The values behind every pinky promise

At Pinky Swear Foundation, we talk a lot about helping families facing childhood cancer. But the truth is, that help does not start with a program or a service. It starts with people.

It starts with the way we answer the phone when a parent is overwhelmed. It shows up in conversations with social workers trying to help a family make ends meet. It happens in team meetings when we pause to care for someone carrying a heavy burden. Long before financial support reaches a family, our values shape how we show up for them.

Three values guide everything we do at Pinky Swear: Compassion, Collaboration, and Celebration.

Compassion: We demonstrate patience and kindness.

Childhood cancer changes everything for a family in an instant. One diagnosis can suddenly bring fear, stress, medical bills, long hospital stays, and impossible decisions. Families are expected to navigate a completely new world while still trying to hold everyday life together.

Compassion is woven into everything we do. Whether we are helping a parent apply for financial support, talking with a donor, or supporting one another as teammates, we lead with empathy. During staff meetings, we light a candle to honor families and community members going through difficult seasons. It is a simple reminder that behind every childhood cancer diagnosis is a real family that deserves care, dignity, and support.

Collaboration: We work together to achieve excellence.

No one can carry the weight of childhood cancer alone. Families need people in their corner, and meaningful support happens when communities come together.

At Pinky Swear, collaboration means working side by side with hospitals, social workers, volunteers, donors, and community partners to help families facing pediatric cancer. It also means supporting each other internally by sharing ideas, solving problems together, and stepping in when challenges arise. Until there is a cure for cancer, it takes everyone to provide support for families experiencing its horrible aftermath.

Celebration: We celebrate successes of all sizes.

When you work in the pediatric cancer space, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the hard moments. But at Pinky Swear, we recognize that joy matters too. Sometimes celebration looks big, like finishing treatment or reaching a fundraising goal. Other times, it looks small, like hearing a family has hung up one of the Letters of Encouragement they received on their wall as a reminder of good things.

Celebration keeps hope alive. We celebrate families, donors, healthcare professionals, volunteers, and the people who make this mission possible every day. We also celebrate one another. We proudly “ring the bell” together to recognize progress, joy, and the moments that remind us why this work matters so deeply.

Living Pinky Swear's values every day

Compassion, Collaboration, and Celebration are more than workplace values. They shape how we support families facing childhood cancer and how we build a community around them. At Pinky Swear, everything begins with the pinky promise when a child is diagnosed with cancer, families should not have to face it alone. Every conversation, every partnership, and every act of support is rooted in keeping that pinky promise.