The support for patients
doesn’t stop there, the foundation
has created a series of seminars
called “Ask the Experts” where
industry partners and councillors
are brought together to break
down barriers and communicate
in a welcome environment where
no topic is off limits from medical,
to financial, to relationships.
Going one step further, Pink Pearl offers retreats which
bring together holistic approaches to healing in tandem
with medical treatments. Retreat goers partake in yoga,
nutritional discussions, hikes and team building experiences. “It is not about how many programs we create,”
explains Elise, “it is all about how many people we help. If
a program doesn’t exist we will certainly try our best to find
it or create something to bridge that gap.”
These efforts are made possible through the foundation’s
annual gala “Black & White with a touch of Pink.” Elise
and her family started the annual Black & White event in
2006 and it has grown year after year. This year the gala was
held at a trendy art/loft space where event goers donned
their best black and white duds with, of course, a touch
of pink. The event was a bevy of talent from artists to live
music but the highlight was when survivors took the stage
to offer their thanks to the foundation and its matriarch for
providing them with a sense of belonging and support in a
time of both pain and uncertainty.
It’s true; Elise Gasbarrino is not your typical belle of the
ball. She is a fighter and a force to be reckoned with. While
maintaining humility she notes that she “has been so lucky
to partner with so many great people and fantastic organizations. This started as a passion project and has grown so
much bigger than me.” When asked of her plans for the
foundation in the coming years, Elise indicated that she
hopes the organization will open local chapters in other
regions creating more services and programs for women, including partnerships across the United States and Canada.
Now eight years in remission, she has accomplished so
much in both her education and career path, to her work
with the foundation helping others during their most difficult struggles. Elise is certainly on the path to achieving
more of the goals she has set out for herself and the foundation she created. She is indeed many things, a caring and
outgoing spirit; a savvy business woman; a fashionista. But
like the foundation which shares its name, she is a pearl: a
rare find, one that is truly precious.
To learn more about the Pink Pearl Foundation visit
www.pinkpearlfoundation.org