Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Lump to Laughter restores hope and improves health outcomes for families devastated by breast cancer. The financial impact of breast cancer treatments is debilitating to most. We are committed to preserving home-life and stability for our patients and their families as well as providing support for the entire family. Hope Package Program:Sharing Hope by restoring the spirit of a woman who has just heard the words, "You have cancer". Empowering them with emotional support, increasing hope Angel Fund Program:The pattern we would like to disrupt is this: treatment costs exhaust savings; jobs are lost; anxiety/depression lead to poor adherence to treatment protocols; cancer worsens; ultimately. Direct payment of necessary living expenses prevents homelessness, preserves assets, protects child safety, & reduces social costs associated with dependence on public assistance. Lump to Laughter has given women & their families better outcomes. Free Essentials, Support and The Beauty of Hope
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Angel Fund
The Angel Fund provides financial assistance to women in true immediate need, while undergoing treatment of Breast Cancer. Typically the Angel Fund is granted for those who live in New Hanover, Pender, Onslow and Brunswick Counties of NC. From time to time, we are blessed with nationwide donations to our Angel Fund and can offer grants outside of our local area. If you are outside of the areas above, please email us before applying to inquire if we are able to provide nationwide assistance.
Hope Packages
To help offer hope and educate women on the emotional and spiritual journey they face with a diagnosis of breast cancer, local volunteers of Lump to Laughter came up with the idea of sending an Inspirational Hope Package to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The packages contain items they found helpful when they were diagnosed and going through cancer treatment. They include Snappy Cards-Healing Scriptures, handmade by Willamina Sugg, "God Heals" Bag of Healing Scriptures-handmade by Sarah Whitmer, book - Myself:Together Again by Debbie Horwitz-documenting one woman's journey of a bilateral mastectomy in pictures, book - From Lump to Laughter-The Story of Grace by Co-Founder, Connie Hill-about her spiritual journey through breast cancer, a Pink Bible, book-Eat Your Peas For The Cure-Cancer Fighting Words to Let you know we care-by Cheryl Karpen and Darlene Hauff, Koozie, Scripture card and a table tent card to remind you "You Are Inscribed on the Palm of HIS Hand". All of these items are loving packaged in a pink box with a personalized hand written card and prayed over before mailing to each recipient.
Support
Offering support meet and greets for those newly diagnosed with breast cancer and a separate meeting for those at any stage or status.
Sharing Stories
"Share Your Story” section on the website: We invite those who have walked through the journey of breast cancer to join posted stories by our own Grace, Hope and Faith and share their own inspiring and encouraging stories of Hope and Victory over breast cancer. Fostering hope and encouragement to others.
Free Essentials
Free wigs, turbans, scarves and more for those in active treatment.
The Beauty of Hope
A day of VIP treatment with spa pampering, makeup, dress up and photoshoot for those in active treatment for breast cancer.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of Families with Breast Cancer assisted with our Angel Fund (Financial Assistance)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Angel Fund
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
# of families with a member of the household diagnosed with breast cancer who received Angel Fund grants (financial assistance)
Amount of Angel Funds (Financial Assistance) granted to Women with Breast Cancer by county in Southeastern NC
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Angel Fund
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
$ amounts of Angel Funds granted each year to women diagnosed with breast cancer that have a financial need during treatment
Number of Women with Breast Cancer we send Hope Packages to
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Hope Packages
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
# of Hope Packages sent each year to those newly diagnosed with breast cancer
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our Goals
1. To provide support and raise awareness of the spiritual and emotional journey through
breast cancer. To provide every person battling breast cancer as well as their caregivers,
friends and family the hope, comfort, spiritual words, prayer, encouragement,
testimonies, and love they will need to overcome this journey and foster their hope.
2. To empower the hearts of people who have just listened to the words “You have cancer".
3. To equip people with “life" through hope even when living with a terminal diagnosis.
4. To declare in a positive light that one can overcome cancer not just survive it.
5. To share stories of Hope, Faith and Grace that sing victory not death.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our Goals with Strategies
Goal 1. To provide support and raise awareness of the spiritual and emotional journey through
breast cancer. To provide every person battling breast cancer as well as their caregivers,
friends and family the hope, comfort, spiritual words, prayer, encouragement, testimonies,
and love they will need to overcome this journey.
