Yes and no. We review applications on a rolling basis and, due to funding, have a cap on the number of recipients we can serve in any given year. If you meet all program criteria, we will try to match you with the artist you have identified. We always try our best to connect qualified applicants with an artist, but it isn’t always possible to do so with the preferred artist or within a reasonable timeframe.
We offer the P.ink Angel Fund year-round for people seeking closure through art. Through education and connection with experienced tattoo artists, we are committed to ensuring that breast cancer never has to leave the last mark.
What is the P.ink Angel Fund?
The P.ink Angel Fund fills the gap for people who are unable to attend a P.ink Day, but are looking for closure through art. By connecting individual recipients with trusted artists to get a free tattoo after a mastectomy, the Fund aims to serve people who don’t live near a P.ink Day location or are otherwise unable to apply for a P.ink Day. Our goal is to fund one tattoo per month throughout the year.
“After my tattoo, I felt like I was on top of the world. I felt so amazing. It was a sigh of relief.”
— Christell Hicks, P.ink recipient
Who is eligible?
If you have had a mastectomy, are interested in covering your scars with a tattoo, and you meet all of our program criteria, but are unable to pursue this healing experience on your own, you are eligible to apply to become a P.ink Angel Fund recipient.
Who are the artists?
P.ink Angel Fund tattoos are completed by talented and trained tattoo artists who are experienced in tattooing over scar tissue successfully. With the P.ink Angel Fund, you can pick an artist you’d like to work with from our Artist Directory using the “P.ink Angel Artist” tag. All artists in the directory have been vetted and are ready to help make this your final breast cancer chapter.
Applying for the P.ink Angel Fund
The P.ink Angel Fund is unique in that it allows people to apply for themselves or nominate a loved one. We recognize that women in particular can find it hard to prioritize their wants and needs, so we’ve created a way to nominate the remarkable woman in your life who you think could benefit from a P.ink tattoo.
How to Nominate a Loved One
If you are interested in nominating your loved one for the P.ink Angel Fund, please complete this form. After we review your nomination, we will reach out to the nominee to learn more about them, make sure they meet our qualification criteria, and determine which artist they’re interested in working with. Thank you for nominating your loved one for this life-changing experience!
Note: Before nominating someone, we encourage you to review the P.ink Angel Fund qualification criteria below to ensure the nominee qualifies to the best of your knowledge, as well as our Artist Directory to confirm there are verified artists in your loved one’s area.
How to Apply for Yourself
Are you ready to apply to the P.ink Angel Fund for yourself? Here’s what you need to do.
1. Check the Criteria.
Confirm you meet the P.ink Angel Fund criteria. If you don’t meet all of the criteria, we encourage you to try again in the future if/when your circumstances change.
2. Pick a Style
Decide what style of tattooing you’re interested in by reviewing the Tattoo 101 section.
3. Find an Artist
Search our Artist Directory to identify verified artists near you who are skilled in the style of tattoo you’re interested in getting. Only artists with the “P.ink Angel Artist” tag in the Directory may be chosen. If you don’t find an artist who is located near you or whose work you like in the Directory, we encourage you to check back occasionally as we are always adding new qualified artists. If you know of an artist in your area who you want to work with but who is not currently in our Directory, please encourage them to complete this form. If they meet our artist standards and are interested in being a P.ink Artist, we’ll add them to the Directory and you can apply to get a tattoo from them at that point.
4. Apply
Complete an application! We accept applications for the P.ink Angel Fund on a rolling basis.
5. Be Patient
Wait patiently while we review your application. You will get a confirmation email after you submit your application. However, we are unable to respond to inquiries about your submission or acceptance while we review.
6. Get an Answer
A P.ink representative will let you know if your application has moved forward and if your requested tattoo artist is available. It may take up to 2-3 weeks after you submit an application to hear back from us.
I want to apply for myself
P.ink Angel Fund Criteria
- You are not able to attend any of the P.ink Day events that take place every year where you could apply to receive a complimentary mastectomy tattoo and you do not have the resources to obtain one on your own.
