Young Survival Coalition’s Adopt A Hospital (AAH) program is a national volunteer-driven effort to place the resources of YSC in the hands of healthcare professionals and young women affected by breast cancer. In order to make the most out of your experience and to spread the word far and wide, YSC offers the following suggestions.

Choosing a Healthcare Facility

To begin implementing AAH in your area, you should choose those healthcare facilities you feel would benefit the most and be most interested in distributing YSC’s materials. Ideal locations include:

• OB/GYN offices
• Doctors’ waiting rooms including oncologist, radiologist, breast surgeons and more
• Cancer treatment centers 
• Social-work and nursing departments 
• Resource centers and patient libraries 
• Health fairs 
• Or any other organizations where young women go for support and care, such as wellness centers or your local office of the American Cancer Society or Cancer Support Community

Setting Up a “Get-to-Know-You” Meeting

• If possible, utilize existing connections through YSC volunteers, doctors, and friends when arranging meetings.
• Schedule your meetings with a resource or breast-health coordinator, breast-health outreach manager or similar official.
• Limit meeting time to 30 minutes and come with brief, knowledgeable information about the YSC mission and its resources. The YSC website is a good place to prep!

Talking Points

• Lay the groundwork for what will hopefully be an ongoing relationship with the healthcare provider. 
• Briefly introduce yourself, explain the mission of YSC, and the importance of the AAH program. 
• You can further engage him/her by adding a person touch- tell your own story or that of a loved one and how you were impacted by YSC and breast cancer resources. 
• Ensure the facility will distribute and display YSC’s materials in the waiting room, resource library or other appropriate location in the facility.
• Send a thank you note or e-mail to your contact after telling them how useful you found your introductory meeting and how you are looking forward to this ongoing partnership to help young women.

Signing Up Your Facilities

• Once you complete these introductory meetings and the facilities agree to distribute YSC resources, complete your volunteer profile and list the healthcare facilities you are adopting.
• You can expect your shipment of materials in 3–4 weeks.

Following Up

Make sure that your facilities always have enough materials by checking in every two months. In your follow-up communication, you may mention that you will be doing so and provide your contact information, if they would like to request more in the meantime.

We’re here for you!

If you need to order more materials, add a healthcare facility or if you have any questions, contact us or call 877.YSC.1011.