By Erin Ercoline,
Executive Director, ThriveWell Cancer Foundation

Each year on August 17, National Nonprofit Day recognizes the organizations, employees, volunteers, donors, and community partners who work together to address critical needs and improve lives.

At ThriveWell Cancer Foundation, however, every day feels like Nonprofit Day, not only nationally, but certainly here in our local community.

Having worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 30 years, I see this day as a powerful reminder of why organizations like ThriveWell exist and why our work matters. It represents a shared commitment to easing the burdens cancer places on patients and families and transforming generosity into tangible, meaningful support.

At ThriveWell, that support may take the form of transportation to treatment, assistance with lodging or medical expenses, a fuel card for a patient traveling from a rural community, or access to free exercise, nutrition, and wellness programs. National Nonprofit Day is also an opportunity to honor the donors, volunteers, partners, and staff whose dedication allows ThriveWell to deliver hope, access, and compassion to people facing cancer every day.

Meeting a Critical Need in San Antonio

ThriveWell’s mission is especially important in San Antonio because financial, transportation, and access barriers can prevent cancer patients from receiving consistent, potentially lifesaving care.
A cancer diagnosis is difficult enough without the added fear of wondering how to afford a medical copayment, pay for gas, secure lodging near a treatment facility, or travel to an appointment. ThriveWell works to remove those practical barriers so patients can concentrate on their health rather than the financial strain surrounding their diagnosis.

Our support also extends beyond active treatment. Through ThriveWell’s DIVA&DUDE Wellness Program, anyone who has ever received a cancer diagnosis can participate in free exercise, nutrition, and wellness classes. These programs are designed to help patients not only survive cancer, but regain their strength, confidence, connection, and quality of life as they move through treatment and into survivorship.

Transforming Support Into Real Impact

I have seen ThriveWell’s programs change lives in very personal and concrete ways.
One patient I often think about was a young father who lived in a rural community without a practicing oncologist. He had to travel to San Antonio to receive his cancer treatment. Between coinsurance, gasoline, lodging, and the everyday costs of caring for his family, the financial burden became overwhelming. He was on the brink of delaying treatment simply because he could no longer afford to get here.

Through ThriveWell’s Patient Assistance Program, we helped provide lodging, fuel cards, and financial support so he could complete his chemotherapy and radiation without having to choose between lifesaving care and his family’s basic needs.

The impact was not only financial. Removing those barriers reduced his stress, helped stabilize his family’s routine, and gave him the emotional space to focus on completing each cycle of treatment. His gratitude and relief were powerful reminders that sometimes one of the most meaningful interventions we can offer is removing the practical obstacle standing between a patient and necessary care.

Another story that remains close to my heart is that of a breast cancer survivor who joined our DIVA& DUDE Wellness Program after completing treatment. She was struggling with anxiety and depression, worried about recurrence, and uncertain about how to reclaim her life after cancer. Through our free exercise, nutrition, and wellness classes, she found more than a pathway toward better physical health. She found a community of people who understood her experience. She shared that without ThriveWell, she would be in a very different and much darker place. The program gave her a renewed sense of purpose, meaningful friendships, and the tools to remain strong for herself and her family. Watching her become physically stronger, more confident, and more hopeful demonstrated how ThriveWell’s impact extends beyond an individual patient. It strengthens the emotional and practical well-being of the entire family.

Stories like these remind us that our work is never abstract. It is financial assistance, fuel cards, lodging, exercise classes, wellness resources, supportive relationships, and compassion—all converging to give cancer patients and their families the opportunity not only to survive, but to truly THRIVE.

A Small but Mighty Team

As ThriveWell continues to grow, I am most proud of the way our small but mighty team shows up for every patient and family member who reaches out to us. Those phone calls and conversations often take place during one of the most frightening and difficult moments in a person’s life. Our team understands the importance of listening, responding with compassion, and helping each person find the support they need.

We are serving a record number of patients, and every person we assist becomes part of the ThriveWell family. Providing a lifeline and a tangible source of hope can change everything for someone navigating cancer. I am deeply honored and proud to be part of this work.

There Is a Place for Everyone

To anyone considering making a gift, volunteering, attending an event, or becoming more involved with ThriveWell, my message is simple: absolutely do it. You will not regret it.

ThriveWell is always looking for passionate people who are willing to stand beside cancer patients and their families. When you support ThriveWell, you are not simply “helping out.” You are directly easing the burden of cancer for people in the San Antonio community and making an extraordinarily difficult season of their lives a little brighter.

Along the way, you will meet incredible people, experience the impact of your generosity, and become part of a community committed to ensuring that no one faces cancer alone.

National Nonprofit Day may be recognized on August 17, but at ThriveWell, its spirit is present every day. Every ride provided, every patient supported, every class offered, every gift received, and every life touched.

The ThriveWell Cancer Foundation team