Our Story
Who Was Sue DiNapoli?
Sue DiNapoli was a Colorado Springs woman in the prime of her life when she received her ovarian cancer diagnosis. Sue had excellent health insurance through her employer but still the bills piled up. As she bravely navigated the disease, she often worried as much for other women’s financial well-being as well as for her own health.
Sue was quoted as saying:
“Making seriously ill women choose between paying for their cancer treatment and paying for their housing payment seems unusually cruel.”
During Sue’s cancer journey she noticed a lack of support services for women with gynecologic cancers. After her death, Sue’s family created a 501c3 charity to ensure Colorado women have the support they need. Sue’s Gift is a gift to the community that Sue loved so much.
Susan DiNapoli, Sue’s daughter, speaks at the Ent Center for the Arts during the Woman of Influence awards about the Impact of Sue's Gift!
When Cancer Hits Below The Belt We’re Here To Help!
We believe that every woman deserves her best chance at survival. We assist Southern Colorado women with the costs associated with gynecologic cancer diagnoses through the Sue’s Gift Financial Assistance Program.
About Sue's Gift
Sue’s Gift provides support for Colorado women diagnosed with gynecologic cancer
At Sue's Gift we believe every woman deserves her best chance at survival, regardless of her economic situation. Studies have shown that cancer patients have a lower risk of post-traumatic stress and better survival rates if they have social, emotional, and financial support.
The Sue’s Gift Financial Assistance program provides stability, security and hope to women and their families during treatment. Cancer is expensive. Cancer patients often feel overwhelmed when the bills start coming in. One recipient said, “Sue’s Gift helped me when I needed it most. I am not sure what I would have done without it. It’s nice to know that there are people who help with kindness and compassion.” This vital program helps ease the financial burden of cancer so women can focus on healing.
The Woman to Woman program (established with a grant from the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance) trains and empowers survivors one year post-treatment to mentor a newly diagnosed patient with the same cancer type. This program ensures that women needing emotional support after a cancer diagnosis can receive that critical support, regardless of her ability to attend a traditional cancer support group. To see the road ahead ask those coming back, Woman to Woman allows newly diagnosed patients to talk one-on-one with a woman who has been there.
Sue’s Gift also provides “Teal Good Bags” (chemo comfort bags) to newly diagnosed patients; integrative therapy classes for patients, survivors, and caregivers; survivorship celebrations, and a sense of community for women and their families/caregivers who have been affected by gynecologic cancer.