TORRANCE, Calif. — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with the disease.  

One breast cancer survivor, who’s also a breast cancer nurse navigator at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, has been helping newly diagnosed patients at work and during her personal time. 

Evelyn Calip said that to celebrate her five-year “cancerversary” (five years of being cancer-free) in 2012, she decided to put together a 5K fundraising “bra run” for a nonprofit she started called Evelyn’s Breast Friends Forever. 

The organization helps uninsured and underinsured breast cancer survivors pay for breast reconstruction surgery. Calip said patients often miss work while ill or recovering, have high deductibles, or may have unexpected out-of-pocket costs related to their surgery.

So, her organization hopes to help patients with those costs. Since 2012, Calip said her organization has provided $5,000 to $10,000 to about 14 breast cancer survivors.