GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — A non-profit organization that helps breast cancer patients take a much-needed vacation needs your help.
Little Pink Houses of Hope offers free week-long retreats to patients and their families.
During the pandemic the organization took a hit and now it's ready to press the reset button.
Little Pink Houses of Hope provides an escape from all the doctor's appointments and treatments.
The pandemic took a toll on the organization and its only be able to do smaller scale retreats, but they hope to come back next year bigger and better. The national organization started in 2009.
It has since blossomed to 23 retreats all over the country including one in Grand Haven. The program serves between 200-250 families a year.
Typical activities consist of a beach day, cruise on Lake Michigan, and a visit to the sand dunes.
"They also connect with the community and the volunteers that come in to take care of them for the week. They are there, we like to call our volunteers our pixie dust, because they come in with a lot of hugs with a lot of joy. And they make everything happen," Kathy Gates, Retreat Program Director, Little Pink Houses of Hope, said.
Not only do families get to have a lot of fun but it also helps build a community of support.
"There's a connection that develops between the families. And there's also reconnection within the family. After having been so torn between doctor's appointments and operations, all the different things that happen, they have a chance to reconnect because they're away. They're away from their regular lives," Gates said.
The non-profit is making a site visit in March to start planning for the next retreat. That is planned for September of 2024.
If you have a rental property in Grand Haven, you would be willing to donate for one week reach out to Little Pink Houses of Hope by submitting an application online.
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