Party with a Purpose: The Hope Palmer Pink Party

Every October, Ocean City shows what it does best: showing up for one another. The Hope Palmer Pink Party is more than a great afternoon out—it’s a community rallying behind breast cancer screening, treatment, and survivorship on the Lower Shore. Come dressed in pink, bring your friends, and help us fuel lifesaving programs close to home.

Hope’s Story: “Infinite Hope”

In June 2011, Hope Palmer—then 37 and a mother of two young boys—went in for a routine OB/GYN visit and left with a stage III breast cancer diagnosis. She faced a double mastectomy, multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, and clinical trials. Through it all, her boys were her North Star, and she received care close to home at TidalHealth’s Richard A. Henson Cancer Institute. Today, she continues regular follow-up with her oncologist and channels her energy into helping others get screened sooner through TidalHealth’s Drive for Mobile Mammography. As Hope says, early detection is a lifesaver—and making care convenient helps more women get screened on time. TidalHealth

Learn more about Hope’s journey and the Drive for Mobile Mammography initiative in TidalHealth’s “Infinite Hope: A Survivor Story.” TidalHealth

Event Details (from the Pink Party flyer)

• What: Hope Palmer Pink Party — a community fundraiser for breast cancer efforts

• When & Where: Saturday, October 11, 1-5 on at Sunset Grille

• Tickets/Donations: $25 donation at door.  100% goes to the John Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center & Tidal Health Richard Henson Cancer Institute.

• What to Expect: Live Music, 50/50 Raffles, $1.98 beer, wine & rail drinks; $3.98 crushes; 

• Beneficiary:

• Sponsors/Hosts:

  • HD Marketing
  • Sunset Grille
  • Mobile Billboard Mid-Atlantic
  • Nick's Mini Golf
  • Big Wave Marketing
  • Ocean 98.1 Radio
  • Sunset Grille
  • Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association

Why Your Donation Matters

• Early detection saves lives. Survival rates improve dramatically with screening and earlier-stage diagnosis. Hope’s support for mobile mammography highlights a powerful idea: bring the screening to people—especially those facing cost or transportation barriers. TidalHealth

• Care close to home reduces burden. Treatment is a marathon; eliminating long travel helps families focus on healing, not logistics. TidalHealth

• Local dollars, local impact. Donations to regional programs like TidalHealth’s campaign stay on the Shore and serve our neighbors—friends, coworkers, and family members. TidalHealth

Why “Party with a Purpose”

Fundraisers like the Pink Party turn awareness into action. A night of music, food, and community gives us:

• Momentum—to fund more screenings, support services, and survivor programs now

• Visibility—to reach those who might be delaying a mammogram or don’t know about local resources

• Belonging—for survivors and families to feel seen, supported, and celebrated

When we gather, we raise not just dollars—but courage.

The Ocean City Difference: A Town that Gives

Ocean City’s business community is famously altruistic. Year after year, restaurants, bars, hotels, retailers, realtors, anglers, and event producers open their doors, donate auction items, sponsor stages, promote ticket sales, and rally staff and guests for causes like breast cancer screening. Locals buy the raffles, tip the bands, and run the routes. That’s our culture: hospitality meets heart.

The Pink Party is a perfect snapshot of that spirit. From venue hosts and beverage partners to sponsors, musicians and donors—this town shows up. It’s the kind of generosity that turns a good party into measurable impact for local families.

How to Help Right Now

• Attend the event and invite a friend who needs a fun afternoon out.

• Wear pink and share photos to spread the word.

• Donate—Your gifts fuel screening and support services locally.

• Can’t attend? Consider a direct gift to programs expanding access to mammography on the Shore.  Scan Hope's donation Venmo link above. (See TidalHealth’s mobile mammography campaign referenced in Hope’s story.) TidalHealth