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| Wanda Thomas |
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The I WANT Foundation, Inc. is dedicated to Wanda Thomas (left), Andrea and Nikki's biological mother and Ike's first wife; and Madgeline Surles, (right), Andrea and Nikki's aunt, Wanda's sister. Wanda and Madge both lost their battle with breast cancer at an early age, but we will win the war!
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| Madgeline Surles |
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Purpose of the Foundation:
To promote breast cancer awareness through motivational speaking, individual and family counseling, mentoring, assistance, fundraising, and to create products that provide comfort to breast cancer patients after surgery.
Mission:
The mission of The I W.A.N.T Foundation is to promote breast cancer awareness and to provide comfort and counseling, mentoring and assistance to breast cancer patients, their families, and the community.
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Our History:
The history of The I W.A.N.T. Foundation dates back to more than 25 years when our mother, Wanda Jean (Archie) Thomas was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the early age of 33. During that time, breast cancer was not as prevalent as it is today and a lot of research had not been done on this daunting disease. Our mother died a year later. Our mother's younger sister, our aunt, Madgeline Surles, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer a year before our mother at the age of 29. She died five years later at 34. Another one of our mother?s sisters and our aunt, Arie LaVergne was diagnosed at the age 36 and is currently in remission. Our mother?s father, our grandfather, passed on the BRCA 1 gene from his mother who died from breast cancer and three of her daughters as well.
History has a habit of repeating itself and it is evident in our family history. Wanda?s oldest daughter (Andy) was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 32. Since then, Andy had five re-occurences as the cancer spread from her breast to her lungs, brain and then spinal cord before succumbing to this dreadful disease in October 2, 2010 at the age of 37. I am Wanda?s youngest daughter, (Nikki) and I was diagnosed with bi-lateral triple negative breast cancer at the age of 32. I completed my last chemotherapy treatment in October, 2008...by his stripes, I am healed!
We have been blessed with an awesome, patient, loving and caring Second Mom, LaTonya (Toni) Thomas who has been by our side since she married the best father in the world, Ike Thomas, in 1990. Because of her passion for helping others and our vision to make a difference in the lives of other survivors, we decided to do something about it.
Thus began our desire to reach out to women to promote early testing and also young women and their families who have been impacted by this horrible disease . I.W.A.N.T. stands for Ike, Wanda, Andrea, Nikki, and Toni. We are The I.W.A.N.T. Foundation, Inc. and we WANT to make a difference.
Will you join us in our Fight to the Finish?
~ Andrea (AndyThomas) Parker and Nikki Thomas
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