Episode 59: The Resilience of Maria Fundora and Purple Pansies

TGen Talks

This month, our host Karie Dozer sits down for a personal conversation with Maria Fundora, who is neither a scientist nor a clinician. She's a businesswoman from Alpharetta, Georgia, a restauranteur and founder of Purple Pansies, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds for pancreatic cancer research. And like most nonprofits that support research, there's a story about how it all began, and most often in whose memory. Maria's mother passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2007, inspiring Maria to start Purple Pansies. The organization began with $3,500 raised on Mother's Day in 2008. Maria chose the name Purple Pansies because purple represents pancreatic cancer and pansies symbolize resilience. Initially, Purple Pansies held two annual events, a community gathering and a gala in Maria's restaurant. It wasn't until 2010 that Maria learned about TGen. Impressed by TGen's approach, Maria established a partnership that to date has raised millions. All this and more with Maria Fundora on TGen Talks.