Strategies:
a) Sending Hope Packages: To help offer hope and educate women on the emotional and spiritual
journey they face with a diagnosis of breast cancer. The packages contain items that foster hope and are
helpful when to those diagnosed and going through cancer treatment. They include Snappy Cards-
Healing Scriptures, handmade by Willamina Sugg, "God Heals" Bag of Healing Scriptures-handmade by
Sarah Whitmer, book – “Myself:Together Again" by Debbie Horwitz-documenting one woman's journey of
a bilateral mastectomy in pictures, book - From Lump to Laughter-The Story of Grace by Co-Founder,
Connie Hill-about her spiritual journey through breast cancer, a Pink Bible, book-Eat Your Peas For The
Cure-Cancer Fighting Words to Let you know we care-by Cheryl Karpen and Darlene Hauff, Koozie,
Scripture card and a table tent card to remind you "You Are Inscribed on the Palm of HIS Hand". All of
these items are lovingly packaged in a pink box with a personalized hand written card.
b) “Share Your Story" section on the website: We invite those who have walked through the journey of
breast cancer to share their inspiring and encouraging stories of Hope and Victory over breast cancer.
Fostering hope and encouragement to others.
c) Angel Fund: Provide financial assistance to women in true immediate need, while undergoing
treatment of Breast Cancer. Funds are awarded for basic household expenses such as housing,
transportation and food. Angel Fund checks are written to the vendor not the applicant. Applicant must
submit a request along with documentation required in the request to be considered for an Determination
of Need Interview. (Examples of assistance granted: rent/mortgage, car payment, utility bills, gas or
grocery gift cards). Offered for those who live in New Hanover, Pender, Columbus, Onslow, Duplin,
Bladen, Johnston and Brunswick Counties of NC.
d) Support:
i) One on One support as well as group support meetings. Offering prayer and encouragement to
comfort those newly diagnosed with breast cancer and in active initial treatment as well as a separate group support meeting for those living with any stage or status of breast cancer.
ii) Distributing the “From Lump to Laughter- The Story of Grace" book. Published in 2008 and
distributed to those newly diagnosed to offer Hope. One woman's spiritual and uplifting journey
through breast cancer exposing the details of one's emotional journey through breast cancer and
educating readers about the journey.
iii) Complete Cancer Organizer (2019)
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
In 2006, we began offering group support and prayer for those diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2007, we applied for and received our 501(c) 3, tax-exempt, non-profit, status. We further fulfilled our original vision of sharing our stories in order to offer hope and encourage to those diagnosed by publishing “From Lump to Laughter-The Story of Grace" in 2008 and began distributing the book in gift packages (later called Hope Packages) along with a Pink Bible and cards with encouraging scriptures to those newly diagnosed in our local area. We quickly realized, from the feedback we received, how absolutely necessary it was to provide this support. Women commented to us consistently that they did not feel alone and our support helped them during their journey and provided hope and fostered healing of their of their spirit. During 2008-09, we offered financial assistance to four women who had an immediate need during their treatments. Realizing that type of support contributed to the improvement of their general health and welfare, we added the Angel Fund program in 2010. The Fund was dedicated solely to offering financial assistance to those in active treatment in order to eliminate worry and remove the structural barriers & financial burdens caused by the added costs of treatments. This support empowered them, offered hope, fostered healing, and we continued to improve the general health and welfare of those we supported. In 2012, we redesigned our website which allowed us to offer virtual resources, interactive support through “Shared Story's" which offered encouragement and allowed us to serve more than our local area. Our growth from 2012 speaks for itself. We have granted $146,960 in household assistance and sent 1489 hope packages to those newly diagnosed as of 2019. Our support group meetings have now expanded to include family, friend and/or caregivers. Working with medical professionals, patient advocates, social workers and nurse navigators, we are serving those in Southeastern NC. (Primarily New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick Counties, but with the help of additional grants, we have expanded our assistance throughout Southeastern and Eastern NC.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Starting in 2005, we have grown from serving a hand full of local women to hundreds of women. We began in one county and now have a nationwide reach. We continue to perform outreach and our support network grows each year. What's next? In 2020, we added assistance to those with ovarian cancer and continue to expand our service area throughout Southeastern NC through grant writing.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
LUMP TO LAUGHTER INC
Board of directorsas of 03/22/2020
Tabetha Smith
Lump to Laughter
Deb Hays
Lump to Laughter
Deb Hays
Intracoastal Realty
Tabetha Smith
ReStore Health and Wellness
Nikki Simpson
ReMax
Dayma Edwards
The Terraces on Sir Tyler
Bonnie Melville
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Joan DeSantis
Hilton
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes