Helene Foundation

Today we honor Juneteenth. 💛

On June 19, 1865, the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas finally learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Today we celebrate freedom, we honor history, and we recommit to showing up for the families and communities we serve.

Happy Juneteenth. 💛

📅 Save the Date: The 5th Annual Wild Bill 5k is Back! 🏃‍♂️💨

Get ready to lace up your running shoes! Join us on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at the Seven Oaks Swim and Racquet Club for a morning of community, fitness, and fun - all in memory of the legendary William “Wild Bill” Sonner.

Whether you're looking to crush a personal record on our USATF-certified 5k course or looking for a fun activity for the kids, we’ve got something for everyone!

Event Lineup:

7:00 AM – 5k Race ($40) 🕒 Price increases after June 30th!
8:00 AM – Kids Race (~1/2 Mile for ages 10 & under - $25)
Post-Race – Take a plunge in the Seven Oaks Pool, grab some breakfast, enjoy the DJ, and grab a free beer (21+ with valid ID)! 🍻🏊‍♂️

Spots are capped at 500 runners and filling up fast. Proceeds benefit The Helene Foundation and the Wild Bill Sonner Scholarship!

👉 Secure your spot and register today: https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Raleigh/WildBill5k

Less than a week until the ducks hit the water! 🦆💜

The Seven Oaks Kenducky Derby is this weekend - Father's Day weekend, June 20-21 - and we cannot wait!

Here's how it works: adopt a duck for $25, then cheer it on as races run throughout the day. Winning ducks score gift cards to area restaurants! 🏆

And don't miss the swim team showdown - the kids decorate their own ducks, we crown the top 3 designs, then they race in their very own heat. It's the cutest competition of the summer.

Every single duck supports the moms and families the Helene Foundation serves. So grab yours, pick your lucky number, and let's race! 🦆

Seven Oaks Swim and Racquet Club

Two weeks ago we introduced you to Felicia. Today we want to share one more piece of her story. 💜

When a mom is fighting cancer, it's not just her life that gets turned upside down. It's her kids' lives too.

For Felicia's son, that could have meant giving up the soccer season he loved. The club fees. The team fees. The uniform kit. All of it feels impossible when you're just trying to keep the lights on and get to your next treatment.

So the Helene Foundation stepped in. We covered his club and team fees and bought his full uniform kit, so he could keep showing up for his team while his mom showed up for her health.

Because a kid shouldn't have to sit out the season his mom is fighting cancer. He should get to just be a kid.

That's the kind of NOW we work for. And a small donation makes it possible.

Will you give today? 💜 helenefoundation.org

Some of the most meaningful work at the Helene Foundation happens one phone call at a time. 💜

Our Liaisons are trained volunteers who are matched directly with a family. They call the mom. They send cards. They check in on her health and make sure the family's needs are being met.

It's one of the most personal things you can do - and you don't need any cancer experience to do it. We train you every step of the way.

Other ways to volunteer:
🤝 Liaison - direct family support
🎉 Event support
📋 Administrative help
💛 Fundraising

If you've been looking for a way to show up for your community, this is it. 💜 Sign up at https://www.helenefoundation.org/volunteers

What if you could change a family's life for less than a dollar a day? 🦋

The Monarch Society is our community of monthly sustainers - the steady, faithful givers whose recurring support means we can say YES to families immediately, without waiting.

When a referral comes in and a mom needs gas cards to get to chemo this week - not next month - it's our Monarchs who make that possible.

For as little as $25 a month, you become part of something that matters every single day.

Will you join us? 🦋💜 https://www.helenefoundation.org/become-a-partner-1

When a mom is diagnosed with cancer, the to-do list doesn't stop.

Kids still need dinner. Someone still has to drive them to school. The bills don't pause. And she's supposed to heal.

The Helene Foundation steps in - immediately - so she doesn't have to choose between taking care of herself and taking care of her family.

Here's what that looks like:

⛽ Gas cards to get to treatments
🛒 Grocery gift cards
🧹 House cleaning
👶 Childcare costs
📚 Tutoring
🎽 Kids' activities - band fees, sports, summer camp

No financial requirement. Just a mom in active treatment at a Triangle-area facility with children at home.

That's it. We handle the rest. 💜 Refer a family at https://www.helenefoundation.org/

Today is National Cancer Survivor Day. 💜

To every woman who has heard the words 'you have cancer' and kept going - for her kids, for herself, for the people who love her - today is for you.

Survivorship looks different for everyone. For the moms in our program, it means fighting through treatment while still showing up as a parent every single day. It means choosing to go to chemo even when it's hard. It means letting people help.

We are in awe of every single one of you.

If you know a mom currently in active treatment at a Triangle-area facility with children at home, please share our information with her. We're here. Right now. 💜

Refer a family or donate: helenefoundation.org

We'd like you to meet Felicia. 💜

Felicia is a Pre-K teacher and a mom who walked through chemotherapy and radiation while trying to show up for her son every single day. Her story was featured at our Derby of Hope this year and moved every single person in the room.

She recently wrote us a letter, and her words say everything.

"You gave us more than financial assistance - you gave us relief, hope, and the ability to breathe a little easier during a very overwhelming time."

The Helene Foundation helped Felicia with groceries through our partnership with Families 4 Families, gas cards to get to and from treatment, and gift cards for everyday needs. We also covered her son's club and team soccer fees and bought his uniform kit, so he never had to sit out the season his mom was fighting cancer.

But here's what Felicia said mattered most:
"Instead of worrying about how we would cover basic needs, I was able to focus on my health and on being present for my son."

That is exactly why we exist. Right now, for families who need it most.

If you know a mom in active cancer treatment at a Triangle-area facility with children at home, please share our information with her. helenefoundation.org 💜