Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Rudman.
Hi Julie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My pleasure, and thanks for asking. I never imagined that I would be doing this work, but now I can’t imagine doing anything else!
I started The Breast Cancer Club after I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023. I had no family history, and I was the healthiest I’d been in my adult life. Then my world was turned upside down overnight when a routine mammogram spotted the disease. I had to learn a lot about breast cancer in a short time so I could understand my diagnosis and make some big decisions about my care. My husband is a physician, so I had an advantage that many people facing a cancer diagnosis don’t have. Even so, I was overwhelmed. I kept wondering “How is everyone else doing this?!”
As I went through the experience, I saw firsthand how many needs arise when someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, and how difficult it can be to know where to turn. Again, I wondered how people managed if they didn’t have the kind of support network and access to resources that I had. As I learned more about breast cancer, I began to see just how significant the disparities are. Not everyone has access to information, screening, or even the basic items they need during treatment.
These realizations led me to start The Breast Cancer Club. At the time, I had been a stay-at-home mom for 25 years, and I had no nonprofit experience. I didn’t know how to start a nonprofit, but I knew I could figure it out. I also knew that if I was willing to ask for help, I would find a village of people who believed in the idea and would help me bring it to life. What began as an idea grew into a nonprofit focused on making sure everyone in Kansas City affected by breast cancer has access to the people, places and things they need. Today, as Founder and Executive Director, I’m fortunate to work with an incredible group of volunteers, board members and community partners to keep growing that vision and reaching more people across the Kansas City area.
My own experience with breast cancer changed my life in ways I never expected. Building The Breast Cancer Club has allowed me to turn a difficult experience into something meaningful for other people, and that has become one of the most rewarding parts of my life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, the road has been smoother than I expected. I’ve never started a nonprofit before, so I don’t really have a point of comparison, but people who know this work have told me that we’ve accomplished quite a bit in a relatively short time. A huge part of that is the generosity of people in Kansas City who have shared their expertise and connected us with others who can help move the mission forward.
There have definitely been some learning curves along the way. For example, when we first launched, our emails were getting caught in spam filters. For a while, I wondered if everyone was just ignoring me until we figured out what was happening! And because I hadn’t had a job since 1999, there was a whole world of technology and workplace tools I had never used. I literally had to have a friend teach me how to Zoom. There has been a lot to learn, but I’ve actually enjoyed the challenge.
The bigger struggle has actually been learning how to step away from the work. I care deeply about what we’re building, and it is hard to turn it off. But I have to remind myself that taking care of my own health is part of my job too. Because cancer can come back, I need to make time every day for the habits that help me stay healthy. Exercise, good nutrition, strong relationships and quality sleep help me manage the effects of my cancer medication and support my overall health. Fortunately, I had some of those habits in place before my diagnosis, so I’m not starting from scratch.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Breast Cancer Club?
The Breast Cancer Club is a Kansas City nonprofit that fills the gaps between medical care and everything else that comes along with breast cancer. We connect people with what they need, whether that’s a local resource, a practical item they can’t afford, or a person who understands what they’re going through.
What sets us apart is that we find creative ways to remove some of the barriers people face. We believe everyone affected by breast cancer should be able to access the information, resources and screening they need, regardless of their circumstances. We’re out in Kansas City bringing mobile screening into communities, collecting and redistributing gently used bras and other items, and connecting people with free services, including mammograms.
Our website, thebreastcancerclub.org, is the hub for all of this. It’s a free, Kansas City-specific online community with peer-to-peer connection, free resources, educational videos, practical tools, member discounts and more. We’ve designed it to be private, inclusive, accessible and available in more than 100 languages.
I’m especially proud of our brand because we’ve created something that doesn’t look or feel like the traditional breast cancer world. There’s no pink and no pink ribbon, and that has really resonated with patients and healthcare professionals who are pretty tired of seeing pink everywhere. Our logo uses five different skin tones side by side, reflecting our commitment to health equity and the fact that breast cancer affects people of all backgrounds. We wanted The Breast Cancer Club to feel modern, welcoming and inclusive.
I want people to understand that The Breast Cancer Club is for everyone affected by breast cancer in Kansas City. You might be a current patient, a survivor, a caregiver, someone at high risk or simply someone who wants to help. If breast cancer has touched your life, you’re welcome in the club.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to ask for help. First, I don’t know everything, and there’s no point in pretending I do. Second, I can’t do everything myself without eventually burning out. I still struggle with asking people for favors, but I know in my heart that most people actually like being asked and feel good when they have an opportunity to help. The generosity I’ve experienced from people who have shared their time, knowledge and connections has been one of the most rewarding parts of building The Breast Cancer Club.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebreastcancerclub.org
- Instagram: thebreastcancerclub
- Facebook: thebreastcancerclub.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-breast-cancer-club
