COLORADO SPRINGS — On your next night out, the beer you buy could help cancer patients and their families here in Southern Colorado. For the third year, Peaks N Pines is brewing a pink beer in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and raising money for the Circle of Hope Foundation.
Dee Medberry-Hagen of Peaks N Pines said for every pint of pink beer sold, one dollar will go to the Circle of Hope Foundation. It's a fund run through UCHealth Memorial Hospital, that gives financial assistance to cancer patients. Medberry-Hagen said she always thinks of her grandmother during this fundraiser. "Survived breast cancer back in the late 1970's when the survival rate isn't what it is today, and she has since passed away, and I wanted to do something to honor her," said Medberry-Hagen. This year, they brewed a Raspberry Kolsch.
Medberry-Hagen said they raised around $1,500 last year for the fund, but she expects to beat that number this year. "What's exciting about this year compared to the first two is we just expanded our brewing system. So in the past, we've only brewed about 100 gallons of beer, this year we brewed 300 gallons of beer," said Medberry-Hagen.
A representative from UCHealth Memorial Hospital told News 5 in fiscal year 2019, which ended in June, the Circle of Hope fund used almost $80,000 to help 250 cancer patients pay for things like transportation, food, and rent. "They need help with those type of pieces because they're fighting for their lives," said Karen Valentine, the manager of oncology supportive services at the Cancer Center of UCHealth Memorial Hospital.
Valentine said her sister-in-law passed away because of breast cancer, and it is her passion to help others going through treatment. Plus, she said the Circle of Hope fund helps treat the whole person, not just the cancer. "Every single cent of the money raised goes directly to patients," said Valentine.
The beer will be sold at both the Colorado Springs and Fountain Peaks N Pines locations throughout October, or until the beer is sold out.
To learn more about the Circle of Hope Fund, visit this link.
