Offering Strength to Young Women
with Metastatic Breast Cancer
Offering hope for a better quality of life
Our mission is to support young women ages 18-49 living with Metastatic Breast Cancer by providing financial assistance for basic human needs, emotional support for coping with the many challenges of the disease and patient navigation services to give them a better quality of life.
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Who We Are
Infinite Strength exists to help young women living with metastatic breast cancer and residing in the Northeast.
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MBC Panel Discussions
We assemble a team of experts quarterly for in-person (virtual option) panel discussions to tackle the topics that are not talked about enough.
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National Resource Portal
Social Workers and Patients are welcome to apply to our portal filled with resources for Meals, Domestic Violence, Financial Aid, Legal Assistance and more.
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In Her Words
Women with MBC, Caregivers, and Oncology Social Workers share their stories and shed light on the importance of Infinite Strength.
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Find Support
Find support within the MBC community for you and your family, and ask questions as you try to navigate your diagnosis and treatment.
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Apply For Assistance
Our goal is to help young women with MBC by providing financial assistance for basic human needs: A roof over their head, warmth in the cold, food on the table.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
Rising Incidents
Breast cancer rates in women under 50 are increasing faster than in older women.
Breast cancer in young women (typically defined as age 45 or younger) is rising by 1.4% annually in those under 50, often presenting more aggressively. While rare, early-onset metastatic breast cancer (MBC) frequently causes higher mortality, unique fertility concerns, and requires specific, intensive treatments due to distinct, often aggressive, tumor subtypes. (Young Survival Coalition)
My Story
“I knew my story was not typical of most patients. The thin drape that separated me from other women in the infusion room every week did little to mute the voices of those questioning whether they could continue treatment because they were on their own and had bills to pay.”
Roberta Lombardi, Founder and President
On The Blog
Our third annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference!
Our second annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference was all a success!
A deeper look into the rise in homelessness and housing instability and the role state laws play in health disparities for low-income families, specifically single mothers living with MBC.
Our Early Onset Breast Cancer Conference videos are available to watch for anyone who could not attend in person.
A deeper look at the effects a parental cancer diagnosis has on children, plus helpful information and resources to navigate this situation.
This panel discussion co-hosted with Memorial Sloan Kettering was all about patient navigation and various patient resources.
Our Early Onset Breast Cancer Conference was a day full of community and we are so thankful for everyone who participated and attended.
Our first MBC Conference was recorded for anyone who missed it!
Our first annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference was all we could have hoped for and more!
This Life Support Panel Discussion with physicians from Yale New Haven Health is a important conversation on the topic of health disparities and what work is being done to end the injustices.
Genetic testing is a powerful tool for patients to utilize and can offer greater insights into the treatment best suited for breast cancer. Today, we discussed the benefits of genetic testing for both early stage and Metastatic Breast Cancer, what every patient should know when making the decision to get tested, and the psychosocial impact genetic testing has on patients and their families.
This Life Support Panel Discussion takes an introspective look at the challenges faced by those living with Metastatic Breast Cancer while raising children. Topics covered during our conversation included how to ask for help, how to talk to children in an age appropriate manner about this disease, and the impact this disease has on family life.
Broaching the subject of MBC is a topic that is just fraught with emotion and no parent wants to enter into that conversation with their child. Choosing whether, when, and how to share news of a cancer diagnosis with children is one of a parent’s first, and most difficult, decisions. How do you counsel parents on talking to their children about their illness in an age appropriate manner?
Written for Infinite Strength by Dr. Nancy Borstelmann
I sat down with Susan Fugett, a clinical social worker at Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center, to discuss the many distresses single mothers face with their life-changing cancer diagnosis.
Conversations between clinicians and patients about the financial costs of treatment are critical to high-quality, patient-centered cancer care. Today, we discussed the financial burdens of an MBC diagnosis and identified ways healthcare providers can alleviate fears some patients have about disclosing debt in an effort to improve the overall healthcare experience.
