For one local charity, the goal is simple — get letters into the hands of women who are battling breast cancer.

Girls Love Mail was started a few months ago by Folsom resident Gina Mulligan to help support and encourage women recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mulligan said the scariest time during cancer is at the beginning after being diagnosed because women are unsure of the situation and are trying to understand it. She said after they start treatment and begin to fight it, they usually become stronger throughout the process.

In 2009 Mulligan was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40.

Mulligan, now 42, a writer, was then working on an epistolary novel or a novel made up of letters. She said while undergoing treatment and writing letters for her novel, she started receiving letters and cards filled with well wishes. Her cancer is in remission at this time.

“After receiving letters, it was so touching,” Mulligan said. “The fact that someone took time out of their day to send me something and let me know that they were thinking about me, was so touching. It made me want to pass it forward.”

She received more than 200 letters, many from people she had never met.

“Letters were all around me, and I realized letters are a precious gift with the power to heal,” Mulligan said.

Girls Love Mail is also bringing back the lost art of penmanship because all letters are required to be handwritten.

“It feels so nice to write a letter and receive a letter,” Mulligan said. “Anyone can write a letter, cancer survivor or not. People can just write notes of encouragement.”

Mulligan said there is no money going in or coming out of this charity — only letters.

“It’s just an (act) of love to take the time to write a letter and touch someone’s life,” she said. “Anyone who has been through an illness knows kind words and encouragement helps people get into a positive mindset.”

She said through text messaging and e-mails, handwritten letters have become forgotten in today’s society.

“It’s a personal touch,” Mulligan said. “A handwritten note is part of the experience. You have to think about what you write because there is no delete button. And letters are usually kept in a special place, unlike an e-mail which is quickly deleted out of your inbox. Letters are kept because they are special.”

After sending in letters, they are distributed by Mulligan to appropriate physicians’ offices, support groups and the Peer Navigation program operated by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Sacramento Valley and the UC Davis Cancer Center.

Currently, Mulligan has only received a few dozen letters and needs more. She needs packages of at least 100 letters to give the different organizations.

“It doesn’t have to big a long letter, just a note card,” Mulligan said. “I encourage everyone to write a little note. There are letter writing tips on my website, or people can e-mail for information on how to get started.”

Cancer survivor Anita Sellgren, 75, of El Dorado Hills, wrote a letter to Girls Love Mail.

“It’s important to write these letters because this is a difficult time when one finds out they have cancer and writing letters of encouragement to them will hopefully bring them hope,” Sellgren said. “When I received letters it helped put me in a positive mindset. It gave me hope that there were people who cared about me.”

She said because she survived, she has a positive story to tell a woman who was recently diagnosed.

“It shows them that other women have survived cancer and have long periods of remission,” Sellgren said. “I think these letters are a wonderful thing and will catch on because it’s just so important.”

Rhonda Agee, 54, of Roseville said letters are the most comforting on the difficult days of treatment.

“On the bad days, it’s a chance to read and reflect on that special letter that touched you in a special way,” Agee said. “When we write these letters, we don’t know who we’re writing to. So when someone receives that special letter, it seems like it was written just for her.”

Cancer survivor Pearl Cox, 73, of Folsom also wrote a letter.

“I had breast cancer and I think if a gal can get mail, it will help relieve some anxiety to know that there is a support system behind her,” Cox said. “Reading a little note can allow the person to know there are other people out there with answers and stories and ideas.”

She said it is helpful for the writer and the recipient.

“Through writing a letter, I was able to tell a woman how positive-thinking can help during the process. I was able to tell her, whoever gets my letter, that life can go on after breast cancer and she can fight it if it’s caught early.”

She said every woman, cancer survivor or not, should write a letter because “we are all sisters and need to stick together.”

For more information, visit GirlsLoveMail.com or e-mail ginamulligan@sbcglobal.net.

Letters can be sent to:

Girls Love Mail

2330 East Bidwell St., Suite 200

Folsom, CA 95630

* * *

GIRLS LOVE MAIL LETTER

Dear Friend,

My name is Miranda and I wanted to tell you of how strong and brave I think you are. I can’t begin to imagine the battle you have fought up to this point, but I want to let you know that you are in my thoughts. There is a horrible rumor that women are really catty to other women, but see the people who started that don’t know just how connected we all are. We laugh together. We love together. And most importantly we fight battles together. So if there is ever a time when you’re feeling alone, please think back to this letter and know that I’m giving you all of my strength. You will beat this. And then we’ll all fight until we can make this horrible disease disappear. I look forward to the day that cancer becomes a memory and it is your journey that lets me know it is not a dream, but a fact. You are my hero.

xoxo, Miranda

* * *

IN THE KNOW:

First steps to writing a letter:

• Get yourself motivated to get involved in the cause, then sit down and write

• You won’t know who the letter reaches, so start with “Dear Friend”

• Be honest with the woman

• Encourage the woman to fight her cancer

• Don’t mention yourself in the letter, use “you” rather than “I”

• Use humor. If you have a good joke, include it in the letter

To find other tips on writing a letter, visit GirlsLoveMail.com

Letters can be sent to:

Girls Love Mail

2330 East Bidwell St., Suite 200

Folsom, CA 95630