Volunteer Guidelines
Speaking with Care: Always Provide Information Not Advice
It is very important that when volunteers represent Komen that we speak with care and provide information, not advice. Please use the following guidelines when speaking or answering questions:
- Under no circumstances are volunteers to give medical advice or physician referrals. If someone asks you to recommend a physician or hospital, suggest that they seek out a breast specialist and/or go to a comprehensive cancer center, teaching hospital or major hospital in their area.
- Be sensitive to the listener – use appropriate language.
- Do not give your personal opinion.
- Use only statistics from Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the American Cancer Society or the National Cancer Institute.
- If asked about Komen’s position on topical or controversial issues, explain that Susan G. Komen’s primary purpose is that of funding breast cancer research, providing educational information on breast health and breast cancer and supporting community programs for breast cancer patients and their families.
- Remember that you are representing Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Do not promote the interests of other groups.