Breast Cancer Coalition Case Study

It was a tremendous honor to learn that the Breast Cancer Coalition has been nominated for The Rochester Area Business Ethics Foundation’s annual ETHIE Award in the small business category. We have a great deal of respect and admiration for our nominator, Mr. Kevin Flynn, who we look to as a business leader who leads by example. It was enormously gratifying to learn that he recognizes the Coalition as an organization that makes sound ethical practice a priority in everything we do.
Once we became aware of the nomination, we formed a committee of select staff members who could best address the nomination questions and complete the application process. In the eight weeks that followed, much has happened to derail our efforts. First, our beloved

staff member’s daughter, at the age of 30 and pregnant, was diagnosed with a particularly difficult subtype of breast cancer. We all believed that it was essential for this staff member, our gifted and talented writer, to be with her daughter in Sacramento, California during her subsequent mastectomy. Just as we were convening again, a key member of the team, our Office Manager, learned she would be moving to Michigan due to her husband’s job transfer. Though she has graced us with several weeks’ notice, it is a daunting process replace this important “cog” in our wheel. These last two weeks have found us intensely focused on our largest fundraiser of the year, the Pink Ribbon Run and Family Fitness Walk, which takes place on Mother’s Day.
Although we are confident that we can exceed the criteria for this award, given the turbulence here at the Coalition and our need to reduce the amount of stress we are all experiencing as a result of the circumstances described, we have reluctantly decided to delay the application process and submit our materials in 2018. By doing so, we can give this nomination the full attention it deserves. As the notification for the nomination came on March 6, we were not able to attend one of the ETHIE Informational Breakfasts. Waiting until 2018 will afford us the opportunity to attend one of the informational breakfasts.
As a local, grassroots organization located in Rochester and serving those affected by breast and gynecologic cancers in the Western New York/Finger Lakes Region, we are deeply honored to be considered for the ETHIE Award. But when extenuating circumstances force us to prioritize, the members of our survivor community are always at the top of that list.
We thank you for your understanding on this matter.