When Jim Anderson of Duluth found out that his wife, Peggy, was diagnosed with breast cancer, the first thing that crossed his mind was, 'What's next?'
"It's scary for a family, and it's scary for a husband," Jim said.
Now, seven years later, Peggy has decided to help raise money for those who cannot afford breast cancer treatment by putting together a CD, titled "Hope."
Peggy is involved in Circle of Hope, Inc., an organization located in Duluth that helps patients in northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin who are in financial distress. The goal of Circle of Hope is to help clients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer to pay their medical bills.
As the secretary of the organization's board of directors, Peggy wanted to raise money for the cause. "I thought it would be kind of cool to have a CD as a fundraiser, so I started looking for musicians and singers who would donate songs," Peggy said.
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Many locally known artists agreed to donate songs for the "Hope" CD. Some of the songs on the CD were even recorded specifically for this particular fundraiser. It includes songs from a variety of artists, including Dr. Kim Storm, Bill and Kate Isles, Sara Thomsen, Jane Aas, Andy Elwell, Josh Revak, Peter Provost, James Moors, and Rachel Kilgour.
"It has songs that give people hope, faith, and courage," Peggy said. "They are all well-known people from around Duluth. We just wanted to give people hope that there is an answer and there is a way out," Peggy said. "We want to give them courage and inspiration through this CD."
The CDs can be purchased for $10 at The Duluth Grill and all Super One Foods throughout Duluth, Cloquet, Superior, and Two Harbors. Funds raised will go to Circle of Hope to support breast cancer patients. The CD is sponsored by Super One Foods, Lily by the Lake, the Kiwanis Club of Friendly Duluth, Sacred Heart, Copycats Media in Minneapolis, and the Junior League of Duluth. Funds donated by the Junior League of Duluth and the Kiwanis Club of Friendly Duluth paid for the production of the CD.
Jim, who is the board of directors' treasurer and also a cancer survivor, recommends this CD as a great gift item for family and friends. "I think it's a beautiful piece of artwork," Jim said. "The musicians are all telling a story about something that would make you feel hopeful in life."
Circle of Hope was formed last year when Peggy and two other women, Tammy Graves Miller and Peggy Rydberg, began talking about how they could help breast cancer patients pay their bills. "We had friends who died of breast cancer," Peggy said. "We kept talking about it and, finally, we decided to do something about it." From there, the three women formed a board of directors and filled out the necessary paperwork needed to start the organization.
Circle of Hope will be hosting a concert Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Sacred Heart Music Center from 6:30 to 11 p.m. The concert will feature music from the CD, and all funds raised will go to the Circle of Hope program.
Tickets for the Hope concert are $10 by donation, available at The Duluth Grill. There will also be a silent auction, as well as appetizers provided by The Duluth Grill.
For more information about Circle of Hope, Inc., visit www.circleofhopeduluth.org . To purchase the CD, visit The Duluth Grill or any local Super One Foods.
