Hearing the words “you have cancer” shook me to my core, but they also cracked my heart open to something bigger—something I never could have imagined at the time. Cancer tried to take away my sense of control, but it couldn’t take away my hope. And in the middle of all the fear and unknowns, God began whispering a new purpose into my heart and Little Pink Houses of Hope was born.

I simply wanted to give families facing breast cancer the one thing I knew they desperately needed—time together, away from the chaos of treatment, surrounded by beauty, rest, and love. What began as one retreat, one family, one week of hope, has blossomed into something that now touches lives across the country.

Our very first retreat was small, simple, and built on borrowed faith. But I will never forget watching those first families arrive. They looked tired. Worn down. Overwhelmed. Every time I watch families arrive at a retreat weighed down by fear and uncertainty, and leave a week later with lighter hearts, I’m reminded why we do this work. Little Pink isn’t about me. It isn’t even about cancer. It’s about living life fully, celebrating love, and creating moments that matter.

Since then, Little Pink has grown in ways I never dreamed. One family turned into hundreds, and hundreds turned into thousands.   This journey has taught me so much about courage, resilience, and the power of community. Cancer may have been the reason Little Pink was born, but hope is the reason it has thrived.

In the last fifteen years, I’ve seen Little Pink stretch its wings. We’ve expanded our retreats to new places, welcomed more volunteers into our family, and continued to grow year after year.

But it’s not the numbers that bring me to tears, it’s the stories.

It’s the mom who told me she hadn’t seen her kids laugh like that since her diagnosis.
It’s the dad who finally had the space to sit on the porch and watch the sunset with his wife.
It’s the teenagers who arrived angry and left with new friends who get it.

Every family, every story, every tear and every laugh reminds me why Little Pink exists.

This journey has taught me that hope is contagious. When one person dares to believe in something better, it spreads. What began with my own brokenness has been multiplied by the generosity of thousands of volunteers, donors, and supporters who said, “Yes, we believe in this too.”

As I reflect on these 15 years, my heart is overwhelmed with gratitude. To every volunteer, donor, family, and friend who has walked this journey with us I thank you. You are the living proof that hope is real and that together we can change lives.

Fifteen years is something to celebrate, but it’s also just the beginning. My dream is that every breast cancer family in America will know they have a place at Little Pink. A place to rest. A place to laugh. A place to remember that they are not alone.

Here’s to 15 years of Little Pink. And here’s to the next chapter—because the best is yet to come.

With love,
Jeanine

Be Part of the Next 15 Years

For 15 years, Little Pink has given families facing breast cancer the priceless gift of time together. But there are still so many families waiting for hope.

Your generosity makes it possible. Every dollar creates real moments like children laughing on the beach, couples reconnecting, and families rediscovering joy in the midst of cancer.

Donate today and help us bring hope to the next family waiting for their Little Pink retreat.

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