Speakers

Molly MacDonald knows what it’s like to battle the financial burdens of breast cancer while undergoing treatment to battle the disease. Diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in April 2005, the disease was unlikely to take her life, but did take her livelihood. She was between jobs and was unable to start her new job as planned. Her family’s already tight budget was immediately overburdened with the addition of monthly COBRA health insurance payments coupled with the loss of her income. Within months, MacDonald and her family faced the potential for catastrophic financial losses, including the loss of their home. At the end of treatment when family and friends stopped delivering dinner, MacDonald was forced to use a local food bank to feed her family. When MacDonald’s quest to Get Help was met with blank stares, she became determined to Give Help to others suffering from lost income as a result of their diagnosis and treatment. In 2006 she founded The Pink Fund, which provides 90 days of non-medical financial aid to cover basic cost of living expenses, such as health insurance, housing, transportation and utilities. By providing this financial bridge, The Pink Fund helps to meet basic needs, while decreasing stress levels. These factors improve treatment adherence, improving survivorship outcomes and quality of life. Since its founding through October 2022 The Pink Fund has made over $6.4 million in bill payments on behalf of breast cancer survivors in active treatment. In 2012, Ford Motor Company invited The Pink Fund to be one of their charity partners benefiting from the Warriors in Pink program which allowed them to serve patients in all 50 states. For her work, MacDonald has been the recipient of many local and national awards. Most recently she was named to the 2020 George H. W. Bush Points of Light Inspiration Honor Roll, Crain’s 2020 Notable Women in Health, and a 2020 AARP Purpose Prize Fellow. In 2019, EyeforPharma named her Patient Champion North America. In March 2018, MacDonald was awarded NAWBO Detroit’s Philanthropic Award and named a 2018 Healthcare Hero by Crain’s Detroit Business. Ernst & Young named her a Finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Michigan and Northwest Ohio in 2016 and 2017. She is a 2014 Pink Power Mom, awarded by Kids II and Bright Starts, and a 2014 Purpose Prize Fellow, presented by Encore.org for her “outstanding contributions toward solving the world’s most challenging problems in the second half of life” and Money Magazine’s 2014 Michigan Money Hero. A long-time columnist for Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine focusing on financial wellness, she is a contributing writer to the American Journal of Managed Care and a member of the Advisory Board for V-Bid, Value Based Insurance Design at The University of Michigan. The Pink Fund was a finalist, recognized as a top global cancer innovator in patient centric care by the LIVESTRONG Foundation’s inaugural Big C Competition, for its work in helping to rebuild financial health. In 2014 and 2015 The Pink Fund was named by Time and Money, together with Charity Navigator, as one of five national breast cancer charities worthy of your donation, where you can feel confident your dollars will be put to good use. A passionate Patient Advocate, MacDonald is a thought leader in the breast cancer space, specifically in cancer related financial toxicity. She is a sought after keynote speaker sharing her personal struggles which led to the founding of The Pink Fund while advocating for improved patient care. MacDonald is a graduate from The University of Michigan with a degree in journalism and has extensive work experience in journalism, public relations, marketing and sales. She is a Goldman Sachs Alumni Scholar, graduating in August 2022 from the program. A mother of five adult children, and grandmother to two grandchildren, she is happily married to Tom Pettit, best known as Tom Terrific.