ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis ABCD provides FREE, one-to-one emotional support to anyone impacted by breast cancer.

With 300+ volunteer Mentors around the country, our customized services provide hope, guidance and compassion to patients, families and friends around the world. ABCD offers FREE, personalized emotional support and information for anyone impacted by breast cancer. As a complement to medical care, we match people with a trained volunteer Mentor who has a similar lived experience, providing compassionate support based on diagnosis, treatment, age, and lifestyle. With a fully virtual platform, ABCD helps people worldwide, ensuring no one faces breast cancer alone.

Don’t miss Cancer and Careers Virtual Midwest Conference on Work & Cancer! ABCD is proud to partner on this free, daylon...
03/24/2026

Don’t miss Cancer and Careers Virtual Midwest Conference on Work & Cancer! ABCD is proud to partner on this free, daylong event designed to help cancer patients and survivors navigate workplace challenges.

Check out these 5 reasons to attend on Friday, March 27 and register here: https://tinyurl.com/4kc9jrbf

After the Diagnosis: Protecting Your Body and Health for the Long Haul is happening TODAY at 12 PM CT and it's not too l...
03/24/2026

After the Diagnosis: Protecting Your Body and Health for the Long Haul is happening TODAY at 12 PM CT and it's not too late to register! FREE, virtual, and open to all: https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/abcd-event/leap-speaker-series-after-the-diagnosis-protecting-your-body-and-health-for-the-long-haul/

Leslie Waltke, PT, DPT, an oncology physical therapist, Cancer Rehabilitation Coordinator for Advocate Health Care in Wisconsin, and a founding and current ABCD Board member, will help you understand the difference between rehabilitation, exercise, and daily movement and why knowing that difference can change how you care for yourself through treatment and recovery. 💪🏽

Getting started doesn’t require confidence or readiness. It begins with one small, steady step toward caring for the body that is still yours. 💙

Plus, The After. Cancer Podcast launches TODAY. 🎙️ Dr. Waltke's brand new podcast dedicated to helping survivors live fully after cancer will bring together honest conversations, survivor stories, and practical guidance rooted in both science and humanity. Go give it a listen and show some love!

ABCD is incredibly honored to receive a grant from The Trillium Foundation! We’re so grateful for their belief in our mi...
03/20/2026

ABCD is incredibly honored to receive a grant from The Trillium Foundation! We’re so grateful for their belief in our mission to provide free, personalized emotional support to anyone impacted by breast cancer. The funding we received will help us continue to do this work. 💜

In addition to The Gathering, we'll also be at the Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health, Inc. 8th Annual Health Confere...
03/19/2026

In addition to The Gathering, we'll also be at the Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health, Inc. 8th Annual Health Conference this Saturday, March 21 from 9 AM-3 PM! 💕

ABCD is proud to be an event partner at MCHH's 8th Annual Health Conference at Alverno College's Sister Joel Read Conference Center (33400 S 43rd St, Milwaukee). Stop by our table and learn about ABCD's free emotional support services. A variety of free health screenings and services will also be provided. 📈

For more information, call the MCHH office at (414) 212-8087.

ABCD is tabling at The Gathering this Saturday, March 21 from 10 AM-3 PM at Potawatomi Casino & Hotel in Milwaukee! 🎶 St...
03/19/2026

ABCD is tabling at The Gathering this Saturday, March 21 from 10 AM-3 PM at Potawatomi Casino & Hotel in Milwaukee! 🎶 Stop by our booth and learn about ABCD's free emotional support services. 💕

Brought to you by WJMR Jammin' 98.3 and the Granville Business Improvement District, The Gathering is a day of local vendors, entertainment, and more.

🎟️ Learn more and buy tickets: https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/abcd-event/jammin-98-3s-the-gathering-2026/

One week out! Are you registered for ABCD's next LEAP Speaker Series Webinar?After the Diagnosis: Protecting Your Body a...
03/17/2026

One week out! Are you registered for ABCD's next LEAP Speaker Series Webinar?

