By Yvonne Brown
Take your mind back or try even to imagine life in 1980. It was a time when no internet existed to research any topic you were curious about. If you had a medical issue, there was no Dr. Google or Web MD; your general practitioner was your only trusted resource. 1980 was the year Janelle Hail, a wife, and mom to three young sons, was diagnosed with breast cancer at just 34 years old.
At the time of diagnosis, she and her husband Neal were enjoying family life and looking forward to building their new home in Texas. Receiving the devasting news, quite naturally, she was scared but was fiercely determined to survive. “My family needed me. My husband and children – everybody needed me, so I just went about my business,” she explains. “Back then, cancer was not spoken of out loud. People were scared. You had to trust your doctor, and you did what you were told. Ignorance of knowledge was the greatest barrier and created a lot of fear.”
Ms. Hail’s husband, children, and church family provided a lot of love and support, but people did not really know what to do, and some even thought it was contagious. She recalls the night before her mastectomy, sitting alone and very scared in a dark hospital room. She prayed and, while talking to God, made a powerful declaration.
“Cancer, you tried to kill me, but you are not going to. I am going after you, and I will be your greatest enemy. I will chase you to the far corners of the earth, hunt you down, and shine a bright light of knowledge so people can be saved from this disease,” Ms. Hail recalls praying that night. Cancer messed with the wrong person that night, and she now celebrates 43 years as a breast cancer survivor.
She met many women in the same situation during her treatment and recovery time. Still, she quickly learned not all were as fortunate with regard to finance, insurance, and resources as she was. Once on the outside, Ms. Hail was now inside the circle of patients diagnosed with breast cancer and saw numerous issues that needed to be addressed and resolved. The need was great, and women were unnecessarily dying – an aspect of the ugly disease that played on her heart and ultimately led to her and her husband feeling a calling to provide a solution.
Ms. Hail describes herself as a “how-to” person. She explains, “I’ve always looked at a problem with the mindset of getting down to basics and figuring something out. I also had an insatiable hunger for more knowledge.” Following much research together, Mr. and Ms. Hail founded the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) in 1991 with the intent to educate women about breast cancer and early detection. Today, NBCF’s headquarters is right here in Frisco.
The Hails did not particularly want to be involved in medical research but rather promote early detection and education because those are the very things that saved Ms. Hail’s life. They started small, traveling across the U.S. and sometimes internationally, partnering with hospitals, meeting experts and sponsors, and building a network of relationships. They regularly sat in rooms with highly qualified medical staff, with hopes of spreading the word and advocating on behalf of women to remove emotional barriers and stigmas around the disease.
While meeting women at various stages of breast cancer, they became determined to find ways to help them across the finish line. This all required different paths and programs to take care of particular requirements. The mission was to change the mindset from “I have a tumor; I’m going to die” to “There are options and treatments, and life is not over.”
Today NBCF’s four primary areas of focus are:
Screening and Diagnostics
Through their network of nationwide facilities, they provide grants for free breast screening and diagnostic services for low-income, uninsured, or underinsured women.
Education and Outreach
Through education, women are empowered to advocate for their breast health. They receive critical information about how to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, finding it early, and accessing screening programs and early detection resources.
Patient Navigation
A program providing a trained nurse or social worker to hold the hands of women through every step of the process. Taking a proactive approach to helping patients overcome the barriers of cost, fear, and misinformation surrounding a disease and its prevention.
Support Services
Ensuring every patient and survivor has access to emotional guidance and resources throughout their journey through support groups, retreats, and the Hope Kit Program.
Kevin Hail, son of founders Mr. and Ms. Hail, works alongside his mom as the president and chief operating officer of NBCF. He describes how, over time, the foundation’s work has broadened the scope of addressing different needs, constantly becoming more innovative in using resources efficiently and responding effectively. “It is so important we help people at whatever stage they are at, and that meant setting up survivor groups, support groups, navigation programs, and even metastatic retreats…” he explains, “…and all the while the underlying key is to focus on ‘Helping Women Now.’
Mr. Hail also says that NBCF looks for entrepreneurial solutions to solve problems. There’s a determination, just like that dark night in the hospital his mom experienced before surgery, to keep seeking a plan and solution for care beyond the medical realm. Doctors are sometimes solely focused on practical, black-and-white solutions, and the emotional needs of patients are only sometimes considered a priority or at the same level as treatment. Over time, research has proven how important a person’s emotional outlook is in their prognosis and recovery. That is where the word HOPE comes from, and it is hugely significant, highlighting one of NBCF’s core values, ‘Lead with Hope.’
As many women beginning their breast cancer journey with fear and uncertainty do, they look for someone like Ms. Hail, who has now survived for 40+ years, as proof there is HOPE! She vividly describes how she stood at her kitchen window sometime after her surgery and saw a lone leaf on a tree outside. It was a red leaf dancing alone in the breeze. “I had an epiphany – I’m going to be like that red leaf, brilliant until the end of my life, if it’s a day or a hundred days. I’m going to fulfill my life and not let anything stop me,” Ms. Hail recalls.
The leaf soon became the symbol used on the logo for NBCF, representing life, growth, and hope for the future. The branches then represent a community that nurtures and needs one another and connects it all. Everyone has a part to play.
As NBCF began to establish itself in Frisco during the mid-to-late 2000s, it made a conscious decision to pivot and connect better in its own backyard. It worked with local leadership in the city and through the Chamber of Commerce, meeting organizations that wanted to get more involved and connecting with volunteers.
One of those steps was bringing Ashely Miller on board the leadership team. Ms. Miller serves NBCF as the Director of Public Relations and NBCF’s Spokesperson. Mr. (Kevin) Hail and Ms. Miller were friends, and through a casual conversation about the next chapter in her career, he realized she would be a great asset to the company in terms of community outreach. Mr. Hail quickly realized her addition would be pivotal in connecting NBCF with the Frisco community and building stronger relationships. “She has a collaborative mindset with an entrepreneurial spirit that fits very well with NBCF’s mission,” he explains.
Now, local relationships have turned into friendships across Frisco, and these friendships have continued to help connect NBCF with various corporations across the country, collecting ideas from different industries and spreading a national voice. “Some of the deepest, richest friendships have come from finding other people who have the same spirit as we do and watching amazing collaborative opportunities emerge from that,” Ms. Miller explains.
Ms. Miller describes NBCF’s mission as incorporating a bridge of hope where they guide women across and eliminate the barriers to care with their programs and services. Those barriers are only sometimes financial but also about combating misinformation and bringing awareness to people. “The impact is great, but the need is always greater,” she states. “There is so much we still need to accomplish, but our team is firing on all cylinders for the cause.”
NBCF has learned to refine its processes and approach, as every journey is different. Meeting women right where they are is critical. Every piece of what they do from the top down has to be individualized, and the organization strives to walk alongside each woman.
Looking across at Janelle, Ms. Miller explains how many women feel hope when sitting with a breast cancer survivor of 43 years. Her experience and story speak for themselves, and their faces light up as they listen.
NBCF also encourages people to visit its headquarters. “We invite people to tour the Foundation and experience all we do. There’s a piece of every program and service we provide that is relatable to people,” Ms. Miller explains. “You can see how fulfilled people are as they experience our environment in person, and it sets their soul on fire, whether they have a direct connection with breast cancer or not. It’s such a hope-filled, powerful journey!”
Mr. Hail, Ms. Hail, and Ms. Miller all agree the team at NBCF is like one big family. They have each other’s backs, go through peaks and valleys, and break bread together. They are passionate about the cause and solutions they can create, and all contribute a piece of the fabric of NBCF. It’s not just an ordinary job you go home and forget about. “We always wanted our employees to be well-rounded with other interests and to develop those and be happy for each other. It also stimulates creativity in our workplace,” Ms. Hail explains.
Breast cancer survivor Amy McEwan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 and went through many rounds of radiation and several surgeries over a two-year period. She received a Hope Kit anonymously and decided to connect with NBCF by attending one of the support group meetings. Although she was nervous about walking in for the first time, she described it as a feeling of coming home.
In describing how connecting with NBCF gave her a place to belong, Ms. McEwan recalls, “I got to sit with women who were just like me, talking about our issues, our life now, impact on our spouses and children. We shed tears and laughed too. It is such an amazing feeling to feel like you belong somewhere, and it’s all so positive.”
Now, she loves volunteering and giving back to NBCF at special Hope Kit packing parties, writing motivational cards, and attending support group meetings. Any time she hears about anyone going through a breast cancer journey, she sends them a Hope Kit and spreads the word, and she and her husband also volunteer every chance they get.
“Taking that first step to connect with the organization is scary, but once you get there, you can seek out as much or as little help as you want. It’s like medicine or a happy pill for me. You might not even know what help you need, but just take that step. And then once you get comfortable in the support groups, you can give back by helping someone else,” Ms. McEwan says.
In addition to the incredible work the foundation has done through the years, NBCF has also made significant connections with sports stars and celebrities who have been personally impacted by breast cancer. Brandon Carr, a former NFL cornerback who lost his mom to breast cancer, regularly works with the organization. Most recently, he hosted a wig and make-over party for several breast cancer survivors at NBCF’s Frisco headquarters.
Kristin Juszczyk, wife of Kyle Juszczyk of the San Francisco 49ers, also lost her mom to cancer at a young age. Earlier in the 2023-2024 NFL season, Ms. Juszczyk saw her rise to stardom as a designer after creating custom puffer coats for Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes for the Wild Card Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Miami Dolphins. After receiving such an incredible response, inspired by her mother’s journey, she designed a one-of-a-kind licensed puffer vest to be auctioned during Superbowl week. The vest was Juszczyk’s first official NFL-licensed design and ultimately sold for $75,000, with all proceeds going to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to honor her late mother.
So, how can you help? Everyone can make an impact, from making simple donations to volunteering at various events or simply purchasing an item from their store. You can start a fundraiser with friends and family, suggest your workplace get involved to connect and partner, or even become an ambassador to share information and promote NBCF’s programs to the community. If you have a story to tell about your journey and being a survivor, contact the organization to share it.
One in eight women in the United States will develop the disease in their lifetime, but with organizations like NBCF, there is now hope. Janelle Hail had that vision 43 years ago and managed to bring the idea from her kitchen table to the boardroom and bridge an enormous gap for women today. To learn more about NBCF, visit nationalbreastcancer.org.
Yvonne Brown is a Frisco-based freelance writer who enjoys lattes, authentic Italian food, preferably on a patio, and exploring all aspects of North Texas life with her family and friends.
