Slipstream - October 2020

National Breast Cancer Foundation
by Janelle Hail, NBCF CEO
photos provided by Michael Durovick
One of the most fun days I
remember was taking a spin in a
newly purchased Porsche 944, a car I
had dreamed of owning for years. My
Janelle Hail with son Kevin Hail
husband, Neal, and I loved driving the
champagne-colored Porsche with its
classic design and sleek lines. One day
I backed the Porsche out of the tightly
packed garage when I heard the heartcrushing
sound of metal scraping past
a bookcase that jutted out too far. In
one minute, I scraped a line of paint
off the side of our car. I tried to
patch up the scrape with touchup
paint, but it was a job that
only a pro could handle.
Isn’t that the way life
happens sometimes? Things
are going your way, and life
changes in one moment in
time. As a 34-year old wife and
mother of three sons, breast
cancer unexpectedly swiped me
off my feet. What could have
been a destructive force in my
life led to an open door that
fulfilled a vision born from the
heart, to help others in need.
Eleven years after breast cancer,
Neal and I founded the National
Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF).
I transitioned from a stay-at-home
mom to the CEO of NBCF in 1991
to give help and hope to women with
breast cancer who have no money or
insurance. That dream of the heart
became a reality.
Today women are acutely aware
of the importance of early detection.
Thank you, Maverick Region of the
Porsche Club of America, for helping
us reach women with life-saving
information. Your pink ribbon Porsche
t-shirt fundraiser will give hope and
comfort to many breast cancer patients
through our Hope Kit program.
Within 30 years, NBCF has become
a leader among non-profit breast cancer
organizations. Two years ago, Neal
passed away, but our vision for NBCF
continues. Our son, Kevin Hail,
President and COO of NBCF works
diligently with me and our skilled staff
to offer services for needy women.
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