Pink Chair Launches First Annual Golf Tournament on September 12th, 2025
- Steve Thornton
- 16 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Vasilios (Billy) Lambrinides, the newest member of the Hawthorne Cancer Foundation’s Board of Directors, comes with professional expertise and thoughtful insights to advance the mission and quality of caring of Pink Chair Project RVA. A licensed pharmacist with a distinguished reputation for caring for others and an intrinsic knack for driving organizational excellence, Billy discusses his path that has led him to the Pink Chair, saying,
“My path to the Pink Chair Project and the Hawthorne Cancer Foundation came from both a professional and personal place. I’ve spent my career in healthcare, and I’ve seen firsthand how recovery isn’t just about medical treatment — it’s also about dignity, comfort, and emotional support. Linda Tsironis Caruthers, our founder, approached me at a particular time when I was searching for ways to contribute to my community. When she shared with me her vision of how Pink Chair, RVA will provide electric recliners to breast cancer patients after surgery — giving them a safe, comfortable space to heal — it aligned perfectly with my values and for what I had been searching for. Partnering with the Hawthorne, which has such a strong legacy of helping cancer patients in our community, felt like a natural fit. Together, we’re not just providing equipment — we’re giving people hope and care during a vulnerable time.”
Billy explains that the electronic chair is “more than furniture” or even a symbol of caring. To him, the Pink Chair is both palpable and functional as a therapeutic tool for the breast cancer patient recovering from surgery. He has delivered chairs to many patients. With a sense of awe and compassion, Billy has noted recipients have responded as if a preserving lifeline had been given to them to ease their difficulties by providing the needed chair and relieving them from feeling totally isolated. He has acknowledged his own growth in gaining understanding and empathy through volunteering, explaining,
“On a personal level, I’ve seen how small comforts can make a big difference when someone is facing cancer. The idea that a single chair could become a sanctuary — a place where someone can finally sleep, relax, and begin to feel whole again — resonated deeply with me. It’s more than furniture; it’s a message to the patient that they are seen, cared for, and not alone.
This growth has become the impetus to help Pink Chair Project RVA push forward in raising awareness in the greater Richmond community.
Not only will the nonprofit host for the fourth consecutive year the Rockin’ Bowl Bash 2025 fundraiser at River City Roll on October 1st , but thanks to Billy’s initiative, coordination, and energetic efforts, the team is on board hosting its premiere golf fundraiser on September 12. This fundraiser, aptly named, “Pink Chair Open—Where Every Drive Delivers Dignity”, will take place at picturesque Hunting Hawk.
As noted by Billy, the addition of the golf event has tremendous potential to draw more audiences.
“The Pink Chair Open is more than a fundraiser — it’s a community celebration,” he states.
As quoted by Billy, there is a deep connection between the two fundraisers in highlighting the importance and impact of Pink Chair on the community at large.
“Take our annual bowling event… it’s more than a fundraiser — it’s a true community celebration. For the last three years, our Rockin’ Bowl Bash has brought together bowlers, sponsors, and volunteers in a spirit of camaraderie and generosity. We raised important funds that allowed us to gift more chairs and share our mission with more people in the community.”
“This year, we’re excited to build on that momentum with our very first Pink Chair Open golf tournament. Our goal is to fill every team slot, bring in strong sponsorship support, and create an event that inspires participants to stay connected to our mission. We want people to walk away knowing they’ve played a part in helping a breast cancer patient recover with comfort, dignity, and the knowledge they are not alone.”
“Last year, our bowling event showed us how powerful this community can be — this year, we’re taking that energy to the golf course," he states.
Billy emphasizes, saying, “Whether it’s a bowling lane or a fairway, every event we hold is about one thing — helping breast cancer patients heal in comfort and dignity.”
“The goal isn’t just to meet a fundraising number; it’s to expand our reach so that no breast cancer patient in our area goes without the comfort and healing a Pink Chair provides.”
When asked what the one thing is the community needs to know, Billy states, with full conviction, “When we give someone a Pink Chair, we’re not just helping them recover — we’re telling them they’re part of a community that cares. The golf tournament is how we come together to make that message possible.”
For information about the Golf Open and the Bowling fundraiser, follow the registration links and the website for Pink Chair Project RVA / The Hawthorne Cancer Foundation.
--as told to Kathryn Helen Geranios, Pink Chair Project RVA, director of content & newsletter editor.
