P.I.N.K. was founded due to perceived unmet needs of area breast cancer patients, their families and caregivers. P.I.N.K focuses on providing guidance, emotional support, and often financial support, as many times traditional insurance benefits and personal family assets fail to cover all of the everyday expenses associated with this terrible disease.

​

Beginning in 2011, Amy Bagnoche and husband Rick, Dr. Darren Brucken and his wife Holly, collaborated on a plan to help those breast cancer patients in need. They built a platform that continually provides emotional support by several P.I.N.K. volunteers, many of whom are breast cancer survivors.

They also addressed the need to provide financial support, for such things as transportation, living expenses, and everyday needs that might otherwise go unmet.

​

In 2012, P.I.N.K. was granted 501C-3 non-profit status by the IRS; they hit the road running and haven’t stopped since. Sadly, Amy’s cancer returned, and she passed away in 2022. Husband Rick has continued with his amazing role in the organization, and together with Darren and Holly Brucken, P.I.N.K. has continued the mission without interruption.  They have been incredibly blessed by their dear friend, April Roberts, who has graciously given so much of her time and efforts as P.I.N.K.’s lead volunteer coordinator and patient advocate, since those early days in 2011.  She continues in that role.  Several other key volunteers, such as Natalie Overton and Amy’s children Dante and Dominique, have been with them since the organization’s inception, ensuring P.I.N.K.’s success and helping to carry out its mission.

​

“The volunteers are the heart and soul of P.I.N.K.,” Rick offered. “They have their own experiences dealing with breast cancer, and are able to allay the fears of those diagnosed, offer hope with their own stories of remission, and answer questions the patient and family may have.”

​

Dr. Brucken added, “with the fantastic efforts of our volunteers, and with the generous support of organizations like the Wabash Valley Jeep Junkies, area schools and other organizations, we’ve been able to expand our mission to nine surrounding counties of Vigo, including Eastern Illinois counties of Clark and Edgar.  As we are entirely funded by donations and fundraising, these continued efforts are paramount to our continued success.  Occurring each May, the Wabash Valley Jeep Junkies annual “Going Topless for P.I.N.K.” ride remains our largest repeating fundraising event, not to mention an amazingly fun event for people of all ages.

​

For more information on our allies in this fight to help those in need, see “Our Partners” page on this website. Every single dollar we raise through our efforts is returned to this amazing local community, directly to those in need.  As always, we never ask our patients for their financial standing, and we will stand beside them throughout their journey.