After the Diagnosis: Protecting Your Body and Health for the Long Haul is happening March 24 at 12 PM CT. ✨ FREE, virtual, and open to all, but you'll need to register for the Zoom link: https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/abcd-event/leap-speaker-series-after-the-diagnosis-protecting-your-body-and-health-for-the-long-haul/

Oncology physical therapist Leslie Waltke, PT, DPT, who’s also a founding and current ABCD Board member, and Cancer Rehabilitation Coordinator for Advocate Health Care in Wisconsin, will break down the difference between rehabilitation, exercise, and daily movement and why understanding each one can change how you care for yourself through treatment and recovery. No confidence required. No readiness needed. Just one small, steady step toward caring for the body that is still yours. 💙

🎙️ Plus, Dr. Waltke's The After. Cancer Podcast launches the same day (March 24). This podcast explores the real experience of living with and beyond cancer: the physical, emotional, and practical realities that often go unspoken. Each episode brings together honest conversations, survivor stories, and practical guidance to help make sense of life after cancer.

Register Here After registering at the link above, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom details. LEAP events are free and open to all! About This Webinar After a […]

ABCD is pleased to partner with Cancer and Careers for their virtual Midwest Conference on Work & Cancer on Friday, Marc...
03/16/2026

ABCD is pleased to partner with Cancer and Careers for their virtual Midwest Conference on Work & Cancer on Friday, March 27!

This FREE conference will explore the complexities working people face as they try to balance their cancer treatment and recovery with employment. Topics include balancing treatment and work, making disclosure decisions, managing side-effects at work, using AI in job-search and more.

Details & registration: https://tinyurl.com/4kc9jrbf

🎤 Which 80s classic would you sing to the loudest at A Night Out for ABCD? React with your choice!💛 “Don’t Stop Believin...
03/16/2026

🎤 Which 80s classic would you sing to the loudest at A Night Out for ABCD? React with your choice!

💛 “Don’t Stop Believin’”
💫 “Livin’ on a Prayer”
😊 “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”
😮 Something else? Leave it in the comments!

Join us on April 24 at 5:30 pm at Downtown Kitchen in Milwaukee for a night of music, chef-inspired bites, and meaningful giving. Every note played helps sustain ABCD’s free emotional support programs for anyone impacted by breast cancer. 💕

✨ Grab your tickets or become a sponsor:
https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/a-night-out-for-abcd-2026/

Thank you to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Women’s Basketball team for hosting such a meaningful Pink Out Game o...
03/13/2026

Thank you to the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Women’s Basketball team for hosting such a meaningful Pink Out Game on February 25! 🏀

We loved being part of it, from the special pre-game reception with the coaching staff and players, to connecting with some of our incredible partners, and meeting everyone who stopped by our table to learn more about ABCD.

We’re grateful to the UWM Women's Basketball team for creating space for organizations like ours and helping more people discover the free support that ABCD offers to anyone impacted by breast cancer.

Breast cancer doesn’t end when treatment ends.For many families, survivorship brings a new kind of adjustment; fewer app...
03/13/2026

Breast cancer doesn’t end when treatment ends.

For many families, survivorship brings a new kind of adjustment; fewer appointments, fewer check-ins, but still a thousand emotions to process.

When Keeshia was first diagnosed in 2018, she turned to community. Years later, she’s living with metastatic breast cancer and continues to show up for others, first becoming an ABCD Mentor in 2020 and joining the ABCD staff in 2023 as Director of Healthcare & Community Partnerships. Recently, our partner CaringBridge reached out to check in on how she’s doing, and she kindly shared an update.

Today, she’s:
✔️ Celebrating 30 years of marriage.
✔️ Enjoying time with her children and grandchildren.
✔️ Working full-time.
✔️ Sharing her story and lived experience on local and national platforms.
✔️ Mentoring women who are walking through breast cancer right now.

Lately, she lives by two important mottos: “Find joy in the journey. And until further notice, celebrate everything,” and “Create the life you can't wait to wake up to.”

What we love most about Keeshia’s story is this:

Healing isn’t just medical. It’s emotional. It’s communal. It’s ongoing.

