Every 19 seconds, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Each year, thousands of dollars are raised throughout Michiana to find a cure and help women battling the disease. Throughout Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we celebrate survivors and share their stories.

How Dowagiac’s Maxine Ownby got involved in the battle against breast cancer is a tale that is sadly repeated for too often these days.

In March of 2008, while Ownby worked at the former Contech factory near 5 Mile Corner outside the city, the woman visited her doctor for her yearly mammogram, which was covered by her insurance policy with her employer. Following the examination, she learned the results, which made her heart sink and her blood run cold: that doctors dedicated a tumor that they needed to perform a biopsy on.

On top of the indescribable emotional burden it placed on Ownby and her family, she was also faced with massive medical costs for the procedures to remove the mass — as well as the strain in placed on her budget to buy fuel for travel to and from St. Joseph on a constant basis, she said.

“Back then, gas would cost you $4.29 a gallon,” she said.

However, thanks to the support of a group of dedicated volunteers, she would have one less thing to worry about.

Members of Cass County Cancer Service, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting those suffering from the disease in the local community, began purchasing gas cards for her to use, which helped ease the burden on her and her family.

Following her procedure, Ownby decided to repay the cancer service the best way she knew how — by giving her own time to others, so that they could continue to receive the same helping hand as she did during her time of need.

“I just wanted to help [the cancer service] out because they helped me out,” Ownby said.

Today, Ownby has been cancer free for nine years, and continues to work make sure that those battling breast and other types of cancer receive the support they need to make it through their battle.

The Dowagiac woman has served as president of the Cass County Cancer Service since 2013. The organization offers financial support to those fighting cancer, paying up to $600 over the course of three years to each patient, to help them cover gasoline, utility payments and medicinal costs, Ownby said.

“It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor,” she said. “If you live in Cass County and you have cancer, we can help you.”

The organization also lends equipment to cancer patients, such as walkers, wheelchairs and other supplies that have been donated to the charity over the years, Ownby said.

Cass County Cancer Service is supported entirely through donations from the community, Ownby said. In addition to its own annual paddle auction fundraiser, which brings in around $3,000 a year, many other organizations help organize events to raise money for the service every year, such as Ed’s Open Header Cruise or the Moose Riders’ annual motorcycle ride.

Many others simply donate as individuals, though, wanting to help pay the service back for the support they gave their loved one during their battle with cancer.

Around 190 people are currently receiving assistance through the organization, Ownby said. The most common affliction they help people with is breast cancer.

“More than half of the people we help have breast cancer,” she said. “Many have survived their battle with it. But we have lost some people, too.”

Cass County Cancer Service is just one several nonprofits dedicated to helping those with breast cancer in the community. The Cass County Wings of Hope provides consoling to people who have or are going through breast cancer, while the Lee Memorial Foundation helps raise money to pay for mammograms for uninsured or under insured women through its annual Tree of Love Campaign.

“People are more aware of cancer than ever, and everybody has been touched by it in some way,” Ownby said. “They either know someone or have someone in their family who is battling it. I don’t why it is so prevalent here in Cass County, but we are to here to help if they need it.”

People who would like to receive assistance or would like to donate to Cass County Cancer Service may do so at (269) 699-5551.