Amanda Napolitano, Executive Director, The DONNA Foundation

In an interview with Invest:, Amanda Napolitano, executive director of The DONNA Foundation, discussed the nonprofit organization’s mission to support breast cancer patients through the DONNA CareLine and Fearless Series events. She highlighted the foundation’s 20th anniversary celebration and its significant contributions to breast cancer research and patient support.

What is the mission of The DONNA Foundation? 

The mission of the Donna Foundation is to provide hope, support, and financial relief to those living with breast cancer. We operate three programs: the DONNA CareLine, which supports the fundamental needs of breast cancer patients, support for research, and Survivorship, Education and Awareness delivered through our Fearless Series, including the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer.

Our impact covers patient care, addressing health disparities, and removing barriers to care. Our events also support survivorship programming, celebration, and education, while boosting the economy of Jacksonville.

What are some of the organization’s biggest milestones from the past year?

In the past year, we’ve seen a rebound in special events post-pandemic. We celebrated our 20th anniversary on June 26, 2023. Over 20 years, we’ve served nearly 20,000 patients, provided $6 million in financial services and debt relief, and donated $3.3 million to breast cancer research. We’ve had nearly 200,000 athletes cross finish lines, celebrating survivorship. We’re proud of our work.

How does The DONNA Foundation contribute to research efforts?

We’ve contributed $3.3 million over 20 years to Mayo Clinic’s Translational Genomics program. This started with our seed funding in 2008, when we launched the inaugural National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer. Despite being a small organization, we’ve made significant advancements with this investment. Initially, Donna and her oncologist, Dr. Edith Perez, launched the marathon to raise research funds during her second diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer. The first year raised around $800,000, and we are proud of our contributions.

How does Jacksonville’s healthcare sector contribute to The DONNA Foundation?

Jacksonville is a healthcare hub in Florida, with many major facilities. The local healthcare community focuses on serving the underserved, aligning with our mission to eliminate barriers to care.

Through the DONNA CareLine, we address crises like housing, utility bills, transportation, and food access that arise when someone is diagnosed with breast cancer. Our goal is to meet basic needs so patients can focus on treatment. Without this support, patients might skip treatment to feed their families.

I see the community and healthcare providers coming together to address these issues. Our vision is to ensure all of Jacksonville has access to healthcare. The population we serve often earns less than $40,000 a year, making them more vulnerable to illness due to financial stress.

While our immediate work is critical, I’m encouraged that these broader issues are gaining attention. We need comprehensive solutions to ensure everyone has access to necessary care and support.

How is The DONNA Foundation addressing high healthcare costs?

Through the DONNA CareLine, we first engage with patients via case management. We assess their financial situation and insurance status. For those without insurance, we help them enroll and connect them to various programs and resources.

Our main focus is on housing, utilities, transportation, and food assistance. Initially, healthcare costs were our primary issue, but now these other challenges have become more critical. However, we still help with copay assistance, deductible payments, and enrolling patients in disability programs.

Looking at our impact report, the top issues we addressed were housing, utilities, transportation, food assistance, copay assistance, deductible payment support, and disability eligibility.

What are some of the key collaborations and partnerships in place to achieve your mission?

Our most significant partnership is with the Patient Advocate Foundation in Virginia. They provide the case management services for the DONNA CareLine and help manage a financial aid fund for immediate bills.

We also have about 50 strategic partnerships supporting our events, which are crucial for our work. Key partners include the Jacksonville Jaguars, FIS, Black Knight (now ICE), and several pharmaceutical companies. These partnerships are vital to our success.

What is the best way for companies to support The DONNA Foundation? 

Companies can partner with us through sponsorship of our National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer and other Fearless Series events. We also need thousands of volunteers, providing great team-building opportunities. We have a partnership with Jeff Galloway training programs to get employees active and participating in our events. Additionally, we’re happy to engage with employees at health fairs, providing information about our services.

What educational services does The DONNA Foundation provide?

Each year, we host a two-day Health and Wellness Expo during the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer. Held at EverBank Stadium, it combines elements of a women’s show, running expo, and healthcare summit. We offer resources on breast health, survivorship, nutrition, and training. Community partners like the Women’s Center of Jacksonville also participate.

What is your outlook for the DONNA Foundation over the next few years? 

We’re seeing positive trends in the road race industry. In 2023, the industry saw about 10% growth in race participation, and our events saw 18% growth from 2022 to 2023. We expect even more growth in 2024. This increased participation means more fundraising and more support for patients. The number of patients we served in the last program year was 89% higher than in 2020.

For Jacksonville, this translates to economic impact. We welcomed nearly 7,000 visitors for our February events, with about 3,750 room nights, generating nearly $4 million in economic impact, up from $2 million the previous year. As we continue to grow our events, we’re shifting from just staying afloat to actively expanding, allowing us to better support patients and contribute more to the community.