OUR STORY

JUST-a-BREAK was inspired and founded by Jen and Greg Thorpe. In 2013, Jen was diagnosed with cancer. After enduring months of doctor visits, tests, treatments, and endless challenges, a family friend gifted the Thorpe family tickets to a Utah Jazz game, complete with parking and dinner. After the game, Jen said, "Wasn't it so nice to have a break from thinking about or talking about cancer?" For the first time in a long while, she felt normal. For just a few hours, she didn't have to focus on the emotional, physical, and financial burdens that had become a daily reality.

This experience moved the Thorpes to start purchasing gift cards for fuel, dining, and entertainment, which they anonymously gifted to other cancer patients at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. What began as random acts of kindness soon grew into a greater mission. The Thorpes decided to form JUST-a-BREAK, an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to extend that feeling of relief to as many cancer patients as possible.

Jen passed away in December 2015, but her legacy of kindness and compassion lives on through JUST-a-BREAK. By 2024, we have provided over 850 "break" packages to local cancer patients and their caregivers. Our mission is to continue offering cancer patients a much-needed break from the emotional, physical, and financial toll of cancer.

If you believe in this mission, please consider donating or getting involved!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What areas do you serve?

We currently serve career facilities in Northern Utah and St. George. That said, we are lookingour current vision is to expand to all 50 states & beyond!

What types of items are included in "Break packages"?

We don't have set packages, however, the items that we generally like to include are gas station gift cards, hotel stays, entertainment tickets (sporting events, plays, musical performances, etc.), restaurant gift cards + more.

How will my donation be used?

We take great pride in being excellent stewards with our generous donations. Since day one, we have committed to using 100% of your donation to help bless the lives of local cancer patients.

We’re also looking to grow our team and expand our reach to help as many people as possible. If you'd like to contribute to our growth and operational efforts, simply include a note with your donation indicating it's for "admin/growth" expenses.

How do you select recipients of your "break" packages"?

We have no say in the final recipients of our "break" packages. We simply donate the packages to local cancer facilities and their nurses and social workers help determine the best fit for each package based on need, situation, etc.

How can I get involved?

You can see a list of potential ways to get involved with JUST-a-BREAK here.

If you have any other ideas of ways that you may be a good fit to help us achieve our mission, please don't hesitate to reach out. We appreciate your willingness to help and look forward to working with you!

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