RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – More than 10 million people live in the state of North Carolina and this year alone, approximately 12,000 of those residents will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Unfortunately, not all of them will have the means to fight this cancer, which is where Pretty in Pink Foundation comes in to help.

Their mission is to provide uninsured and under-insured breast cancer patients in NC with financial assistance for quality, life-saving medical treatment. Pretty in Pink Foundation is based in Wake County and is the CBS 17 three-degree guarantee charity for October 2023.

In 2004, Raleigh surgeon Dr. Lisa Tolnitch discovered some of her patients were not completing their treatment plans after surgery due to the inability to pay for chemotherapy and radiation, so she founded Pretty In Pink Foundation. The money they raise and grants they give help with everything from surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation to insurance deductibles.

Dr. Tolnitch wasn’t sure how it was going to work out at first when the idea came about while talking at the kitchen table. Their first fundraiser was selling cookbooks.

“We started out kind of as a little mom and pop operation we had one employee off a laptop and a phone and a post office Dropbox, and we were hoping to help 10 people a year in Wake County,” Tolnitch said.

In 2022, the charity served more than 400 patients!

Every month, CBS 17 picks a different local charity to raise money and awareness by way of our 3-Degree Guarantee and Pretty in Pink Foundation was the charity for October 2023.

They also have a Beyond the Ribbon program that provides resources, bras, prosthetics, wigs, and tote bags full of comfort items. All money raised by Pretty in Pink stays in NC.

To qualify for a Pretty in Pink grant, a breast cancer patient must be in active treatment, a NC resident, a US citizen and meet certain income eligibility.

Each day when the CBS 17 Storm Team gets the next day’s forecast correct within three degrees, we donate $100 to that charity. At the end of the month, all the money raised is totaled and presented to that month’s group.

To learn more about how you can help Pretty in Pink Foundation and perhaps get assistance for you or someone in need, visit their website here.