"Third and Broadway when you got the call / April 1st supposed to be for foolish jokes and all that / You were crushed under the weight of the news..."

 So go the opening lyrics to One Less Worry, a song written by Erin Noel in tribute to her mother's breast cancer journey. Erin's mother is our founder and CEO, Molly MacDonald. 

 

Ten years ago today - April 1, 2005 - in a New York City taxi cab on her way to LaGuardia Airport after meeting with Major League Baseball executives to "pitch" business for the All-Star Game that would be played in Detroit that July, Molly received the 'no foolin' diagnosis that began with "I'm sorry," and ended with "you have breast cancer." Molly was between jobs, supporting her five children, caring for her aging mother, and paying $1,200 per month for Cobra health insurance. Two surgeries and six weeks of daily radiation cured her cancer but derailed her career and ruined her finances. Her home went into foreclosure; her family relied on a local food bank for nourishment. Thus began the dream of what would become The Pink Fund. Frustrated and broke, the ruins of her personal tragedy gave life to an organization that was determined to not allow others to encounter the same fate and help breast cancer patients cover critical non-medical bills during treatment. Her focus shifted from getting help to giving help. The Pink Fund began as a "kitchen table," volunteer-only organization, raising $30,000 to help 10 women in Michigan in the first three years, through Fiscal Year 2009. Today, we are a staff of three with one paid contractor and many volunteers. By the end of May 2015, we will have distributed more than $1 million in bill payments. As Karen and Richard Carpenter once sang, "We've only just begun..." ONward and UPward toward the next ten years! 

At our March 16th Qualifications Committee meeting, we were able to help Washtenaw County resident, Ty Weaver, with her mortgage . This grant was made possible by Bold for the Cure of Washtenaw County. Here is Ty's story, in her own words... 

 

I am a widowed mother of two girls - 11 and soon to be 15 years old - and lost my husband of ten years to cancer in 2005. When I was diagnosed in September 2014, I was in total shock. My mind wandered to when I heard my husband's cancer diagnosis 12 years earlier in 2002. Our girls were just babies, I was a 31-year-old widow. Here I was now at age 40, with no known family history of breast cancer, hearing these words from my doctor. I didn't know how I would be able to tell my girls, but by the grace of God and with the help of my Pastor, we informed them. I've been through two surgeries, chemotherapy and have an additional surgery forthcoming, but we have endured the journey and look forward to the victory.  

 

I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. In August 2014, I visited my doctor due to a painful lump I found in my right breast during a self-exam. My doctor scheduled a mammogram, which showed not only a lump, but two additional suspicious masses. Two biopsies - ultrasound and stereotactic - would follow and reveal ductal carcinoma, both invasive and in-situ. That October, I had a lumpectomy and some lymph nodes removed. Results showed two additional cancers in the same breast. I decided to have a mastectomy and reconstruction of my right breast along with chemotherapy. 

 

I heard about The Pink Fund from a friend and went online to learn more about the organization. I was happy to see they not only provided their own assistance and support, but also provided additional resources through partnering with other organizations. I believe The Pink Fund and organizations like it are extremely important because they allow families and individuals who are stressed during a difficult time to have some of the financial burden lifted and be able to focus more of their attention on healing and recovery. The Pink Fund has done this for me and I am so thankful! 

Please welcome Kristin Howard BACK to The Pink Fund! Kristin was an   i ntern  in 2012, helping coordinate the luncheon with De e Dee Ricks and moving into our first office space, among other things. Today,  her  r esponsibilities  include m anag ing  development activities,  such   as  our  national fundraising event, "Dancing With The Survivors", co-manag ing  day-to-day office operations and provid ing  administrative support to the CEO.   Kristin says,  "It is a true gift and  honor to have the privilege to work for The Pink Fund, helping women and men, struggling through their breast cancer journey, while securing peace of mind."   She is a 2013  g raduate   of  Central Michigan University  with a  Bachelors of Science  in Psychology and Family Studie s . In her spare time, Kristin  loves going to the  movies, volunteering with her brother's percussion group  and  spending time with her family.  Prior to joining The Pink Fund in March, Kristin worked  as a project coordinator  at the Michigan Manufacturing Tech nology  Center.