09/27/2026
Hello, weāre Heidi & Pierre Onda, co-founders of The White Ribbon Project.
Today, September 27, 2026 is the 6th anniversary of the first the White Ribbon Project ribbon that Pierre built!
We have some exciting news! We are absolutely thrilled to welcome two incredible advocates living with late-stage lung cancer for many years, Dr. Sydney Barned and Jaymie Knox, to The White Ribbon Project Leadership Team!
Both bring tremendous passion, valuable perspectives, and a commitment to improving the lives of people affected by lung cancer.
Sydney and Jaymie, we are so grateful to have you joining us! Together, we're building a stronger community, amplifying more voices, and changing the story of lung cancer. Welcome to the team!
As The White Ribbon Project has grown, we want to take a moment to share some important information about our organization, our official activities, and how to get involved.
The White Ribbon Project began as a grassroots movement, but in 2021 we also became a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with an established Board of Directors and designated leadership. We remain all volunteers. Our current officers, directors, and individuals specifically designated by The White Ribbon Project are the people who may officially represent our organization.
The White Ribbon Project events and ribbon builds must be authorized by our organization and coordinated with our designated representatives. Ribbon builds are defined as painting, signing, and labeling events using our official The White Ribbon Project label.
Just as importantly, the use of The White Ribbon Project name and our official labels on white ribbons must be approved by our organization.
We are grateful to Chris Draft for the introductions and early work he provided during the initial years of The White Ribbon Project. Chris's formal affiliation with The White Ribbon Project ended on December 23, 2023. Since that time, Chris has pursued his advocacy work independently, and his activities are separate from those of The White Ribbon Project. We wish him continued success in his separate organizations.
This distinction matters. Anyone can advocate for lung cancer. Anyone can bring people together. And anyone can create their own awareness activities. But the name The White Ribbon Project, our organizational identity, and our official labels represent our nonprofit organization. As such, the use of our labels must be approved by The White Ribbon Project.
Anyone interested in receiving official White Ribbon Project ribbons, hosting an authorized ribbon build, or collaborating with us should contact us directly through our website. We are happy to work with you, and we supply cut and sanded ribbons free of charge to individual advocates. You can also find the current members of our leadership and Board of Directors on our website.
And we want to emphasize something that has been at the heart of The White Ribbon Project from the beginning. We believe there is room for every positive kind of advocacy.
For some people, advocacy may simply mean displaying a white ribbon. For others, it may mean sharing their story, sharing a social media post, attending an event, supporting someone they love, organizing in their community, or making advocacy a major part of their lives. All of those contributions matter.
We are also deeply committed to respecting boundaries.
As a person living with the long-term effects of late-stage lung cancer and its treatment, and as a care partner, we understand that people have different circumstances, different challenges, and different capacities for advocacy. We respect your boundaries. No one should ever feel pressured to do more than they are comfortable doing.
We are grateful for everyone who helps change the way people see lung cancer.
And as The White Ribbon Project continues to grow, we also have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the organization, our name, our official labels, and most importantly, the people who choose to advocate.
Thank you for supporting The White Ribbon Project and for helping us carry this mission forward with respect, compassion, and care.
Together we are making history by changing the public perception of lung cancer. š¤āØš«
