From Gratitude to Giving: The Story of the Franklin Fund

How one couple's cancer journey inspired a legacy of hope for patients at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

When Bonnie Franklin was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer after a routine mammogram, life changed instantly for her and her husband, Bob. What followed was a journey through surgery, treatment, and recovery that would reshape how they saw the world and what they felt called to do in it. 

Bonnie's care at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in York was exceptional by every measure. Surgeon Dr. Mudge performed her double mastectomy with skill and compassion, and oncologist Dr. Leah Cream guided her through treatment. From the front desk to the infusion center, the staff at UPMC Memorial became, in Bob's words, people they "absolutely fell in love with." 

"We live two miles from there. But it wasn't just the proximity. It was the people. Every single one of them." 

A Personal Understanding of Cancer 

Bob's desire to give back wasn't simply the response of a grateful spouse. He is himself a cancer survivor, sixteen years out from a Stage 4 throat cancer diagnosis with roughly a 5% chance of survival.

"I know how sick I was," he said simply. "I know what it means to need help." 

That shared experience shaped everything that came next. As Bonnie moved through her treatment and recovery, she and Bob began asking a question many patients never have the chance to consider: What can we do to help others who are going through this? 

Paying It Forward: The Pink Ribbon Classic 

Bob Franklin has been organizing charity golf tournaments for over 50 years. He knows how to bring people together. So, when the time came to turn gratitude into action, the answer was clear. 

Each October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bob hosts the Think Pink, Pink Ribbon Classic Golf Outing at Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Maryland, where he serves as pro shop manager. The event brings together golfers, sponsors, and supporters for a full day of play, breakfast, an awards banquet, and raffles. Every dollar raised beyond expenses goes directly to the cause. 

"The event sells out months in advance. When I reach out to people, they know. They step up." 

For two consecutive years, the tournament has tens of thousands of dollars, all of which has been donated to the Franklin Fund held with the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation. Bob is hoping for at least the same when the outing returns this October. 

The Franklin Fund: Simple, Direct, Meaningful 

The Franklin Fund was created with one clear purpose: to provide direct, practical support to oncology patients at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, the very place that cared for Bonnie. The Franklins were deliberate in wanting the dollars to stay local, focused, and personal. 

The Franklin Fund helps cover the essential costs that insurance doesn't, and that many patients simply cannot manage on their own, especially while fighting cancer. It provides support for urgent needs such as rent, medication assistance, and transportation for York patients facing financial hardship. 

Beyond these critical needs, the fund also supports the infusion center team in creating meaningful moments for patients and staff. Through the patient celebration fund, it allows caregivers to recognize milestones and bring moments of joy during difficult times, whether that is celebrating a birthday, providing a special meal, or offering small comforts like stuffed animals during the holidays. 

"It doesn't get any more complicated than this. If someone needs a cab to get to their treatment and there's no other way, take $25 from the fund and make sure they get there. That's one less thing a patient has to worry about." 

Each year, Bob and Bonnie present a giant check to the UPMC Hillman team, surrounded by staff and accompanied by sweets for everyone. The check hangs in the infusion center as a visible reminder of what community generosity looks like. 

A Legacy Built on Love and Gratitude 

Bonnie is doing well today. Her cancer treatment was a success and, though she has faced additional health challenges since, she has continued to receive exceptional care from the UPMC providers she has come to trust. 

For the Franklins, the fund is not a transaction. It is a thank-you that is ongoing, renewable, and growing every year. It reflects a belief that the people who walked beside them through the hardest chapters of their lives deserve to know that what they do matters. And it carries a hope that every patient who comes after them will feel a little less alone. 

"You're not alone. Somebody's listening. We want every patient to feel that." — Bob Franklin 

To learn more about the Think Pink, Pink Ribbon Classic Golf Outing or to support the Franklin Fund, contact the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation.