Pinky Swear Foundation featured in PEOPLE Magazine

This month, Pinky Swear Foundation was featured in PEOPLE!

It is our first national news story, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share what families facing childhood cancer often experience behind the scenes: the financial stress that comes with treatment. For a nonprofit, a national feature like this is a reminder of how powerful earned media for nonprofits can be when the story is rooted in real people and real impact.

The story behind the story

Pinky Swear began with a promise. In 2003, nine-year-old Mitch Chepokas asked his dad, Steve, to make a pinky swear promise that he would keep helping kids with cancer after Mitch was gone. His parents kept that promise, and it became Pinky Swear Foundation. Today, Pinky Swear provides financial support for housing, food, transportation, and essential bills so families can focus on their child during treatment.

Why this feature matters for families

When most people think about childhood cancer, they think about hospitals, chemo, hair loss, and lots of medical appointments. What many people do not realize is that families are still paying for everyday expenses like rent or mortgage bills, gas for travel to treatment, groceries, utility bills, and even things like car repairs. These are all crucial to a family's survival. 

Families often search for things like:

• financial help for families with a child with cancer
• help with rent during cancer treatment
• gas cards for cancer patients
• pediatric cancer support resources
• help pay bills during cancer diagnosis

This PEOPLE feature helps more families learn that support exists and that they are not alone.

A moment of gratitude

This story is emotional for everyone connected to Pinky Swear because it is our origin story, and the story of thousands of families who have needed help since. We are grateful to PEOPLE for sharing our mission on a national platform and for helping more people understand what practical support during childhood cancer really looks like.

How you can help more families find support

A national news story is exciting, but what matters most is what happens after. If you want to help more families find financial support during childhood cancer, you can:

• Donate to help cover housing, food, and transportation
• Share the PEOPLE article with your community
• Tell a family or hospital social worker about Pinky Swear 💙

When more people see the story, more families can find help.