Journal of Hope
Dogged determination and a passion for creating soulful art have sustained Deneen Coleman-Ruff through some rough times. A survivor of abuse, a bitter divorce from a man who left…
Read MoreAbout Minnie Pearl
Minnie Pearl was the lovable comedienne who appeared on The Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw and greeted everyone with arms flung wide and a shrill “How-Deeeee!” She wore gingham, cotton stockings, “Mary Jane” shoes and that well-worn and beloved straw hat with its dangling $1.98 tag. She was always ready with her next corny joke. But with that warm embrace and twinkle in her eye, Minnie touched the world with her love and her laughter. She never met a stranger and both loved and was beloved by world leaders, fans and folks from all walks of life.
That broad embrace and unwavering sense of joy and hopefulness are timeless qualities that The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation adopted as its own when Sarah Cannon, the character’s creator and a cancer survivor herself who knew the priceless value of positive support, lent her stage name to our nonprofit organization. From that point forward, we have honored her legacy by weaving her warmth, kindness, and compassion into all of our efforts to support those confronting a cancer diagnosis with hope.