February 2026

LINK TO HOPE NEWSLETTER

A message from the Executive Director - Melissa Karrer




Hi Friends,


February may be the shortest month of the year, but it also carries a powerful message of love, strength, and connection. ~This month, we're offering a very uplifting way to connect with others through our collaborative event with Gilda's Club Kentuckiana on Feb. 26 where we'll be celebrating the month of love with a Valentine's/Galentine's/Palentine's event. Bring your partner in crime, your best pal, or simply bring your amazing self for a really fun night of support and encouragement. Click here to register for the event!


February is also National Cancer Prevention Month which serves as a very important reminder that while some cancer risks are beyond our control, nearly half are linked to preventable lifestyle choices and early detection. Diet, exercise, and prevention, through cancer screenings, play a critical role in reducing our risk of a cancer diagnosis and, ultimately, decreasing our state's devastatingly high cancer incidence and mortality rates.


Make your health a priority and get your screening appointments on the calendar today. If you're a KY resident and uninsured or underinsured, reach out to us to see if you meet eligibility requirements for free cancer screening programs available in our state.


Your continued support helps us ensure no Kentuckian faces a cancer diagnosis alone. Consider a monthly gift and help us reach more individuals in need of screenings, transportation assistance, and patient support services like wigs, post-surgical items, & more. Give hope today- every donation makes a difference Click here to donate today!


Ticket sales are live for our bourbon raffle fundraiser "Hope on the Rocks" and just in time for Valentine's Day! Don't miss this opportunity to support our mission and a chance to secure some of Kentucky's finest bourbon. 💜🥃 Ticket sales end on February 8!


"All great artists draw from the same resource: the human heart, which tells us we are more alike than unalike." ~Maya Angelou



Cheers,


Melissa

Click here for information, from the National Cancer Institute, about risk factors and ways to prevent gallbladder and bile duct (cholangiocarcinoma) cancer types.



Click here for 5 tips on how to reduce your risk of cancer, from the Cancer Support Community.



Save the Date!

Our Hope on the Rocks bourbon raffle is live through February 8! Get your ticket today to support our mission and for your chance to win some of Kentucky's finest bourbon. 🥃💜

Click here for tickets! 🎟️


Please consider supporting our mission financially so that we can continue mailing fuel cards to cancer patients with transportation barriers and providing free wigs and post mastectomy garments to women in need and to make the greatest impact in our communities throughout the Commonwealth. All of our donations stay local to help Kentuckians in need.


Your involvement can make a significant difference!

Every donation counts...

When you purchase gift cards for any occasion, through the link below, a portion of the proceeds benefit KY CancerLink.

Click here to shop over 200 different gift card options available

through RaiseRight.

WKYT - Link to Hope

Each month on WKYT, a Link to Hope story is featured with Amber Philpott.


In this month's segment, learn more about how Kentucky CancerLink is helping to bridge the gap for uninsured Kentuckians in need of cancer screenings.


Click here to view segments!  

 

THANK YOU to WKYT for your partnership!

Out & About

We had so much fun at our January 2026 Vision Board activity for our Gilda's Club/KCL partner event that we're already looking forward to our February event on the 26th where we'll be celebrating love with our Valentine's/Galentine's/Palentine's event. Bring your main squeeze, a pal, and/or a family member and join us for a fun evening of support and camaraderie.

Thank you, Pike County Health Department, for your continued support of our mission through your Paint Pikeville Pink event in October 2025. Thank you for being a link to hope for Kentuckians.

Grateful Patient

Ways to GIVE BACK!

Did you know we have an Amazon wish list?


One of our greatest needs is $25 Visa gift cards we use to send to cancer patients to help them travel to and from treatment appointments.


Amazon gift cards, in any amount, help us purchase nutritional supplements, durable medical equipment, and other items to help patients who are experiencing a cancer diagnosis.


Click here to shop our Amazon wish list

Click here to register your Kroger rewards card!

Delicious Ideas

Buffalo Chicken Soup


This recipe is spicy and flavorful and there are many different ways you could prepare it-instant pot, crockpot, or stovetop.


This would be a great option to offer at a super bowl party.





Click here for recipe!


Lasagna Soup


This is just the recipe you're looking for when you're craving something hearty, like lasagna, but it's soup weather.


This is an easy crockpot recipe that can also be thrown together quickly on the stovetop.



Click here for recipe!

White Tuscan Bean Soup


This recipe is delicious and full of satiating fiber and protein too. You could even add in a few stalks of kale for added nutrition and flavor.


This recipe is vegetarian, but you could add in ham as an option as well.




Click here for recipe!



Link to Hope Podcast
Kentuckians need hope today. Link 2 Hope is a monthly podcast featuring community partners discussing ways to remove barriers for Kentuckians in need of screening, diagnosis and treatment for cancer.

New episodes available! Click HERE.
 
Is there a topic that you would like to hear about? Contact Melanie Hunter at melanieh@kycancerlink.org to share your ideas!
 
Thank you to our partner, RunSwitch PR!

Available on whichever platform you listen to your podcasts. Subscribe to be informed when new episodes are added!

Share your ideas and resources! Do you know of something that might be useful to the cancer community? Let us know, and we may share it in future publications.

Email Melanie Hunter at melanieh@kycancerlink.org

KENTUCKY CANCERLINK

860 Corporate Dr., Suite 103

Lexington, KY 40503

Phone: 859-309-1700

Toll-Free: 877-597-4655

Fax: 859-368-8418

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