Reconstructive surgery for uninsured breast cancer survivors nearly impossible to pay for

SEMINOLE, Fla. - Right now thousands of women are battling breast cancer, and even if they win the battle, the chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery can change their bodies forever.

Some women have to have reconstructive surgery, but many women who need the surgery do not have insurance.

Alisa Savoretti wants to help those women in need because a few years ago, she needed that help.

"It can be a corporate woman who's lost her job and the interim of her cancer journey she might have lost her house," Savoretti said. "There's all types of situations, terrible situations that these women have to go through."

Savoretti knows exactly what that terrible situation feels like because she was diagnosed in 2002.

"It was devastating because I was told I needed to find a plastic surgeon right away to have my breasts reconstructed and I had to find a general surgeon and find all these things without insurance, so its challenging," Savoretti said.

Before her diagnosis, Savoretti lived under the lights in Las Vegas as a showgirl.

However, when she left Nevada to pursue something else, timing was not good.

"I got caught in between careers and Pinellas County Social Services saved my life," Savoretti said.

Her right breast along with the cancer was removed, but reconstruction was not an option.

Even without a breast, Savoretti decided she had to go back to Las Vegas.

A job at the Riviera meant insurance, and then surgery. Savoretti says before surgery, she had to stuff her costume with padding in order to perform in shows.

"Losing a breast changes your life, getting it back is life changing," Savoretti said.

While in Las Vegas, Savoretti started "My Hope Chest", a non profit organization that helps uninsured women get the reconstructive surgery they so desperately need.

"I had a woman at one of the conferences that said she balls up a sock and puts it in her bra," Savoretti said.

Stories like that inspire Savoretti to help women in the bay area. Savoretti now lives in Seminole and dedicates her life to My Hope Chest.

"For every 10,000 we raise, essentially we're able to change a woman's life forever,"Savoretti said.

Savoretti hopes the work she's doing will help change the lives of others.

"It (reconstructive surgery) really is the final step to put this cancer journey behind them and that is why this is so important," Savoretti said.

If you would like to help uninsured women get reconstructive surgery, or if you know a surgeon that might be interested in helping the organization, you can find out more information by going to www.myhopechest.org