Through ABCD’s one-to-one peer mentoring, she supports women navigating breast cancer. And through CaringBridge, families can rally loved ones in one central place, simplifying updates and reducing emotional overwhelm.

We’re grateful for partners like CaringBridge who strengthen connection before, during, and after a diagnosis.

If you or someone you love is navigating breast cancer, you don’t have to do this alone: https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/get-support/

Learn how CaringBridge helps families stay connected: https://ow.ly/Fkt450YoSm6

ABCD had a great time last month at the 3rd Annual Empower Her Event in Chicago, hosted by our partner My Density Matter...
03/12/2026

ABCD had a great time last month at the 3rd Annual Empower Her Event in Chicago, hosted by our partner My Density Matters to celebrate Find Out My Breast Density Day. 💖

Keeshia Jones tabled at the health resource fair and connected with the community to share information about ABCD’s free emotional support services. Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by our table! 💕

Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance

After a breast cancer diagnosis, movement becomes an act of protecting the body carrying you through treatment and recov...
03/11/2026

After a breast cancer diagnosis, movement becomes an act of protecting the body carrying you through treatment and recovery. 🩷

Join ABCD on March 24 at 12 PM CT for our next LEAP Speaker Series Webinar, After the Diagnosis: Protecting Your Body and Health for the Long Haul.

Leslie Waltke, PT, DPT, oncology physical therapist, founding and current ABCD Board member, and Cancer Rehabilitation Coordinator for Advocate Health Care in Wisconsin, will explain how intentional movement can reinforce strength and resilience, even when your body feels changed, tired, or uncertain. She'll explore the distinct roles of rehabilitation, exercise, and everyday activity, and how understanding the difference can help you use each one wisely.

✨ FREE, virtual, and open to all! Register to save your spot: https://abcdbreastcancersupport.org/abcd-event/leap-speaker-series-after-the-diagnosis-protecting-your-body-and-health-for-the-long-haul/

🎙️ Plus, Dr. Waltke's The After. Cancer Podcast launches the same day! This podcast explores the real experience of living with and beyond cancer: the physical, emotional, and practical realities that often go unspoken. Each episode brings together honest conversations, survivor stories, and practical guidance to help make sense of life after cancer.

Address

5775 N Glen Park Road
Milwaukee, WI
53209

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14149771780

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Our Story

ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis nurtures hope and restores confidence in all those affected by breast cancer. We are passionate about building connections to create a caring community of people who really understand what it’s like to have breast cancer or to support someone who does.

ABCD was founded in 1999 by a group of women – led by Emmy-award winning broadcast journalist Melodie Wilson Oldenburg – who realized that having breast cancer is about much more than biopsies, surgery and chemotherapy. Most of ABCD’s founders are breast cancer survivors who discovered that the most valuable information and support came from others in similar life circumstances with similar experiences with the disease. Not everyone diagnosed with breast cancer knows where to find that kind of help. That’s where ABCD comes in. We provide free, personalized information and one-to-one support to patients, families and friends affected by breast cancer, from the newly diagnosed to those in treatment and on into survivorship. Our services focus on emotional and holistic support to complement medical care. Skilled intake staff actively listens to what a caller (“Participant”) needs and finding answers or solutions to her/his most pressing needs, from short-term support about appearance issues and financial management to more extensive matches between a Participant and breast cancer survivor (“Mentor”), whose specific diagnosis, life stage and concerns match their own.

Each match is carefully created to ensure a meaningful connection between a Mentor and Participant that meets the needs of the Participant and can last a long as needed; sometimes it’s a few phone calls during the treatment decision-making process and other times, matches develop into lifelong friendships. No one else – not a nurse navigator, not a helpline, or a website – provides this highly customized connection to someone who has truly ‘walked in your shoes.’

Based in Milwaukee, ABCD has trained Mentors residing coast to coast. All services can be conducted over the phone or via email, in English or Spanish, and are available to anyone in the United States or around the world. We also have Mentors who speak French, Polish, Russian, Portuguese and Ukranian. Based on the generous support of our donors, all ABCD services have been and always will be free and confidential.