I am a California Native; I graduated from UCLA with a BA in Political Science and started my career at a company that specialized in providing individual insurance products to business owners. It is there I began selling products such as Life, disability and health insurance.

After a year I realized I enjoyed the employee benefits or group health insurance side of the business more. I loved interacting with the employees and helping them make informed decisions on their healthcare.

I opened my own company located in Palos Verdes Estates and built a successful practice specializing in group insurance (medical, dental, life, disability and retirement plans) for small to medium sized businesses. I enjoyed working as the employee’s advocate helping them through their Human Resource departments with claim and benefit issues.

After a few years I was invited to join the world’s second largest insurance brokerage firm. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up so I left my practice and soon became Vice President of the Life & Health Department. There I specialized in providing group and individual insurance to the entertainment industry.

My position allowed me, once again, to work with employees and Human Resource departments throughout the country. I was able to build an extraordinary department with a team of professionals that prided themselves on providing excellent customer service. While working fulltime I went back to school and earned my MBA at Pepperdine.

In June of 2003 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and everything changed. I found a lump in my left breast and soon after was diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer. I joined a clinical trial and received 6 rounds of neoadjovent dose dense chemotherapy, a lumpectomy and radiation therapy. After 8 months of treatment I was, and AM, cancer free!

When I was diagnosed I asked myself, why is this happening to me? In the beginning I just couldn’t come up with an answer. During treatment stage I experienced the difficulty of juggling the physical stress of treatment and the ongoing paperwork generated by my insurance company. Even with my expertise I didn’t have the energy or concentration needed to tackle my personal insurance claim problems.

It was then I came to believe the reason I was chosen to go through the journey of cancer was to meld my passion of helping others with my extensive knowledge of insurance. Cancer Patients Insurance Advocates (CPIA) is that vision!

As a survivor, I had faced death very early in my life and I realized that my personal insurance portfolio was not adequate. I had behaved as most, thinking I had more time to prepare. After all my treatment was completed I began the process of placing much needed insurance on myself. This gave me an inside look at how difficult it is for survivors to find coverage.

My personal experiences as a patient and a survivor have focused the services that CPIA provides.

I have now joyfully dedicated my life to working with cancer patients and survivors to help empower them with the information and resources they need to make sure they receive the benefits they deserve.

CPIA’s commitment is to lift the burden of insurance off the shoulders of the cancer patient and their caregivers and to assist survivors protect themselves and their families with appropriate insurance products.

My purpose is to help people successfully navigate the challenges of cancer with more ease and grace, to help them experience more empowerment in service to their health, to be able to enjoy the preciousness of life and pass it on.

Everyday I wake up thankful I am alive and able to help others.

In addition to running CPIA I am a mentor to women who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer through the Breast Friends Program at Long Beach Memorial. I am also very proud to serve on the board of directors for the Breast Cancer Care and Research Fund.

It will be an honor and a privilege to serve you.

Heather Himelwright
President
Cancer Patient’s Insurance Advocates, Inc.