This October, Marblehead is turning pink — not just in color, but in spirit — to support the Ellie Fund and raise awareness for breast cancer patients and their families across Massachusetts.
The grassroots campaign “Turning Marblehead Pink” is being led by Marblehead resident and breast cancer survivor Susan Hassett, in partnership with the Ellie Fund, a nonprofit that provides critical support services to individuals undergoing breast cancer treatment.
While October is traditionally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Ellie Fund takes this one step further, naming it Breast Cancer Action Month.
“Awareness is important, but we also want to educate and act,” said Ellie Fund leaders. “Our ‘October for Ellie’ campaign empowers communities to support patients directly through fundraising, education, and by spotlighting disparities in care.”
Hassett has curated a powerhouse team of local women to help bring the mission to life. The committee, currently made up of six to seven core members, has spent the past several months preparing to make this campaign meaningful, sustainable, and community-driven.
“I had a village during my journey,” she said. “But not everyone does. The Ellie Fund steps in for those women who don’t have a support system — and that’s what makes this campaign so important.”
Executive Director Meredith Mendelson said the fund was founded in memory of a mother who lived with metastatic breast cancer for 15 years. The Ellie Fund was created by her two sons, who wanted to ensure that other families wouldn’t feel the same isolation they experienced.
Today, the fund supports patients with services like grocery assistance, transportation to treatment, childcare, and meal deliveries — making a difference in day-to-day life during a difficult time, she added.
Hassett discovered the Ellie Fund during a chance business call. A casual conversation with another ambassador led her to the nonprofit’s office in Needham, and soon after, the idea to bring the Ellie Fund to Marblehead was born.
“This wasn’t something I was looking for, but I knew right away it was something I wanted to do,” she said. “I pulled together a small, effective group of women — women who know how to get things done — and we got to work.”
This has resulted in a coordinated effort to turn Marblehead pink, build community awareness, and offer support for the Ellie Fund’s mission. From decorating storefronts with pink displays to involving local schools and planning community events, the campaign is already gaining momentum.
Unlike typical fundraising drives, the emphasis this first year is awareness. Participating businesses will be invited to decorate their windows, offer pink-themed products, or display flyers and QR codes linking to the Ellie Fund’s website.
Businesses will be asked to participate in the kickoff weekend, scheduled for October 4 and 5 during the last week in August and the first week of September.
Hassett and her team are also working with the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce and plan to approach the Select Board about additional town-wide initiatives.
Mendelson said the organization is hopeful that Marblehead’s model — a passionate team of dedicated volunteers with a strong local network — will serve as a blueprint for other communities.
“There’s just a synergy here,” said Kate Ward, director of development for the Ellie Fund. “We want to build a toolkit from this campaign so other towns can replicate it and make it their own.”
With plans already forming for a three-year rollout, “Turning Marblehead Pink” isn’t a one-and-done event. It’s the start of something larger.
The team hopes businesses, schools and residents will embrace the initiative this October and beyond.
“If I can get 85% of the town to participate this year, that would be a dream,” Hassett said. “Because once people understand the mission, the support will only grow.”
Stay tuned for event listings, participating businesses, and ways to get involved as Marblehead prepares to turn pink with purpose.
The campaign also aligns with the Ellie Fund’s broader Equitable Pathways to Breast Cancer Care initiative, which addresses racial and economic disparities in treatment.
For more information or to get involved, visit www.elliefund.org.
