history is contained in the pages of this website. Over the past 23 years, we have grown to serve people in 56 Colorado counties with nearly $2.2 million committed to nearly 2,200 grantees. Support for our mission has been absolutely incredible. The women and men we serve in our program are inspiring, wonderful people who keep us motivated day in and day out. Some of them have shared their stories for you to read. Their stories will appear under the Support Us - Testimonials section of the website.

Why We Exist

In the effort to beat breast cancer, people and organizations raise funds for research, participate in support groups, and fund treatment for needy patients. Only patients and their families worry about other basic needs such as housing, food, child care or transportation.


Often moderate- to low-income people diagnosed with breast cancer become incapacitated and unable to work and earn an income. Without an income, one cannot pay bills that come due each month. Financial stressors contribute to health stressors, affecting a patient's ability to seek treatment, heal and recover.


The need doesn't end with the patient. Over 80 percent of our applicants have children and health and financial stresses affect children, families, and the lives of everyone involved. If a mother or wife is battling breast cancer, her stresses will affect the attitude and well being of the entire family. The experience may live with them for the rest of their lives. Financial pressures will only exacerbate a family's troubles and could take the focus off a mother's or wife's recovery and place it onto keeping the home or paying for food. Treatment for and recovery from breast cancer becomes a secondary life issue.


Sense of Security provides peace of mind . . . when you need it most.

Our grantees do not have to worry about losing their homes, providing food, or child care costs. Sense of Security provides financial assistance for the entire household with the understanding that everyone involved in the patient's illness requires time to recover and heal.


People living in difficult day-to-day financial situations find themselves having to choose between food and prescription drugs, car insurance and co-pays, or rent and medical bills when they have breast cancer. Who is there to help someone in this situation?


In Colorado there's Sense of Security. Sense of Security is the only organization of its kind in the State of Colorado. We can provide comprehensive, sustained financial assistance with basic living expenses for the duration of treatment to relieve financial stress and ensure energy is spent on healing and recovery.

FAQs

  • How do patients find out about your service?

    We receive most of our referrals from social workers and oncology office navigators in area hospitals and medical offices. Some applicants are referred by former grantees, directly from the web site, through support groups, and by word of mouth from family and friends.

  • How did you get started?

    We founded the organization based on the experience of one woman, Donna Rogers. You can read more about this story under "About Us: History."

  • Are there similar organizations in Colorado or in the U.S. that do what you do?

    There are no organizations in Colorado that currently provide the breadth of services that Sense of Security provides for breast cancer patients. Some organizations in Colorado do exist to provide transitional housing, emergency assistance, housekeeping, support for alternative treatments, pleasurable outings, one-time stipends of aid, or prepared food if you are unable to cook for yourself. Visit findhelp.org and you can search for all forms of assistance available to you by zip code and type of assistance.

  • Regarding your criteria, what treatment procedures do you consider "active treatment?"

    Sense of Security defines active treatment as conventional chemotherapy treatments, and/or radiation treatments. We also assist patients who are within 2 months of a cancer-related surgery (reconstruction and related complications do not qualify). Hormonal therapies when administered alone do not qualify for our program, except Herceptin. However, if they are administered in conjunction with a qualified treatment, one could medically qualify for our program.

  • How many people have you helped?

    As of December 2022, Sense of Security provided aid to nearly 2,200 grantees who finished the program. We maintain a wait-list which is addressed as quickly as possible.

  • How much assistance in dollars have you provided to grantees?

    As of December 2022, Sense of Security has provided more than $2,200,000 in funding. Support levels depend on the specific individual circumstances and needs of each applicant. See "Programs: Statistics" for additional information on applicants and grantee statistics.

  • How much of your budget goes directly to patient services?

    We make every attempt to dedicate at least 80 percent of our budget to grantee services; this includes moneys paid directly for grantee needs, staff and administrative time and resources, and expenses related to fundraising for programmatic needs.

  • For how long do you assist grantees?

