Pretty In Pink Foundation sees surge in Breast Cancer patients needing help after Helene

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Nearly nine months after Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina, a Triangle-based nonprofit is seeing a sharp rise in breast cancer patients needing help to rebuild their lives and continue treatment.

The Pretty In Pink Foundation, based in Raleigh, reports a 48% increase in applications for assistance from patients in western North Carolina counties. Many applicants have lost their jobs, housing, and financial stability in the storm's aftermath.

Pretty In Pink supports uninsured and underinsured breast cancer patients across the state by providing financial assistance for lifesaving medical care, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.

In response to the growing need, the organization has launched a new fundraising initiative called Hope After the Storm. The campaign is dedicated to helping breast cancer patients in the 37 hardest-hit counties in western North Carolina.

"We did some soul searching to figure out what we were going to do," said Becky Horn, executive director of the Pretty In Pink Foundation. "We decided to launch a campaign called Hope After the Storm. All of the money raised will be used specifically for medical treatment for breast cancer patients in those 37 counties. That includes surgery, chemo, radiation-everything."

Horn is encouraging donors to visit prettyinpinkfoundation.org and look for the Hope After the Storm donation link on the homepage.

Founded in 2004 by Raleigh breast surgeon Dr. Lisa Tolnitch, Pretty In Pink has helped hundreds of patients overcome financial barriers to treatment. As the foundation enters 2025, its mission remains focused on ensuring that every breast cancer patient in North Carolina has access to care, regardless of their income or insurance status.

The Hope After the Storm campaign runs through September, marking one year since Hurricane Helene devastated the region. The goal is to raise as much funding as possible to ensure no one is forced to choose between cancer treatment and rebuilding their life.