It started with a dream.
After reading stories from terminal breast cancer patients on Internet support sites, Fran Hansen, who is herself a two time cancer survivor had a dream. In this dream, she was traveling the country in a truck and trailer selling wedding dresses that had been donated to her.
Fran, who had worked in the bridal business for 27 years, took this dream as a sign. She'd sell wedding dresses to make money to fund wishes from cancer patients. In 1998, Fran and her daughter Anna Nelson founded Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation, a nonprofit organization that grants wishes for terminal patients, with the slogan, “Granting Wishes – Touching Lives’.
Today, she travels the nation in a truck and trailer filled with wedding dresses donated by individuals, shops, designers and manufacturers. She takes the Brides Against Breast Cancer Wedding Dress sale to cities across the country.
While Fran is out selling dresses, Anna is in charge of fulfilling wishes. Since its beginning the foundation has granted more than 150 wishes, including the first wish, arranging a reunion for 31 family members.
Since 1998, Fran and Anna have added fund raising programs including the Pink Envelope Project, Diamonds for Dreams, March for Memories, Quilt Contest and Making Memories Garden Parties. To find out how you can help, go to http://makingmemories.org.
photo by Scott Liddell
