Dear Friends and Supporters,
If you’ve been following the latest headlines, you will know that SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits are currently in peril due to the government shutdown. I wanted to take a minute to explain why this issue matters to Gateway to Hope, and especially to our patients.
Cancer patients suffer much higher rates of food insecurity than the general population, simply because of their cancer treatment. Some studies show that up to 55% of breast cancer patients report having challenges accessing food. With time off work, disrupted income, and other financial burdens associated with their care, affording rising grocery prices becomes more and more challenging. We also see higher death rates among cancer patients who also have food insecurity, transportation challenges, and struggles to afford basic needs.
For these reasons, Gateway to Hope provides financial assistance to our patients alongside our navigation support. This assistance helps remove these cost barriers to life-saving healthcare like mammograms, diagnostic care, and breast cancer treatments. The dollars that we provide — thanks to you! — go directly to alleviate burdens like housing costs, transportation costs, and often, groceries. GTH was founded on the principle that nobody should ever have to choose between life-saving healthcare and basic needs. When a family cannot put food on the table, other priorities like infusions, mammograms, and even surgeries go by the wayside. We exist to ensure that women can get the care they need, when they need it, to save their lives.
You can be proud that, this year alone, your support has provided $450,000 in financial assistance to our patients. These dollars are both directly and indirectly ensuring food security for women across Missouri and Southern Illinois. We estimate that at least 150 of our current active patients receive SNAP benefits — which means they will be faced with impossible choices in the coming days, weeks, and months if the shutdown disruption continues.
We are responding rapidly to this need. The GTH team has been hard at work ensuring we can fill gaps for patients. We’ve been in touch with all of our patients directly to quickly triage, assess, and address need. We’ve also pulled together a comprehensive resource guide for the whole state of Missouri and Southern Illinois, which will be used by our navigators to help patients get to food quickly. This guide will be continuously updated as resources shift and change.
Here’s the bottom line: our patients need us now, more than ever. GTH stands ready to support them, in whatever way is needed, as the situation unfolds. We will keep our commitments to our communities and to women, staying true to our core belief that nobody should have to choose between healthcare and basic needs.
In the coming weeks, we may need your help as we respond to the situation. If you’re concerned and want to help, making an additional donation to GTH at this time would be deeply appreciated. I can assure you that the dollars you donate will go directly to women in need, immediately.
As always, thank you for everything you do,
Katie Manga, CEO
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