Marshall H.S. Students Launch ‘Hope for Pink’ to Raise Funds for Breast Cancer Research, Support

Meet two local 16-year-olds making a huge difference in the world and inspiring others to follow suit.

In 2022, Carla Kanaan, then a 9th-grader at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, now 16, tragically lost a family member to breast cancer. Soon, other supportive friends whose families were impacted by the disease affecting roughly 13 percent of American women joined with Kanaan in a unique endeavor.

Wishing to make a lasting and substantial impact on the medical battle against breast cancer, Carla and her cohort decided to go beyond simply launching a school club. Instead, they founded their own charitable organization in 2023 – Hope for Pink (HFP), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit “dedicated to raising breast cancer awareness and providing meaningful support to those affected by this disease.” In addition to research funding, the growing, chapter-based organization would also “offer financial assistance for [breast cancer] screenings and treatment to patients in need.”

For this article, The Falls Church Independent interviewed HFP Founder Carla Kanaan as well as HFP’s current Vice President, Marshall H.S. junior Beatrice Coe-Mullin, 16. We wanted to know what sorts of challenges the group’s facing, the support they’ve received, and how Hope for Pink is performing in meeting the organization’s ambitious goals.

Kanaan’s life interests match up well with her current nonprofit fundraising and development efforts. Her favorite classes are History and Entrepreneurship. “I enjoy diving into the past and learning how to create and grow ideas for the future,” she said. “One day, I hope to pursue a career in business or marketing, as I love the idea of creating innovative strategies and connecting with people.” 

“I’m from Lebanon, but was born here in the U.S., which has given me a strong connection to both cultures” Kanaan said. She has one sibling, an older brother who attends James Madison University. “When I’m not busy with school, I stay involved in leadership and service activities.” The Hope for Pink project, is therefore “close to my heart and helps me connect with others in a meaningful way,” she said. 

Hope for Pink’s Vice President Coe-Mullin also has high career and personal ambitions. She “aspire[s] to become a lawyer.” But she also loves music, film, drawing, horror movies, "anything to do with Halloween," the film "Coraline," and music artist Tyler the Creator. As the eldest of four siblings, she's “very busy!,” she added. “I’m interested in finance and am currently taking IB Economics – though it’s difficult, I’m still fascinated by the subject," she said. "One day I hope to live in New York and eventually start my career in law."

Coe-Mullin also has close family members who’ve been affected by breast cancer. “I was very eager to join on as a part of this cause, especially because of how it has personally affected my family,” she said. “A few years ago my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. Watching a loved one go through such a difficult journey is a feeling unimaginable. She, thankfully, beat the diagnosis after having access to great treatment, but not everyone has that privilege.”

“Everyone deserves access to good healthcare and the chance to get treated properly, but costs are very high and limiting,” Coe-Mullin continued. “Hundreds of thousands of women get diagnosed with breast cancer every year in America. Of those hundreds of thousands, many of them need help and support both emotionally and financially. Any contribution we're able to give to these women is vastly important, and if we can help someone on their journey we will take that opportunity. My aunt might not have been able to be where she is today if she hadn't had the proper support and treatment, so our goal is to do everything we can to assist other women in their journey for them to be able to have a similar outcome.” 

Beyond Just a School Club

I asked Kanaan what made her choose to found a nonprofit 501(c)(3) instead of simply a school club. “I founded Hope for Pink because I felt that a school club alone wasn’t enough to make a big impact, especially with the fundraising restrictions that come with it. I wanted to go beyond those limits and create a platform that could raise more funds and reach more people, so I decided to turn my vision into a non-profit organization,” she said. 

“One of the biggest challenges was finding people who were just as passionate as I am about spreading breast cancer awareness,” Kanaan continued. “I connected with individuals who shared my vision and have been incredibly helpful in supporting our goals. To make Hope for Pink official, I worked with a foundation [Hack Club] that fiscally sponsors us, which gave us 501(c)(3) status. This was a crucial step, as it allowed us to operate as a non-profit and focus on our mission of raising funds for breast cancer research and helping women who can’t afford treatment.”

“Throughout the process, I’ve learned how important it is to stay persistent and not get discouraged when things feel overwhelming,” Kanaan said. “Building a non-profit has taught me the value of teamwork, organization, and staying committed to a cause that truly matters.”

Coe-Mullin hopes the group’s efforts will help shatter some of the persistent myths surrounding breast cancer. Hope for Pink is spreading the word that breast cancer doesn’t only affect “middle-aged and older women." Since "about 4 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer are under 40, it’s not a number to overlook,” she said. “Breast cancer in younger women is rare, but it’s still the most common cancer among women ages 15-to-39.” Breast cancer also affects men, contrary to what many believe.

Therefore, it’s “important that girls are educated on breast cancer and what to be aware of with their own bodies, in order to ensure if someone ends up having it, they get the proper care,” Coe-Mullin emphasized. “Breast cancer is not linear nor is it all the same. There are two broad types of breast cancer: non-invasive breast cancer and invasive breast cancer. Within these umbrellas, there are [some] cancers that are more aggressive than others, cancers that have different molecular features, breast cancers that originate in different areas of the breast, and much more.”

Meeting Fundraising and Expansion Goals

Hope for Pink has been quite active and successful at Marshall H.S. this year. “This year, our primary goal is to raise at least $10,000,” Kanaan said. “Achieving this milestone will allow us to provide more financial assistance to those in need while continuing to support breast cancer research.”

Though Hope for Pink is not an official Marshall H.S. club, but rather an “outside-of-school initiative,” according to Kanaan, the school community has been highly supportive. “The support from the Marshall community has been amazing,” she said. “Many of our leadership board members are Marshall students, and others have been eager to help with fundraisers and awareness efforts. Parents have also been incredibly supportive, offering their time and resources. This strong community backing has been key to our success!”

So how’s Hope for Pink performing on the fundraising end? “So far,  we’ve raised at least $2,500 through donations and three successful fundraisers: a Ledo’s Pizza fundraiser, a popcorn fundraiser, and a Kendra Scott fundraiser,” Kanaan said. “These events have helped us make a real impact in supporting breast cancer research and assisting women who need financial help for treatment.” 

Hope for Pink is also broadening on a national scale. “Our organization has also grown significantly. We now have a leadership board of 10 dedicated members who work together to plan events, manage social media, and coordinate fundraising efforts,” Kanaan said. “On top of that, we’ve expanded beyond our local community and now have four chapters in Chantilly, Virginia, Maryland, Texas, and California.”

And the new chapters are also quite active. “One highlight from our chapters is the Maryland group recently volunteering at Johns Hopkins Medical Center,” Kanaan said. “These accomplishments reflect the hard work of our team and the support of everyone who believes in our mission. It’s exciting to see how much we’ve already done in only three months, and I can’t wait to see how much more we can achieve.”

“Looking ahead, we hope to grow our impact by expanding to even more chapters across the country and building a wider network of support for patients and their families,” Kanaan continued. “Ultimately, our vision is to create a future where everyone has access to the care they need and where awareness and early detection can save lives.”

“For people interested in volunteering for the breast cancer cause, it’s important to understand that any contribution you have leaves a great impact,” Kanaan emphasized. “No amount of volunteering is too small, and no amount of money is too little."

"Women need your help, and I promise anything you can give is enough. The breast cancer cause is a great one to work with as many women are affected and there’s a great community within the cause," Kanaan continued. "Getting to work with others as passionate about the cause as you are is a wonderful experience, especially if you’ve been personally affected by breast cancer in any way. Don’t give up on your journey of support and don’t ever doubt your contribution!”

To contribute to Hope for Pink go here.

By Christopher Jones