Pink Heart Funds asks Biloxi council for sponsorship of coastwide cancer fundraisers

Judith Brandon, vice president of Pink Heart Funds, asked the Biloxi City Council for the city’s consideration of sponsorships to support two local fundraisers that fund direct patient assistance for coast residents with cancer.

Brandon told the council the nonprofit is a 501(c)(3) volunteer organization that helps men, women and children across six Mississippi coast counties. “We provide free wigs, free breast prosthetics and bras, free lymphedema sleeves, and our most active category is financial assistance for those folks who just need a little bit of help for a short period of time,” Brandon said, describing services arranged through hospital social workers and nurse navigators. She emphasized the group does not give cash directly to patients but pays bills on their behalf to cover urgent needs such as rent, utilities or a car payment while a patient is undergoing treatment.

Brandon outlined two fundraisers she said would bring hundreds of visitors to the city: Splashing Out Cancer, a 5K and family day scheduled for Saturday, April 18 at Point Cadet Park, and Out of Bounds, a sport‑themed prevention and early‑detection event planned for Sept. 12 at the Slovenian Lodge with programming focused on men’s cancers. She said Pink Heart Funds works with local partners including the YMCA youth program and that most of the organization’s money is raised by volunteers and passed directly to patient care.

The council did not vote on a sponsorship at the meeting; Brandon left informational packets with the city clerk and asked to be contacted as the council discusses potential sponsorship levels. Council members thanked her for the presentation and commended the group’s work supporting patients and families.

Next steps: city staff will have the packets available to budget and sponsorship committees as the council considers event support and sponsorship allocations.