LUMP TO LAUGHTER INC

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.

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)

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.

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.