Overview

If you are facing breast cancer, it may help to connect with someone who knows what you're feeling – someone who is a breast cancer survivor, someone who can answer your questions because they have “been there.”

Through our secure Reach To Recovery website and app, you can create an online profile and match with trained volunteers based on your diagnosis and treatment options.  

Volunteers can answer your questions and provide one-on-one support to help you cope with treatment, side effects, talking with friends and family, working during treatment, and more.  

Volunteers do not provide medical advice. This is a free program. 
 

Are you facing breast cancer
and want to connect with a survivor?

How does the program work?

Participating in the program takes 3 simple steps - join, match, and connect.

Join

Peers and volunteers join the program and create profiles on the Reach To Recovery web site.

Match

Peers search volunteer profiles, filter matches, and send visit requests to volunteers.

Connect

Peers and volunteers sign-in at a scheduled time and have an online chat or phone call.

Frequently Asked Questions


Who can join as a peer? Anyone facing breast cancer can join Reach To Recovery as a peer. Reach To Recovery supports people wherever they are in their cancer journey.
  • Facing a possible diagnosis of breast cancer
  • Recently diagnosed with breast cancer
  • Considering or have had a lumpectomy or mastectomy
  • Considering breast reconstruction
  • Have arm swelling (lymphedema) from treatment
  • Undergoing or have completed treatment
  • Experiencing a recurrence of breast cancer
Who can join as a volunteer?  Reach To Recovery volunteers are breast cancer survivors who have been trained by the American Cancer Society to provide peer-to-peer support to those facing breast cancer. Volunteers must complete required training before joining the program. Volunteers provide support, but they do not provide medical advice.
 
What information is required to join?  Peers and volunteers provide their name, email address, and state of residence to create an account. In addition, peers complete a section called “Find a Reach To Recovery Volunteer” with the diagnosis and treatment information that is most important to them. Volunteers create a profile with their own diagnosis and treatment information.
 
How do peers find a volunteer?  A peer’s preferences are compared to the volunteer profiles. For example, if a peer would like to connect with a volunteer who had a mastectomy, they can select that in their preferences. Peers can review the profiles of the volunteers who best match their preferences.   
 
How do peers connect with volunteers?  After reviewing volunteer profiles, peers can send a visit request to one or more volunteers. Each visit will include one peer and one volunteer. The volunteers can accept, decline, or propose a new time for the visit. Volunteers typically respond within 24 hours, although it may occasionally take longer.
 
How do I install the free Reach To Recovery app? Scroll to the bottom of the Program Overview page. Depending on your mobile device, click on the App Store or Google Play icon to go directly to the app listing. Then click Get or Install to download the app. 

Who can see my information? Program participants in other roles can see your profile information. For example:
  • If you are a peer, volunteers will be able to see the information you provided in the “Find a Reach To Recovery Volunteer”, "Communication Preferences" and “Tell Us About Yourself” sections.
  • If you are a volunteer, peers will be able to see the information you provided in the “Your Diagnosis and Treatment Experience”, "Communication Preferences" and “Tell Us About Yourself” sections.
Will other participants see my personal contact information? Your contact information is not visible to other Reach To Recovery peers or volunteers. All scheduling and online chats are done on the Reach To Recovery website.  Although other participants will not send messages directly to your personal email, you will receive email notifications from the Reach To Recovery web site about new messages, visit requests, and reminders. If you have a phone visit, the two participants will share their phone number, but this will not be visible to any other members. 
 

Are the Reach To Recovery website and app available in Spanish? You are able to select English or Spanish as your preferred language when viewing the website. Also, when choosing the type of volunteer that you want to connect with, peers can select to be matched with a Spanish-speaking volunteer.

Can I join if I don’t have breast cancer? Reach To Recovery volunteers are trained to provide support to people facing breast cancer. If you want support for a different type of cancer, please visit the ACS Cancer Survivors Network, which is an online community for cancer patients and their families for the purpose of connecting with others like themselves, sharing practical information, and supporting one another.

What if I need more help? Call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345. We’re here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. From free lodging and transportation to discussing your treatment options, we offer programs, services, and resources to help you on your journey.