Can Do Cancer

Can Do Cancer Now expanding beyond breast cancer.

Since 2012, Can Do Cancer has provided free support to adult cancer patients receiving IV-infusion chemotherapy in central Iowa: meals on chemo days, professional house cleaning, and Patient Partner mentorship. • house cleaning once a month during treatment
• dinner on chemotherapy days
• a web site for patients to learn what they need to know
• motivational support

A heartfelt thank you to The Iowa Clinic, a Mission Sponsor of Trivia Night 2026! 💙💚The Iowa Clinic is more than a spons...
09/01/2026

A heartfelt thank you to The Iowa Clinic, a Mission Sponsor of Trivia Night 2026! 💙💚

The Iowa Clinic is more than a sponsor, they're a valued partner in our community, referring patients to Can Do Cancer and standing alongside us year after year at Trivia Night. Their support helps make it possible for us to provide meals, housecleaning, and peer mentorship to patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment across central Iowa.

We are deeply grateful for The Iowa Clinic's continued commitment to the patients we serve, together. 💙

Together, we CAN DO CANCER.

Yesterday, our Founder & Board President Molly Zaver, Board Member Karen Peters, and volunteer Vickie Costanzo staffed a...
08/31/2026

Yesterday, our Founder & Board President Molly Zaver, Board Member Karen Peters, and volunteer Vickie Costanzo staffed a table at the Sixth Annual B4 Ride: Bras, Bikes, Bars & Beers, cheering on a sea of pink as riders made their way through Des Moines 💙

Huge thanks to our friends at Bras for the Cause for having us out to celebrate with them! From Captain Roy's to Trumans, Confluence, the Des Moines Biergarten, El Bait Shop, and High Life Lounge, it was a day full of community, connection, and a cause that hits close to home for our patients.

Bras for the Cause works to make mammograms, cervical screenings, and other lifesaving care accessible to every Iowan, insured or not, and every dollar raised stays right here in Iowa. That mission and ours go hand in hand 💚

Thank you for welcoming us into the fun - we can't wait for next year's ride!

Our biggest thank you goes out to this year's Trivia Night title sponsor, Hyper Energy! 💙💚Their generous support of Triv...
08/30/2026

Our biggest thank you goes out to this year's Trivia Night title sponsor, Hyper Energy! 💙💚

Their generous support of Trivia Night 2026 on October 17 at DMACC in Ankeny helps make an evening of fun, friendly competition, and community possible - all in support of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment right here in central Iowa.

Sponsors like Hyper Energy Bar are why we can keep showing up for our patients. Thank you for believing in our mission. 💙

Together, we CAN DO CANCER.

Gretchen Burch still remembers the blue welcome bag Can Do Cancer handed her and her family, "no strings attached and fr...
08/29/2026

Gretchen Burch still remembers the blue welcome bag Can Do Cancer handed her and her family, "no strings attached and from people that I didn't even know."

Gretchen was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and learned about Can Do Cancer through her Nurse Navigator. What stuck with her most in those early days wasn't just the welcome bag, it was the meals during chemo weeks. "This gave us valuable time back and a sense of relief during our busy and sometimes exhausting schedule of appointments," she says. "Can Do Cancer was such a bright spot in an incredibly challenging time."

Her own Patient Partner became a lifeline, someone she could call with questions, vent to, or simply lean on; a relationship that included hospital visits and hands-on help navigating recovery. Gretchen became a Patient Partner herself in 2019, and she says it's the shared experience and vulnerability that make the program unique. As she puts it, patients "so appreciate the meals and house cleaning that Can Do Cancer provides," services that let them focus on what matters most.

Gretchen has mentored patients through some of their hardest moments, from side effects to self-doubt, and says the relationship goes both ways. On days she's struggling herself, she says a text from a former patient can turn her whole day around: "They often remind me of how to enjoy the little things and it puts things into perspective."

Beyond mentoring, Gretchen volunteers at event booths and has rallied her coworkers around Can Do Cancer through her employer's Service to Community initiative, an effort that's grown year over year and now includes her employer's sponsorship of a Can Do Cancer fundraising event.

Gretchen has a son who'll turn 29 in October and recently got engaged; she's thrilled to be gaining a daughter who lives on the same street. She's an insurance professional with 27 years of experience, and when she's not working, you'll likely find her at the racetrack, cheering on races at Knoxville Raceway, Iowa Speedway, or Kansas Speedway, or watching one on her TV or phone.

Thank you, Gretchen, for turning your own hardest season into a lifeline for so many others. 💙💚

Thanks to a new $1,500 grant from , more patients across central Iowa will have chemotherapy-day meals and house cleanin...
08/28/2026

Thanks to a new $1,500 grant from , more patients across central Iowa will have chemotherapy-day meals and house cleaning waiting for them exactly when they need it most.

Since our 2025 expansion beyond breast cancer into six additional diagnoses, more patients than ever are eligible for Can Do Cancer's services. This grant helps us extend that same direct support, meals on treatment days and professional house cleaning, to patients newly eligible under that broader diagnosis coverage.

