Every year since 1985, Breast Cancer Awareness Month has chosen October to educate the public and bring attention to the second most common form of cancer among women. The impact of breast cancer is even felt within the aesthetic plastic surgery specialty, as many doctors have patients whose breast reconstruction is the final step in their fight against this harmful disease, representing victory and a recapturing of their quality of life.

While the main objective of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is to spread the word about the importance of taking steps to detect the illness early, it is also a reminder of the life-changing resources available to those who have gone through the experience of batting the disease.

ASERF offers two such resources in the form of patient assistance funds readily available to eligible ASERF and Aesthetic Society members: The Mollenkopf Aesthetic Breast Reconstruction Fund, which provides financial assistance to patients looking to complete their aesthetic breast reconstruction following breast cancer; and the BIA-ALCL Patient Assistance Fund for diagnosed patients who are uninsured or underinsured.  [Note: The BIA-ALCL Fund is also available to members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and Plastic Surgery Foundation (PSF) while the Mollenkopf Fund expanded to include the California Society of Plastic Surgeons (CSPS) membership.]

More than 60 Mollenkopf Fund grants of up to $5,000 each are available thanks to the generosity of Susan and Steve Mollenkopf, with matching funds by the Qualcomm Foundation. The BIA-ALCL Fund can award grants of up to $6,500 to patients who are diagnosed with ALCL following National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) treatment guidelines. This Fund is made possible by generous contributions from breast implant manufacturers Allergan, Mentor and Sientra.

If you have a patient who is eligible for support, you can download the Mollenkopf Fund grant application here, and the BIA-ALCL Fund request form here. [Each form has detailed criteria to review prior to starting the application process.]

For additional questions on eligibility and applying, please contact Ivan Rodriguez, Development and Grants Manager at (562) 799-2356 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it