ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – More support services for cancer survivors are coming to Tompkins and Cortland Counties.

Both the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County and the Cortland County Family YMCA are expanding survivorship programs thanks to a $165,000 grant from the Saint Agatha Foundation.

The money will be used to bring the evidence-based physical activity program LiveSTRONG to Cortland, and to provide free year-long support for individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment, as well as survivors, at both locations through the Laurie’s Legacy program, named for Saint Agatha Foundation Founder Laurie Mezzalingua.

“We are deeply grateful to the Saint Agatha Foundation for investing in the health and well-being of cancer survivors in both Tompkins and Cortland Counties,” said Ithaca and Cortland YMCA CEO Christine Thornton. “This grant allows us to remove financial barriers and provide comprehensive survivorship resources we otherwise could not offer. Laurie’s Legacy and LiveSTRONG at the YMCA will bring comfort, connection, and healing to so many during one of the hardest moments of their lives.”

Officials say the investment is coming at a pivotal moment in both counties. In Cortland, overall and late-stage breast cancer incidence exceeds state and national averages, and, according to the Cortland County Health Department, breast cancer is one of the leading causes of local cancer-related deaths.

In Tompkins, breast cancer incidence is lower than state and national levels, but the late-stage diagnosis rate surpasses both benchmarks and highlights gaps in early detection.

“Cancer has touched nearly every family in our communities, and the effects reach far beyond the course of medical treatment,” said YMCA Regional Executive Director Gunnar Madison. “Survivorship requires ongoing support that strengthens physical health, emotional well-being, and the stability of the household. This grant from the Saint Agatha Foundation makes it possible for the Y to meet those needs in a meaningful, community-based way [by] removing barriers, expanding access, and ensuring that survivors and their families have a trusted place to heal, connect, and regain their strength. Laurie’s legacy and LiveSTRONG at the YMCA will help ensure no one in Tompkins or Cortland Counties has to navigate that journey alone.”

The new programs will be offered in early 2026.