    Grantees qualify for assistance as long as they remain eligible for treatment and financial criteria. The maximum duration of support for any grantee is 6 months per stage of diagnosis for a total grant of $3,000. We allow one full grant per person and cannot offer more than the maximum grant.

  • I don't live in Denver or in a major metropolitan area in the state, would you be able to help me?

    Sense of Security will assist ANY resident of Colorado. Our service is not dependent upon a physical location; you do not need to come into an office for an interview or have any face-to-face meeting with our staff and you do not have to reside in a metropolitan area of the state to qualify for aid.


    Most communication is done by telephone and everything a grantee needs can be sent in the mail, found on this website or faxed. Our criteria has been established to be county specific, so your personal situation will be compared to those who reside in your home county, not to the state as a whole or to others in a metropolitan county.

  • What has been the most requested form of assistance?

    Sense of Security has provided the majority of its aid for housing assistance (mortgage and rent payments) - over 74 percent.

  • Should I apply to Sense of Security as soon as I am diagnosed?

    Sense of Security is a provider of last resort. This means that we expect you to explore and exhaust all other forms of financial assistance-including but not limited to state and federal government aid programs-before we can process your application. However, we can help you with this!


    You are encouraged to apply early in your treatment protocol because we maintain a waitlist for applicants that can run anywhere from 6 to 10 months. Applying earlier may enable you to qualify for funding before the end of your treatment cycle, waiting may disqualify you.


    The reason we have this requirement is that we believe everyone eligible should seek out all the aid they could qualify for, whether public aid or community aid. Keep in mind that we only require you apply to these programs before applying to Sense of Security; as long as you document your applications to the aid programs, Sense of Security can begin processing your application.

  • How do you decide who to help?

    You must meet our criteria: be a resident of Colorado, be in a qualified treatment for breast cancer, and have a household income less than the median per capita personal income for the county in which you reside (Sense of Security has this information, don't worry!).


    After that, we do an analysis of your actual income and expenses and determine if there is a reduction in income and an income shortfall. In other words, if your income is greater than your expenses, you have no need for financial assistance. However, if your expenses are greater than your income, we will consider providing assistance based on the amount of your shortfall.


    Of course this varies from person to person, so every applicant will be confidentially interviewed by telephone to determine his/her financial need. If you are requesting assistance with your mortgage payments, you need to meet one additional criteria: the value of your home cannot exceed the median value for the county in which you reside (Sense of Security has this information). If you would like assistance with your mortgage payment, you are required to submit with your application a copy of your current year's property tax assessment.

  • How exactly do you provide your assistance? Will I get a check every month?

    Sense of Security provides its aid in the form of payments made directly to your vendors that we will mail to you to disperse. For example, if we are paying toward your monthly rent and utility bills, you are responsible for sending complete invoices/bills to us and we will issue checks to those vendors and send the checks to you to remit to the vendor with any remaining balance (ie your rent is $1,000, we pay $500, you pay $500, send both payments to your landlord). Grantees are required to provide the full, original bill so that we can accurately make payments on their behalf.

Supporters and Sponsors

Sense of Security is grateful to have received such strong support from our community. Thousands of individual donors give generously to Sense of Security each year and we are humbled by their continued support. We have also raised many thousands of dollars from sponsors and contributors to our special events.


Read More

2023 Board of Directors & Staff

Officers

Kristen Knutson Jansen
President

Mortgage Professional

Paula Haddock
Vice President

Account Executive, Fox 31/ Channel 2

Stephanie Landin
Secretary

Sr. Account Manager, Tech Sales

Rhonda Valladares
Treasurer

Senior Director Accountant 

Directors

Ashley Hofwolt

Head of Relationship Management

Jennifer Oldham
Real Estate Broker

Danette Rausch
Assistant Vice President

Sabrina Wright-Hobart
Development Coordinator

Staff

Timothy N. Taravella
Executive Director 

(ex-officio)
BIO 


Jimmy Oldham
Past-President
Investment Committee Chair

Financial Advisor 


Victoria Lindsay
Past-President
Executive Performance Chair

Contract Administrator

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