This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
STATE COLLEGE — For nearly two decades, Pink Zone has stood as a lifeline for breast cancer patients in Centre County, growing from a Lady Lions basketball initiative into a nonprofit that helps families keep the lights on, the rent paid and hope alive.
“It has grown tremendously,” said Trish Fulvio, executive director of Pink Zone. “In fact, the Pink Zone is its own 501 nonprofit organization. We now have a major initiative that is a direct support program in which we pay mainly non-medical bills for people as they are going through cancer treatment, or sometimes survivors who have suffered financial setbacks. We work only within the Centre County community, so we affect very directly the lives of these — mostly women — who are affected by breast cancer.”
Pink Zone began with the Penn State Lady Lions’ “Pink Game,” a Big Ten grant-funded outreach project that dedicated one night each season to honor breast cancer patients and survivors. Both teams wore pink, and money raised went toward cancer causes. That one game has since evolved into a year-round effort to meet real needs.
The organization’s work often comes down to what might seem like small acts but carry immense meaning. Fulvio recalled a young woman in treatment who couldn’t afford a wig.
“She came to us feeling sort of guilty about wanting it,” Fulvio said. “Wigs can be very expensive, particularly the very realistic looking ones made of human hair. We were able to provide the wig for her, and she wrote a thank you saying that you have no idea what cancer takes from you — not just physically, but emotionally. Just having that wig gave back so much of her life and made her feel human again. That stuck with me because it was such a small thing in the scheme of things, and yet it made such a difference in her life.”
The financial challenges, however, often run much deeper. “When people are diagnosed with cancer, as much as 40% of their income goes directly to expenses related to their cancer diagnosis,” Fulvio said. “Families with cancer are 260% more likely to declare bankruptcy than those who have never had cancer. That’s a stunning statistic.”
While medical bills are often absorbed by insurance or negotiated down, the rest of life’s expenses remain. “Your mortgage company doesn’t really care if you have cancer,” Fulvio said. “If you don’t keep up with your mortgage, your home will be foreclosed. That’s where we try and fill in the gap.”
She pointed to a recent case of a single mother with two young children who was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. Unable to work, her greatest fear was losing her home.
“We paid her rent, and we will pay her rent for the next several months while she’s going through treatment,” Fulvio said. “Those are the real gaps. There aren’t a lot of organizations who will do that. We’re dedicated to breast cancer, so that is where we try and fill in the gap.”
Beyond paying bills, Pink Zone also steps in with gas cards, grocery assistance and other everyday needs that can overwhelm a family already stretched thin. “Those bills don’t stop because you have cancer,” Fulvio said.
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Fulvio wants residents to remember two things: support is available, and survival is possible.
“We are here to support people through their journey,” she said. “People do come out the other end. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and there are so many successful treatments now for breast cancer. People are living healthy and very productive lives after breast cancer. You always must have hope going into it.”
For those looking to help, Pink Zone’s has an upcoming fundraiser around the corner in February when the annual Pink Game returns to the Bryce Jordan Center, complete with an online auction. Donations can also be made anytime through the organization’s website at papinkzone.org.
