When Wisconsin natives Carla and Dr. Peter Emanuel began their journey helping cancer patients more than 25 years ago, they could not have imagined it would take them to Little Rock, Arkansas where Peter accepted a position as Director of the Cancer Institute for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. From their start in Birmingham, Alabama, it has been both of their passions to fight this disease on different levels. Being fierce advocates on both state and national levels, they have dedicated their lives to defeating this disease.

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The idea for the survivor feather pin came from what can only described as divine intervention. “I was at a gala event and a man came up to me and rather forcefully asked, ‘When are you people going to make a pin for men to wear when they have survived cancer?’ Well, I was taken aback but said something like, ‘That’s a great idea, We’ll get to work on that.’ But really brushed it aside because I had no idea where to begin with that. Fast forward to a year or so later at another event in Birmingham and the same man came up to me and asked the same exact question. It was eerie that he used the same exact words. But soon after this we moved to Little Rock so I thought I was off the hook. While at the opening ceremony of our new Cancer Center, the same man found me in the crowd and came straight for me. He grabbed my hand, looked me straight in the eye, and asked, ‘When are you people going to make a pin for men to wear when we have survived cancer?’ I shook his hand and said, ‘I’m going to do it!’. Since starting on the pin, I haven’t seen my ‘Birmingham Angel’.