When Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation began operating 21 years ago, it was the first breast cancer nonprofit organization in Pennsylvania and the only one to offer free mammograms to women. Over the years, Linda Creed has partnered with local hospitals to provide screenings and diagnostic testing to more than 8,000 women in the region. Today, Linda Creed is a PHMC affiliate and poised to reach more women than ever.

We would really like to . . . put ourselves out of business. That would be a great goal.”

Linda Creed was established with the premise of helping women who otherwise would not be able to afford breast cancer screenings. “Most of the women Linda Creed serves are working women who don’t have health insurance,” says Donna Duncan, executive director of Linda Creed. At Linda Creed, volunteers and employees direct women toward local resources via a toll-free hotline. They answer more than a 1,000 calls every year. “Women call us from all over the country,” says Duncan. “We know what resources are out there. We navigate women through a complex, difficult system and show them the quickest way to get services.”

Educating local women about breast cancer is a major aspect of Linda Creed’s work. Linda Creed reaches women at health fairs and workshops, and through two peer groups it established—Safe Circle, an outreach and education program targeting African American women, and Rainbow Circle, a similar program for the lesbian community.

Linda Creed also advocates for breast cancer research and is a founding member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition. “We’ve really expanded our organization to the national level due to our advocacy efforts,” says Fran Orodeckis, director of development at Linda Creed. “We’ve gotten much more involved in breast cancer research and guiding that research,” says Duncan. “Many of our advocates sit on research review boards.”

In 2004 Linda Creed’s reputation as a local resource provider for women and a national advocate for breast cancer research attracted the attention of Deborah Schlater, vice president of Forensic Programs at PHMC, a breast cancer survivor, and now a former Linda Creed board member. “It was one of the only breast cancer organizations in our community providing hands-on clinical and financial services to women—a small agency doing big things locally,” recalls Schlater. Linda Creed’s Patient Assistance program, which provides financial support to women undergoing breast cancer treatment for daily living expenses such as rent, child care and utilities, is one of the programs Schlater has actively supported. During her own treatment for breast cancer, Schlater was able to continue working at PHMC. “PHMC supported me by allowing me to have a flexible schedule and conduct some of my work from home while I was undergoing chemotherapy, but not many employers would do so.” In 2004 Schlater co-founded “Chip In,” a golf tournament designed to raise funds for Linda Creed, which has a budget supported solely by fundraising. As of 2008, Chip In Golf (chipingolf.com) has raised more than $120,000 for Linda Creed.

To Schlater and everyone associated with Linda Creed, the affiliation with PHMC is an important step as it will allow Linda Creed employees time to focus on their core mission. “In order for the organization to grow and expand services we needed the infrastructure support as well as access to resources,” says Kathleen Lentini, president of Linda Creed’s Board of Directors. Orodeckis agrees: “The affiliation with PHMC is good for us because that’s what PHMC does best–provide support services so a small organization can do what it does best.”

Linda Creed’s future goals are clear. “We would really like to eradicate breast cancer–put ourselves out of business. That would be a great goal,” says Duncan.

To learn more about Linda Creed, visit www.lindacreed.org or call toll-free 1.877.99.CREED.

Linda Creed
The Woman Behind the Name

Born in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia in December 1949, Linda Creed was active in music at Germantown High School. After graduation, Linda decided against college and devoted her energies to writing and producing music. She found her first writing success in 1971 at the age of 22, when Dusty Springfield recorded her song “Free Girl.”

After living a few years in Los Angeles, where she met her future husband Stephen Epstein, she returned home to Philadelphia where she connected with Kenny Gamble and teamed up with Thom Bell. Her work with Bell, initially with The Stylistics and then with The Spinners, brought her huge commercial success and was an integral part of what became known as the “Philly Sound.” She wrote for other notables such as Teddy Pendergrass and George Benson. She was co-writer of “The Greatest Love of All,” which was originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson for the Muhammed Ali biopic, The Greatest.

While her public life was one of fame and success, her private life was filled with family and friends, the joy of motherhood, and the shadow of breast cancer. At the age of 26, Linda was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her indomitable spirit helped her survive ten more years. The private Linda was known for her generous and nurturing heart. Despite her illness, she continued to work and made herself available to her family and friends, helping them in any way she could.

Linda died of breast cancer on April 10, 1986, at the age of 37, survived by her husband, Stephen, their two daughters, her parents and siblings. A little more than a month after her death, her most well-known song, “The Greatest Love of All,” became a #1 hit for pop icon Whitney Houston.

Before her death, Linda Creed along with Thom Bell served as the lyricists for Phyllis Hyman’s hit song “Old Friend” on her 1987 album Living All Alone. In 1990, while performing in Japan, Hyman dedicated a rendition of the song to Linda as a tribute. Linda was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992.

In 1987, Linda’s friends and family founded Linda Creed Breast Cancer Foundation to honor the private Linda–the caregiver and nurturer.  While her songwriting fame has faded somewhat 22 years after her death, her inner spirit lives on, providing women access to mammograms, diagnostic tests, and other vital resources.

I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows // If I fail, if I succeed // At least I'll live as I believe // No matter what they take from me // They can't take away my dignity // Because the greatest love of all // Is happening to me // I found the greatest love of all // Inside of me // The greatest love of all // Is easy to achieve // Learning to love yourself // It is the greatest love of all

Lyrics from Linda Creed's hit song “The Greatest Love of All,” 1977

Upcoming Linda Creed Events

11.15.08

12.6.08