Friend for Life Cancer Support Network

02/26/2026

We are thrilled to share that Friend for Life was recently featured on WKYT's "Link to Hope" segment!

Our Executive Director sat down with Amber Philpott to discuss how we provide a "link to hope" for those facing a cancer diagnosis. At Friend for Life, we believe that no one should have to walk the path of cancer alone. By pairing patients and their loved ones with trained survivors who have "been there," we provide the unique peer support that only someone with a shared experience can offer.

Highlights from the segment:

- The Power of Peer Support: How our network of volunteers helps reduce the isolation often felt after a diagnosis.

- Kentucky CancerLink Partnership: Our collaboration with Kentucky CancerLink to ensure Kentuckians have access to both practical resources and emotional support.

- How to Get Involved: Whether you need support or want to become a volunteer, there is a place for you here.

✨ Watch the full segment here: https://www.wkyt.com/2026/02/25/kentucky-nonprofit-connects-cancer-patients-with-trained-survivors/

How you can help today:

1. Share this post to help someone in your circle find the support they might need.

2. Visit our website at friend4life.org to request a peer match or sign up to volunteer.

A huge THANK YOU to our volunteer Peer Navigators Jan Renner Butzer and Peggy Rambicure for sharing their experiences and to WKYT and Amber Philpott for helping us spread hope across the Commonwealth! 💙

A Kentucky nonprofit is linking people newly diagnosed with cancer to trained survivors to help them navigate their journey. Friend for Life, based in Louisville, serves all of Kentucky and beyond. Executive Director Sheri Donahue said the organization offers support for anyone facing any form of ca...

02/04/2026

Please share this on your page to spread the word about World Cancer Day and Friend for Life.

Today, February 4th, is World Cancer Day. This year’s global theme is "United by Unique," a reminder that while every cancer journey is different, no one should have to face cancer alone.

I’m reaching out to my community to support an organization that lives this mission every day: Friend for Life Cancer Support Network.

Friend for Life provides a vital lifeline by pairing newly diagnosed patients and their families with trained Peer Navigators—survivors who have faced a similar diagnosis and can offer one-on-one emotional and psychosocial support. Their goal is simple but powerful: to restore hope and stability during the most challenging times of someone's life.

How your donation makes an impact:
$25 helps provide resources for a newly matched survivor-patient pair.
$50 supports the training of new volunteer Peer Navigators.
$100 helps sustain the network that ensures these services remain completely free for anyone who needs them.

Please join me in honoring those fighting, those we’ve lost, and the incredible survivors who give back.

🎗️ Donate here: https://www.friend4life.org/donate/
💙 Learn more: https://www.friend4life.org/

Every dollar brings a "friend for life" to someone who needs one.

Please share this post to help us spread the word!

Friend for Life Cancer Support Network. Facing cancer with someone who's been there.

02/04/2026

This is so beautifully written ❤️

"🎗️ Together for a Cancer-Free Future: World Cancer Day 2026...
Every year on February 4th, the world comes together to recognize World Cancer Day — a moment set aside not just for awareness, but for humanity, compassion, and shared strength.

Cancer is more than an illness. It is a life-altering journey that reshapes days, priorities, and dreams. For those facing it, the road can feel long and uncertain, filled with physical pain, emotional exhaustion, and quiet moments of fear that most people never see. Yet within that struggle lives a kind of courage that deserves to be honored — the courage to keep going, to keep hoping, to keep believing in another sunrise.

This day is about recognizing that bravery.

It’s also about the families, friends, and caregivers who walk beside their loved ones through treatments, hospital visits, and sleepless nights. Their support often happens in small, tender ways — holding a hand, sharing a meal, offering a ride, sitting together in silence. These simple acts become anchors of comfort in an overwhelming storm.

And there is space, too, for remembrance.

For those who have lost someone to cancer, the ache does not fade just because time moves forward. Love leaves an imprint that never disappears. It lives in memories, in photographs, in the way certain songs or scents bring someone rushing back into the room. Grief is not weakness — it is proof of deep love that still exists.

