October is a nationally “pink” month, better known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life. Survival depends on many different factors. JoAn Niceley, a 10-year cancer survivor, is the founder of Pink Heart Funds, a completely non-profit organization she said was founded on a promise and has grown into a blessing for women and children all over the nation.
“There was a lady here in Long Beach, Miss., named Lynn Morrison, and she was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. She had to pay $500 for what turned out to actually be a $65 wig. Her dying wish was that I would help cancer patients get natural-looking wigs at a reasonable price. Literally right before she died I told her yes,” she said.
Niceley began the organization, 18 years ago, on her own. Since then, Pink Heart Funds has developed into a well-known organization with hundreds of volunteers and supporters. Niceley said unlike most breast cancer charities, Pink Heart Funds gives more than just synthetic wigs.
“Pink Heart Funds does three things: free wigs, breast prosthesis and lymphatic sleeves,” she said.
The wigs are given to women in Mississippi and children all over the nation. Niceley said wig productions have risen tremendously over the past few years thanks to generous donations, but they are very expensive to produce.
 ”Our children’s wigs are real human hair. They are made out of 10-inch ponytails that are donated to us. We usually send in 2,000 ponytails and get back 120 wigs. That costs us right at $40,000,” she said.
The breast prosthetics are given to women who have lost a breast or both breasts to cancer, Niceley said.
“They come into the Pink Heart Funds center and we fit them. They are fitted in a room called ‘The Hope Boutique,’ which is a really feminine room. We just want it to be a nice, feminine experience because most of these women have lost a breast, and that is very traumatic,” she said.
Pink Hearts Fund also provides lymphedema sleeves, which are compression sleeves that prevent swelling in the arms, resulting from the lymph nodes being removed. These procedures and wigs are costly, but Niceley said Pink Hearts Fund remains a non-profit organization.
“Ninety five percent of the people we are dealing with are uninsured. As far as children, we don’t even question whether they can afford a wig or not. We decided we will not ask the parents their income, we just go ahead and give the child a free wig. These families are going through enough as it is,” she said.
Niceley said the best advice she could give to someone with breast cancer, or someone who has a friend or family member dealing with breast cancer, is to keep their faith alive. 
“Keep your faith in God, accept all the help that everybody offers you; don’t turn it down and feel like you can’t accept help. It makes a difference,” she said. “Have a positive attitude. I always say a lack of nutrition is what kills people, not the cancer. You have to eat, whether it is healthy or not.”
If you are interested in getting involved with Pink Hearts Fund please visit pinkheartfunds.org.