Partner with Beyond Basic Needs
We spend hundreds of hours with our coworkers. We know about their families, their hobbies, their pets, and now we see what the insides of their homes look like.
However, it’s my experience in a corporate setting; the minute a medical event happens, we freeze. Team members want to help but don’t have specific ways to do so. Often team members scramble to find some way to contribute or feel helpless and unsure of what to do to support each other. Many just wait for someone to take the initiative and pass around a card they can sign.
We don’t want to seem intrusive, yet at the same time, we want to show support for our team members to help them get through this moment and get back on their feet.
After my cancer diagnosis, I realized the need for corporate to create a pathway to enable support during medical events. I was alone in a new city, newly married, with no clue who would walk my dogs and what my future would look like regarding rehab or treatments. Scary couldn’t even begin to describe the thoughts running through my head. Rather than step up to show support, my team members stopped contacting me (thinking they were giving me the time I needed to handle this event). However, I wanted the support of the team I had grown close to. I didn’t need them to take action, but I wanted to know I was more than just an employee (or a cog in the wheel).
Once I left that company and started working for Ticketmaster, Trae, one of my beloved team members, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer. This was a punch in the gut as, like me, he was newly married with a great future ahead of him and his family. Rather than sit back, I took action. Each hospital stay he had, I made sure to pull the teams together to send baskets of games, puzzles, toiletries, and balloons. Between treatments, we would send goodies to his home to support him and let him know we care.
This seems trivial right? But it’s not. We spend hundreds of hours with our coworkers. In times of need, being present is more important than giving someone space. If you are working together and someone goes out on medical leave, you should be able to contact them to let them know you care (and leave work out of the conversation). This support helps all of us feel more connected to our team, more connected to our company, and more connected to leadership.
It was in the spirit of Trae that my husband and I created Beyond Basic Needs. We know the importance of community and support during times of crisis.
We founded Beyond Basic Needs to get past the stigma of asking for help and receiving the support required after a medical event. We have partnered with Give InKind, an easy-to-use online tool for organizing support during life’s important and challenging moments.
– Rachel Minion, Founder of Beyond Basic Needs
Sign Up For a Corporate Partnership Today
The only requirement we have to becoming a partner is that you spread awareness of Beyond Basic Needs throughout your organization. It is our mission to help as many people as possible thrive after a medical event.
There is NO COST to the employee, the organization or the supporter to use the platform. Not only is it free, it makes such difficult and uncomfortable situations simple and easy with little lift required by HR, Management, and/or team members!
More from Beyond the Blog
The Power of Community Involvement When Someone is Fighting Cancer
Fighting cancer is a challenging journey that requires a lot of strength and support. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it affects them, their loved ones, and the entire community. This is why community involvement can significantly support cancer warriors and...
How to Create a Positive Mindset During Treatment and Recovery
Dealing with cancer is never easy. Not only is it physically exhausting, but it can also take a toll on your mental health. The anxiety and stress of treatment can quickly become overwhelming if you don't have the right mindset. But how do you create a positive...
Tips on Managing Stress and Anxiety During Treatment
A cancer diagnosis can not only affect the physical health of the person but also their mental wellbeing. Treatment can be a long and stressful process that requires immense strength and courage. Along with medical care and support, self-care can be crucial in...
Making an Impact During Women’s History Month
“March is the month of expectation.” - Emily Dickinson What can we expect from this March? For starters, it is a very important month for women worldwide as we commemorate Women’s History Month. From Beyond Basic Needs, we are dedicating this month to supporting women...
Giving Tuesday: Time To Give Back
Generosity is often thought of as a simple act of giving. But it's so much more than that. It's about being kind and caring, lending a helping hand, and making a difference in the lives of others. Generosity is one of the most important virtues we can aspire to...
Chemo Care Kits: Behind The Scenes
Chemotherapy can be a tough road to travel, but our Chemo Care Kits can help make the journey a little bit easier. We want to share more details about us and the beginnings of Chemo Care Kits, so we went straight to the source of the idea: Michelle Long, a breast...
What People Are Saying About Our Chemo Care Kits
Cancer is a tough battle to fight alone. At Beyond Basic Needs, we do everything in our hands to support cancer patients and their families so they don’t feel alone in this journey. We understand firsthand the challenges of a cancer diagnosis and are dedicated to...
How Can I Start a Fundraiser To Benefit Beyond Basic Needs
At Beyond Basic Needs, we believe no one should go through cancer treatment alone, which is why we work daily to provide a better today for cancer warriors undergoing chemo. But we can't do it without your help. Today is the perfect time to start supporting cancer...
What You Need To Know About A Chemo Care Kit
For many of us, cancer is a scary word. We never want to hear it, and we pray it never affects our loved ones. However, for far too many people, cancer is a real part of their lives. In the U.S. alone, it's estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed...
Giving Back with the Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program
Have you ever wished there was an easy way to give back to your community? Well, there is with the Winn-Dixie Community Bag Program! Not only does this program help out local non-profits, but it also helps to reduce single-use plastics. So you can feel good about...
Beyond Basic Needs: Supporting Cancer Warriors One Chemo Care Kit at a Time
It's hard when your doctor starts the conversation with "you have cancer." No one wants to hear that. Unfortunately, cancer is a reality for many people. And, once you get that diagnosis, everything changes—your focus shifts from living your life to fighting for your...
How Can I Support My Friend Who Was Diagnosed With Cancer?
It can be tough to know how to show your support for a loved one with cancer. You want to do everything you can to support them, but it's hard to know what to do. You may feel like you need to tiptoe around them or avoid asking specific questions. You may also feel...
How to Setup a Fundraiser on Instagram
Did you know you could set up a Fundraiser on Instagram to benefit Beyond Basic Needs in less than 2 minutes? 1. To get started on Instagram, click Create a Post or '(+)' in the top right of your screen. 2. Tap 'post' and select a photo (images are available here) 3....
How to Setup a Fundraiser on Facebook
Did you know you could set up a Fundraiser on Facebook to benefit Beyond Basic Needs in less than 2 minutes? To get started on Facebook, visit: https://www.facebook.com/fund/beyondbasicneeds/ If this link isn't working for you, please visit Beyond Basic Needs in the...
From Darkness to Light
by Mikaela Rossman Clark There are firsts in life that you always remember. Your first kiss. First pet. First roller coaster ride. The first time you hop on a plane for an epic adventure. And for me--the first time I heard the word ‘cancer’ from a doctor...
How to Help Your Coworker After a Medical Event
It’s almost astounding, but the data is there. Pre-COVID, we may have spent more time with our co-workers per week than with our families. Working 40+ hours a week with 80%+ of your time in meetings, you get to know these team members personally. Once COVID hit, we...
How Not to Tell Your Support Network You Have Cancer
by Rachel Minionand Jon Minion In theory, there is no right or wrong way to tell your support network you have cancer. In reality, there is a 100% wrong way. Going back to my appointment, I was seen late, my appointment took forever and now it’s about 4:30pm. I shoot...
A Beautiful Disaster – Part 2
by Rachel Minionand Jon Minion Fast forward to a few weeks after my appendix burst. I’m sitting in the surgeon’s waiting room. It’s a Friday afternoon and I’m excited for the weekend. Things were on the up and up. I had a successful surgery to remove my encapsulated...
A Beautiful Disaster – Part 1
by Rachel Minionand Jon Minion It was an amazing day in Manhattan. I was flying high, ready to walk into that Verizon Executive Conference and rock this meeting. While I can’t remember if the meeting was located in the Adobe or Google offices, I will tell you that it...