Clear Ribbon

Introducing Clear Ribbon Foundation

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 1.7 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer this year and over 600,000 will lose their lives. Cancer leaves many spouses and surviving children left to forge a new path forward following the death of their parent/husband/wife, while often bearing an enormous burden of grief and feeling as if they are "in a fog". The Clear Ribbon Foundation serves widows/widowers and their families in the short, mid and long term to provide clarity and hope where there was once pain and sorrow. For the founding board members of Clear Ribbon Foundation, our spouses passed following their battles with cancer, leaving us as the heads of our households. Enormous networks of friends, family and loved ones came around us in our greatest crises to love and serve us in countless ways. We directly benefited and felt the love, compassion, and support of those around us, inspiring us to do the same for others. Every battle with cancer is unique, just as every family is unique. We embrace families right where they are and step into tangible needs in ways that benefit them most.

The death of a spouse, and parent, to cancer is a road the founding board members of Clear Ribbon Foundation have walked, and we know all too well the paths other families are now on. When a spouse/partner is lost to cancer, the devastation to the family unit is immense, especially when young and school-age children are part of the equation. From experience, we have found there are immediate, short-term, mid-term, and long-term needs causing stress on these families. These needs vary based on the role of the departed parent, but our mission is to help CLEAR some of these stress points as the family rebuilds their lives to move forward through life. We provide care packages, meals, landscaping services, household services, grief support, and financial advice for widows and widowers as they navigate their lives moving forward.

Board of Directors

  • Mike Fumagalli

    President

    Mike's late wife, Kirsten, passed away on March 14, 2018 when she was 36 years old, just 27 days after being diagnosed with s... Read More

  • Gina Faillo

    Vice President

    Gina’s husband, Joshua Brent Faillo, was born on April 12, 1971 and passed away on June 5, 2017 at the age of 46 from metasta... Read More

  • James Beavers

    Treasurer

    Jamie (as Shelly called him, Jim to many others) met Shelly on the sand volleyball courts during the summer of ‘99. They marr... Read More

  • Cindy Rick

    Secretary

    Cindy met her husband, Steve, on a blind date in 2004 and they married in 2006. Steve had a melanoma diagnosis in 2010 and af... Read More