GO Getter: Ellen Hammock

Ellen Hammock, executive director of the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks-one of the biggest charity organizations in the Ozarks, thank you very much-shares her thoughts on health, volunteering and those not-so-lovely lady lumps.

How did you get involved with the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks and how did you ascend to the level of executive director?
"Well, I knew Mary Beth O'Reilly, who is our founder and chairperson. I worked with her when I worked briefly at The Community Foundation, and she was president of the board which then was about seven years ago. And she was doing it (the BCFO) all volunteer-based and on her own. And she actually ran into my mom when I was between positions. And it really worked out well. I was the first and only employee!"

So you get paid now?
"Yeah, I was the first paid employee."

How can someone volunteer for the BCFO and what could they expect to be doing?
"We're always looking for breast cancer survivors to volunteer or to mentor newly diagnosed women; that's the big thing. Or people who just want to help out, we have a ton of events, fundraising events and educational events we need help planning and implementing. And, you know, the phones..."

Yeah-I used to candy stripe. It ended up being a lot of clerical work.
"It's not as glamorous as people think it is. But we have a lot of really fun things-bike rides and golf tournaments and big dinner galas we always need help with."

What other services does BCFO provide to the Ozarks?
"The big thing is to provide education to women of all ages. We want to make sure that women in their twenties know they can get breast cancer, unfortunately. Our big thing, though, is to provide financial assistance. So if someone is going through a diagnosis of breast cancer, and either can't work because of the kind of job they have, or can't work during chemo, or maybe they don't have health insurance and are incurring mounting medical bills, we'll pay their rent or mortgage to help out. We also have a program where we provide free mammograms."

I don't have health insurance myself. Man, I haven't even thought about breast cancer.  So that's another thing to worry about.
"Well, it [happens in] one in a thousand men."

What message do you want to send to the people reading this about the company?
"We want anybody who wants to volunteer, of course. But there's a lot of people who are not going to talk to their doctor about their financial situation when they're diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. But maybe they mention it to their friends, and their friends say, 'Why don't you call BCFO?' And again, the awareness. Girls, 18, 19 years old need to give self-breast exams. It needs to become a routine the rest of your life. It's recommended when you get your yearly OBGYN check, get a breast exam, and give yourself a monthly exam as well. If you notice a lump, don't blow it off, call your doctor."


To contact Ellen or the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, call 417-862-3838 or go online to bcfo.org.  Ellen can also be reached via email at director@bcfo.org.