Legal Care Improves Sense of Health and Well-Being in Breast Cancer Patients

Breast Cancer Legal Project

The Breast Cancer Legal Project

A Cancer Legal Line Program to support Minnesotans affected by breast cancer.

The Breast Cancer Legal Project is made possible by generous funding from Susan G. Komen Minnesota.


Cancer Legal Line provides pro bono legal

care to Minnesotans affected by cancer.


In 2013, Cancer Legal Line helped 390 people affected by cancer.

111 of them were womenwith breast cancer.


In 2013 Cancer Legal Line sent a survey to our clients who were helped through the Breast Cancer Legal Project.

This is what we learned.


We asked:

If CALL didn’t exist, where would you have gone for help?


I don't know / I'm not sure

211 / Yellow Pages

Private lawyer

The State

No Answer

Would not have pursued help

Adult Protection

Church

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Where would you go for help without CALL?


More than half -- 57% -- of our clients either don’t know or are unsure of where else they could have turned for help.


We asked:

How did you hear about CALL?


Referrals to CALL came from medical facilities, social workers, support groups, physicians, therapists, and friends.


We asked:

How many times did you contact CALL?


43% got the answers they needed in two calls.

14% of our clients needed 3 or more contacts to resolve all the issues they were experiencing.

43% got the answers they needed on one call.


We asked:

What issue did you contact CALL about?


Employment

Bankruptcy / Financial

Will / Estate Planning

SSI Disability / Disability In-

surance

Not specifiedSchool-related

Areas Legal Help Was Needed


Employment, estate planning, wills, and financial concerns were the most common reasons for contacting CALL.

Nearly a third of these women contacted CALL for more than one issue.


We asked:

BEFORE contacting CALL, what effect did your issue(s) have on your overall health and sense of well-being?


extremely negative

somewhat negative

no effect somewhat positive

extremely positive

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Self-Reported Effect of Legal Issues(s) on Sense of Health and Well-Being

Before Contacting Cancer Legal Line.


We asked:

AFTER contacting CALL, what effect did the assistance from CALL have on your overall health and sense of well-being?


extremely negative

somewhat negative

no effect somewhat positive

extremely positive

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Self-Reported Effect of Assistance from CALL on Sense of Health and Well-Being

After Contacting Cancer Legal Line.


Self-Reported Effect on Overall Health and Well-Being

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70% Effect of Problem

Effect of Help from CALL


Our clients report that their overall health and sense of well-being are very negatively affected by their legal concerns. Overall health and sense of well-being is very positively affected by solutions offered by the caring and compassionate CALL staff.


Comments from our Breast Cancer Legal Project Clients

The staff were knowledgeable, helpful, and provided me with good advice. Also, confidential about info.- Kathy



I appreciate what you do for cancer survivors. You obviously understand what is troubling for us.-Anonymous



CALL provided me with very helpful information, the person I spoke to was very knowledgeable with the issue I had.-Kim



CALL staff were friendly and professional and advised us well in what to do.-Anonymous



Advice received was straightforward and very useful.-Nancy



Make sure all cancer patients are aware of the services you provide!-Anonymous


Thank YouSusan G. Komen Minnesota

and the women who completed our Breast Cancer Legal Project Survey.

Law

Legal Care Improves Sense of Health and Well-Being in Breast Cancer Patients