Jeanette Shamblen our founder

Creating Hope is a non-profit organization that was founded by Jeanette Shamblen, a 36-year-old wife, mother and breast cancer survivor. Jeanette was not an artist in 1999 when she was first diagnosed. She was an Information Technology Manager for a global financial company. The diagnosis changed her life instantly. Her prognosis was not good and the 10 months of treatments that followed were difficult. Jeanette's treatment started with a mastectomy, 16 weeks of chemotherapy, a stem cell transplant, and eight weeks of daily radiation. A gift of quality paints, paper and brushes given to her from her sister during her first phase of treatments sparked her creative expression that became part of her motivation to live each moment of each day of treatment and beyond. Daily expression through her watercolor painting was essential in coping with the treatments and separation from her husband and children during her six-week hospital stay while receiving the transplant.

Despite being treated for a recurrence and metastatic spread of the cancer (discovered in late 2000), Jeanette continued to spread and share her vision through Creating Hope. She died on July 3, 2003, with the Creating Hope legacy in place.

The Creating Hope Board of Directors shares Jeanette's belief that creative expression has the power to lead the way toward coping with the cancer experienceÖa way to control a small part of the journey. All of the Board members have been touched by cancer, in some way, and want to help others. Your donation will help inspire someone who is on a cancer journey. Your expression of kindness and support will become their expression of hope.