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Our Attitude of Gratitude this Thanksgiving

In this season of thanks, Carolina Breast Friends has so many things for which we're grateful. We are thankful for every person who walks through our door newly diagnosed and looking for a soft place to land. We are thankful for all the longtime Survivors who continue to use our programs to connect, and who are always willing to mentor others who are facing what they have already faced.

We are also filled with gratitude for the outpouring of support we received last month during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (see story). Businesses including Denise Antonnacci Salon, David Weekly Homes, Carolina Pharmacy, Criswell & Criswell Plastic Surgery, Curves in Matthews-Mint Hill, Brighton, Morrison Smith Jewelers and so many others raised money to support our mission. Burn Boot Camp, Crossfit Axon, Ride or Die Spin Studio and other fitness places had people sweating for breast cancer awareness during their fundraisers. Restaurants such as The Cowfish and eeZ Fusion and Sushi ran food and drink specials to benefit us.

And it wasn't just businesses who helped raise awareness and funds for the cause. The Charlotte Area Yarn Crawl donated hundreds of knitted prosthesis to us--made by area knitters with yarn donated by nine independently owned yarn shops. The DeAngelo Williams Foundation invited breast cancer Survivors and their caretakers to an advance screening of the movie Goosebumps 2. Meanwhile, Lake Norman High School raised more than $1800 for us at their Pink Volley Ball Game, where they pulled out all the stops by wearing pink jerseys and having both a silent auction and a bake sale!

Back at the Pink House, we were filled with gratitude to be able to provide food and fun to more than 50 Survivors and their families at our annual Friends & Family BBQ (see photos). It is one of our largest Survivors' Nights, but still just one of hundreds of programs we are fortunate to provide each year for Survivors. Similarly, the annual Pink Boots Ball on October 27, reflected our good fortune--not only because it was a wonderful night, but also because we got to celebrate our 15^th anniversary in style with so many Survivors and supporters (see story). Good fortune was also in full swing earlier in the year when our Survivors' Spa Night was so popular we ran it for two nights (see photos) and when Dancing with the Stars for Charlotte to Benefit the Pink House raised a record amount of money to help us make the journey easier for women and men with breast cancer (see story)!
 
We are thankful for the many volunteers who are the lifeblood of our programming. They sustain many of the activities we provide at the Pink House by donating their skills to deliver yoga, jewelry making, healing touch, and many of the programs we offer each month. We could not do it without them.

We are also thankful for the volunteers that make our signature events successful. As just one example, even though the event is not until March 30, 2019, this year's slate of Stars for our Dancing with the Stars event has already raised nearly $90,000 collectively! Click here to learn more and see who this year's Stars are.

In short, Carolina Breast Friends is fueled by the dedication, generosity, hard work and good deeds of hundreds of people. Without this bounty of amazing people and positive support, we could not exist. That brings us to the thing for which we are most thankful this and every year.

We are thankful, most of all each year, to be realizing the dream of our founder, Kristy Adams-Ebel, who knew that breast cancer Survivors need a place of serenity, support and joy, where they can come together to nourish and celebrate each other along the journey.

- PJY