This episode of The Burn Podcast features my essay “When Two Worlds Collide” from Wildfire Magazine’s 2023 “Five Years & Counting” issue. My piece is about transforming into an early stage ally and advocate serving the metastatic breast cancer community. April and I discuss the importance of early stage allyship, MBC advocate Lisa Laudico’s impact on Infinite Strength, and lessons learned 5+ years out from a cancer diagnosis.
Bidirectional Care Integration focuses on delivering whole-person care. Building trust and fostering open communication between patients and healthcare providers can significantly improve patient outcomes and today we will talk about the various ways Hartford Healthcare is investing in patient education and shared decision making as a way to provide the highest standard of care for their patients.
Our Infinite Strength Gala was a huge success, and if you could not be there then you missed our big announcement: Infinite Strength is now a national nonprofit committed to helping underserved single mothers living with metastatic breast cancer across the country!
Insurance coverage for scalp cooling is not standard in the United States, therefore many patients, especially those in the underrepresented communities, do not have access. We have long felt that retaining one’s hair while undergoing cancer treatment is a matter of preserving dignity, and something that everyone should have access to regardless of race or socioeconomic background.
Let this issue about survivorship bring you both smiles and tears. And when you turn the last page, I hope you feel not only more hopeful than when you first opened the cover, but that you also know you are loved, supported, and never walking this path alone.
I sat down with the Heal Mary Podcast to recount my experience losing hair, side effects from treatment, dealing with depression, and how it ultimately led me to starting Infinite Strength.
We were able to lighten the hearts and ease the burdens of single moms living with Metastatic Breast Cancer all along the east coast. After paying our grantee's bills for December, we then surprised each family with a check for $500.00. This gift allowed these families to have a little bit of peace this holiday season, and it meant everything to them!
A successful panel discussion that took an introspective look at the challenges faced by those living with Metastatic Breast Cancer while raising children.
Our Life Support series takes a deep dive into the obstacles and challenges patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer face; specifically the patient population Infinite Strength serves.
Our fourth annual Infinite Strength Gala was indeed an incredible success!
On The Blog
Our third annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference!
Our second annual Metastatic Breast Cancer Conference was all a success!
A deeper look into the rise in homelessness and housing instability and the role state laws play in health disparities for low-income families, specifically single mothers living with MBC.
We are humbled, a little speechless and extremely honored First Lady Dr. Jill Biden would take the time to recognize our work with Patient Navigation! It has been a privilege to share information and ideas on our initiative with The White House. This journey has been a dream come true, and we are just getting started! Special thanks to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for bringing our work to the attention of Dr. Biden.
On behalf of Infinite Strength, Roberta Lombardi (president and founder) presented a research study at ABC 7 in Portugal which explained the impact of financial support from Infinite Strength for single mothers on low incomes living with ABC. ECancer.org highlights Roberta’s findings in this article.
Recent Press
Recent Press
We are humbled, a little speechless and extremely honored First Lady Dr. Jill Biden would take the time to recognize our work with Patient Navigation! It has been a privilege to share information and ideas on our initiative with The White House. This journey has been a dream come true, and we are just getting started! Special thanks to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for bringing our work to the attention of Dr. Biden.
On behalf of Infinite Strength, Roberta Lombardi (president and founder) presented a research study at ABC 7 in Portugal which explained the impact of financial support from Infinite Strength for single mothers on low incomes living with ABC. ECancer.org highlights Roberta’s findings in this article.
Infinite Strength is proud to be featured in the inaugural issue of More Life Magazine presented by The Missing Pink Breast Cancer Alliance. Led by Jasmine Dionne Souers, a young breast cancer survivor and health equity advocate, The Missing Pink Breast Cancer Alliance works collaboratively to create community resources that improve the lives of people of color affected by breast cancer.
Lisa Backus, writer and contributor to CT Insider, tells the story of Infinite Strength.
Infinite Strength is excited to share how we’re helping underserved patient populations nationally in the newly updated Hard-to-Reach ABC/MBC Communities toolkit. Join us and the global breast cancer community to find new ways to collaborate and minimize gaps for people living with metastatic breast cancer in these communities.
When Roberta Lombardi, a Connecticut mom of three, heard her diagnosis of early-stage triple-positive breast cancer she had 14 months of treatment but found herself changed after the experience.
Our annual gala was an amazing event!