Since 2012, we've served more than 1,400 chemotherapy patients across central Iowa at no charge, backed by 89 trained Patient Partner volunteers. We're grateful to Aureon for investing in that work. 💙💚

The power of collective giving, in action! 💙💚We’re so grateful to 100+ Women Who Care Ankeny for selecting Can Do Cancer...
08/27/2026

The power of collective giving, in action! 💙💚

We’re so grateful to 100+ Women Who Care Ankeny for selecting Can Do Cancer as their Q2 recipient, a gift of $7,500 that’s already making a difference in our community.

Thanks in part to this generous support, Can Do Cancer has been able to expand our services to all adults undergoing cancer treatment, removing previous limitations based on cancer type. That means more patients across central Iowa can now access the free support they need.

To every member of 100+ Women Who Care Ankeny: thank you for showing up, giving back, and choosing to invest in our patients. Collective giving like yours creates real, lasting change.

Just a few days left. Our Strawberry Patch x Can Do Cancer apparel drop closes at 11:59 pm on Monday, August 31. Shop ou...
08/26/2026

Just a few days left. Our Strawberry Patch x Can Do Cancer apparel drop closes at 11:59 pm on Monday, August 31.

Shop our link in the comment below.

These pieces are not part of our regular lineup, so this is your last chance to grab a sweatshirt or tote featuring the "Can Do Cancer" design. Orders ship within 7 to 10 days of the order close date.

Thank you to Strawberry Patch for partnering with us on this collection, and thank you for supporting Can Do Cancer.

Kelli Breuklander remembers the exact moment Can Do Cancer became part of her story: a phone call to Deonne, in tears, j...
08/25/2026

Kelli Breuklander remembers the exact moment Can Do Cancer became part of her story: a phone call to Deonne, in tears, just wanting someone to talk to.

Kelli was diagnosed in early 2021, following a suspicious mammogram on New Year's Eve 2020. After her second chemo treatment left her feeling terribly sick, she went looking for a support group but couldn't find one nearby. That search led her to Deonne. In her words: "I was so very humbled at all the generous ways she offered encouragement that I didn't even know I needed, all from this organization I had never even heard of until that call."

From that moment, Kelli knew she wanted to give back. She signed up for Patient Partner training as soon as her 13-month treatment ended in 2022.

Kelli describes the impact of mentorship simply: Can Do Cancer helps match new patients with survivors who've faced a similar diagnosis, and as a Patient Partner, she makes sure to connect with each patient in the way and frequency they want, celebrating milestones along the way.

One of Kelli's favorite memories is meeting her own Patient Partner in person, years after they'd first been paired, at a gathering for mentors. Neither realized who the other was until a name was announced; a moment Kelli calls "a beautiful discovery." They've stayed close ever since.

Beyond mentoring, Kelli has volunteered at events, donated Trivia Night baskets, joined the Pink Bag Event the last two years, and recently helped make handmade port pillows for patients currently in treatment.

Kelli was born and raised in Oskaloosa, where she still lives with her husband of 37 years. They have two adult children nearby, along with several very active grandchildren. She owns The Hair Studio, working as a hairstylist and nail tech, and runs a side business called Simply Altered, making Memory Bowls to honor loved ones. In her free time, she loves decorating, spending time with extended family, and, especially since her diagnosis, savoring quiet moments whenever she can find them.

Thank you, Kelli, for turning a hard season into years of showing up for others. 💙💚

Sometimes the most powerful message we receive is a simple thank you.Lorrie, one of our patient participants, recently s...
08/21/2026

Sometimes the most powerful message we receive is a simple thank you.

Lorrie, one of our patient participants, recently sent this note after opening her Can Do Cancer care package, and with her permission, we wanted to share it with you:

"You guys made me feel so special when I got my care package. I spent days just looking at it before I finally started to remove all the special items within, and I just cried. I can't thank you folks enough for gifting me something items can't do. You gave me such a special feeling that I wasn't alone in this journey. I was overwhelmed by your kindness, your thoughtfulness, and the handmade hat I will need for winter. Knowing I wasn't walking this journey alone has given me the ability to stay positive and to walk with my head a bit higher than it would have been.

Thank you for all that you do for me and the rest of the lucky folks who have received your care packages. I can't express what it means to me.

Thank you, hugs, and thank you for helping me walk this journey."
— Lorrie

Notes like this are exactly why we do this work. Every care package carries more than comfort — it carries the message that no one has to walk this journey alone.

Thank YOU, Lorrie, for trusting us to be part of your story. 💙💚

Together, we CAN DO CANCER.

Can Do Cancer volunteers were proud to attend the Black Women 4 Healthy Living Conference last Saturday, August 15, at G...
08/20/2026

Can Do Cancer volunteers were proud to attend the Black Women 4 Healthy Living Conference last Saturday, August 15, at Grand View University in Des Moines! 💙💚

The sold-out event brought together an incredible lineup of speakers and community partners for a day focused on holistic care, movement, and health equity for Black women across Iowa. We're grateful to BW4HL for the invitation, and for creating space where our patients' communities can connect with resources like ours.

Sheryl and Alexis represented Can Do Cancer on-site, sharing information about our free support services for patients across central Iowa.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table, and congratulations to BW4HL on a wonderful, sold-out day!

Address

PO Box 602
Ankeny, IA
50021

Telephone

+15153222333

Website

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