About Us

Tara Lacher has set out on a mission to reach out, one scarf at a time, to women who have been diagnosed with cancer.  As fast as she can, along with the help of many others, she is knitting pink scarves and donating them to women who could use a little sunshine in their lives.

Here is my story:

My name is Tara Lacher and I am a Mandan, ND native.  I’m married to John and have two children, Laura (age 11) and Olivia (age 6).

In October of 2006 Mary Kay had a promotion where the hostess of a Mary Kay party was given a pink wrap to help generate awareness of breast cancer.  A portion of the company’s proceeds from the promotional sales went to the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, which funnels money to women affected by cancer or domestic violence.    I decided to give them not only to my hostesses, also, to women who were recently diagnosed with cancer, or were survivors of cancer.  The first pink wrap went to Bismarck Police Chief Deb Ness, a breast cancer survivor.   The Mary Kay promotion soon came to an end and I knew I wasn’t ready to stop.   I had watched three women in my family fight and beat cancer and I wanted to do something to help others get through it so I decided to knit pink scarves and donate each one to someone special.

June 1, 2007, was life changing.  I was asked by the American Cancer Society Relay for Life survivor’s committee to speak about my pink scarf project at the First Annual Survivor’s Dinner, which was being held that evening.  I prepared my speech and knew it by heart.  An hour prior to dinner, my daughter, Laura, and I carried in 75 bagged pink scarves which were going to be handed out to cancer survivors that evening.  I asked one of the committee members where we should wait until dinner was served.  She said “Did you register?”  I looked at her with a blank look on my face.  She said “Did you register?  Are you a survivor?”  I said “Oh my god, I am.”  She told me to get registered and to sit down at a table.  My daughter who was standing beside me said “Mom, what are you a survivor of?”  I told her that I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer earlier in the day.  She said, “Are you going to die?”  I told her “No, my cancer is treatable.”

With over 300 people in attendance, I stood before my audience and was momentarily speechless.  I looked around the room and could see their excitement as they waited for me to begin talking about my scarves.  I shared with them that I had a speech prepared but I decided to change it somewhat.  I said “I joined your family today.  I was diagnosed with cancer four hours ago.”  The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.  I proceeded with my pink scarf story and told them that anyone who had not received a pink scarf needed to stop by before they left for the evening and pick one up.   I left the podium with a heart-felt standing ovation.  Shortly thereafter, the survivor’s committee presented me with one of my own pink scarves.  I knew I was passionate about this project when I started.  However, I never imagined that I would become a member of the pink scarf family but can say I’m a much better person because of it.  I know from personal experience what it means to receive such a special gift.