- You have had a mastectomy (single or bilateral) and are seeking a decorative tattoo over your mastectomy site.
- You understand that P.ink does not provide nipple/areola tattoo(s), side or under-breast tattoos, or port or TRAM scar tattoos as part of the P.ink Angel Fund.
- You are at least two years out from your last surgery and have no pending surgeries. Note that some scars can take longer to heal and it will be up to the tattoo artist to determine whether they can achieve a good outcome for you or whether it would be better for you to wait.
- You do not have any existing decorative tattoos on your chest area (between the base of your neck and your bra line). Existing nipple/areola tattoos are okay.
- You agree that you will receive a tattoo that can be completed in 5-6 hours. A good frame of reference is a medium open-hand sized tattoo. If you want more than that, it is your responsibility to make those arrangements ahead of time with your artist, including offering to pay for additional sessions and informing my P.ink Representative of those arrangements. You also understand that my artist may not be available to schedule any additional appointments immediately.
- You understand that you will see your draft tattoo design the day of your tattoo appointment and the opportunity for adjustments will be available at that time. This is standard practice in the tattoo industry. Prior to your appointment, there will be a phone/video or in-person consultation with your artist to discuss your design ideas. Your artist is the expert and will have the final say on design composition and placement as they understand what will work best with your body and scars.
- You understand that a P.ink Representative will be your main point of contact and will facilitate communication and scheduling between you and your artist. You will not reach out directly to your artist until you’re officially connected to them by a P.ink Representative.
- You understand that P.ink will contact your preferred artist to confirm their interest, availability, and ability to execute on your style preferences. There may be times when an artist may not be able to participate in this program, for reasons including, but not limited to, changed location, inability to schedule within 3 months, and inability to execute the desired style of tattoo.
- You agree that you will not contact any P.ink artists independently regarding your nomination, application, or for any other reason related to the P.ink Angel Fund program.
- You understand that your tattoo session may not be private and may occur while other clients and/or artists are in the shop.
- You understand that you may not be able to bring additional guests to your tattoo session depending on the shop’s guest guidelines.
- You agree that photos will be taken of your tattoo by the artist for verification purposes for their reimbursement. These photos may also be used by Fuck Cancer and/or Personal Ink for marketing purposes. If you prefer that your face not be visible publicly, please advise your P.ink representative in writing before your session.
- You agree to be interviewed by P.ink after your session and understand that quotes from that interview and images of your tattoo may be used for promotional purposes.
FAQs
Got some questions? We’ve got answers. Here is everything you need to know.
Are applications accepted on a first-come, first-served basis?
How does artist selection work?
If you meet all program criteria, we will contact your selected artist to confirm their interest and availability. We are only able to work with artists who can schedule a session with the recipient within 3 months of approval. Please note that artists can be challenging to get in touch with. If we cannot contact your preferred artist within 2 weeks of reaching out or if your preferred artist is unavailable, a P.ink representative will contact you to try to identify an alternative option. This will also be the case if your preferred tattoo style and artist do not match, as not all artists are experienced in all styles of tattooing, and not all artists tattoo with color. We will communicate with you as needed.
What if my tattoo won’t be completed in one session?
The P.ink Angel Fund will reimburse artists up to $1200 for a mastectomy tattoo. If your desired tattoo is larger or will take longer to complete than this funding will cover, you are responsible for figuring out a plan with your artist to either scale back your desired tattoo or schedule additional sessions. Fuck Cancer and Personal Ink will not be responsible for financing any extra work provided by your artist.
How does the artist reimbursement work?
Your artist will coordinate their reimbursement directly with a P.ink representative.
Can I reapply if my application did not meet all program criteria or if I couldn’t find an artist?
Yes, if your circumstances have changed and you meet all of the program criteria, we encourage you to reapply. You may also reapply if a new artist has been added to our Directory who is located near you and who you would like to work with.
Can I apply again if I was already a P.ink recipient (Angel Fund or Days)?
No, prior P.ink participants do not qualify to apply again.
Can I submit more than one application per year?
Yes, if your application did not previously move forward and your circumstances have changed, you are welcome to reapply.