World Cancer Day reminds us that no one should have to face this journey alone.

To those currently fighting: your strength is seen, even on the days you feel tired, discouraged, or afraid. Your story matters. Your life matters. And there are hearts all around the world quietly cheering you on.

To those supporting someone with cancer: your presence is powerful beyond words. Your kindness, patience, and unwavering love make a difference in ways you may never fully realize.

To those carrying loss: your loved ones are remembered. Their light, their laughter, their spirit continue to live on in the lives they touched.

This day stands as a symbol of unity — of communities, families, and strangers connected by empathy. It carries hope for better treatments, earlier detection, and gentler journeys ahead. But most of all, it carries a simple, powerful message:

No matter where you are in this story — fighting, supporting, remembering — you are not alone."

12/31/2025

12/15/2025

Warming Hearts on Cold Days: Your Support Makes a Difference

Even on the coldest days, your generosity brings warmth and hope to those living with cancer and their caregivers. Every day, Friend for Life Cancer Support Network connects individuals facing cancer with trained survivor peer navigators—ensuring that no one faces cancer alone. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who’s donated and helped us continue our mission.

But our work never stops, and we need your ongoing support. Today is the final day to donate and receive our exclusive Friend for Life thank you ornament—just in time for Christmas! Your gift provides emotional and psychosocial support to families who need it most, and the ornament will be a heartfelt reminder of the warmth you share.

• Donate: Visit our secure Donation Page (https://www.friend4life.org/giving-tuesday/) and make a difference!
• Spread the Word: Share our mission with your friends and family…every share helps!

Thank you for being a Friend for Life and for believing in a world where no one faces cancer alone. ❤️

12/10/2025

This is a fabulous opportunity for children from ages 6-16. Check out the details on Instagram at kesem_uk

12/02/2025

❄️ No Snow Days in the Fight Against Cancer ❄️

While some of us enjoy a cozy snow day, the challenges of cancer treatment and recovery never pause. Today is , a critical opportunity to make sure no one faces cancer alone.

Your support helps us connect newly diagnosed individuals with trained survivor peer navigators who provide essential emotional and psychosocial support.

🎗️ How You Can Make an Impact Right Now:
🎀 Make a Donation: Visit our secure Donation Page (https://www.friend4life.org/giving-tuesday/) to make your gift. Every dollar provides comfort and changes lives.
📣 Spread the Word: Share this post with your network and use the hashtags and .

🎁 Special Thank You Gift!
When you donate today, you’ll receive a beautiful Friend for Life Christmas ornament as a reminder of the hope and warmth your generosity brings to families facing a cancer diagnosis. (Donate by Dec. 15 to ensure delivery by Christmas!)

Thank you for being a friend for life and helping us bring hope and connection during the holidays.

10/20/2025

Congratulations to Dr. Nathan Vanderford, named 2025 Healthy Kentucky Champion

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky has announced its 2025 Healthy Kentucky Champions, an honor recognizing individuals who are dedicated to improving the health and well-being of their communities and the state. Among this year’s ten recipients is Markey member Nathan Vanderford, PhD, a professor and researcher committed to addressing cancer disparities in Appalachian Kentucky.

As a first-generation college graduate from rural Appalachia, Dr. Vanderford understands the challenges facing students from the region. In 2016, he created the Appalachian Career Training in Oncology (ACTION) Program, which recruits students from across eastern Kentucky and prepares them for careers in cancer research, medicine, and public health. The program introduces students to cancer research and clinical experiences while empowering them to become advocates and change agents in their communities, where cancer rates are among the highest in the nation. Through this work, Dr. Vanderford is helping close gaps in cancer education and workforce development—making a meaningful, lasting impact on the health of Kentucky.

10/08/2025

Kyle was a treasured volunteer and talented artist. We miss her so very much.
Please RSVP to staff@friend4life.org so we know how many to prepare for.

10/01/2025

Please join us on Friday, October 17, from 6 to 8 pm to celebrate the life and work of beloved volunteer Kyle Bianconcini at