Pleasanton Man's Colorful Gesture To Make Sick Wife Smile Inspires Hundreds To Join Him

(This story was originally published on June 10, 2014)

This past year has been one filled with many, unpleasant surprises for Valerie Brosdal, who learned in August that she had been diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer.

"That just shook our world," Valerie said. "Things were really dark there for about a month."

The 53-year-old woman from Pleasanton, however, would prefer to focus on the one, very nice surprise that she says "just touches my heart" in the middle of her battle against the disease.

Valerie Brosdal, diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer last August, receives twice-monthly immunotherapy infusions as part of a clinical trial at the University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

In an effort to lift her spirits a little bit, Valerie's husband, Ralph Kapostins, decided to take her to get a pedicure. When it came to choosing a color, Valerie opted for her favorite: Purple.

That's when Ralph decided to get in on the action.

"He said he'd do his toes purple, as well," Valerie recalls "just to make me smile."

In the hopes of making his wife, Valerie, smile after her cancer diagnosis, Ralph Kapostins got his toes painted purple to match hers.

"It seemed to work," Ralph adds. "She was laughing pretty good there."

It was a laugh Valerie and Ralph wanted to share with their friends, so Ralph posted a picture of their purple toes on Facebook. He figured that would be the end of it.

It wasn't.

Suddenly, friends started painting their toes purple and posting the photos for Valerie to see in the hopes of making her smile. It worked. "The things people are willing to surprises me," Valerie says.

The photograph Ralph posted of his and Valerie's purple toes inspired friends to do the same thing

One friend in particular, Susan Woolf, began to spread the world through social media and The Purple Toes Campaign, Smiles for Val, was born. Strangers from around the country, and the world, began to paint their toes purple, take pictures, and send them to Valerie.

Ralph estimates that so far some 400 people have joined in with an incredible variety of pictures: some sending in an image of just their own toes, others sending in group shots with family members and co-workers.

More than a few people have submitted pictures of their dogs and cats wearing purple nail polish. There is even one horse.

Still more have posted snapshots of their toes next to a photograph of a loved one who has died from lung cancer.

To date, Ralph estimates more than 400 pictures of purple-painted toes have been sent to Val and more than $12,000 raised for lung cancer research.

Each one touches Valerie and Ralph. "It just kind of rocks where I am at to see that," Ralph says, holding back tears.

The campaign has even begun to raise money for lung cancer research. So far the Purple Toes Campaign has brought in more than $12,000 for the Bonnie Addario Lung Cancer Foundation.

Valerie and Ralph are committed to not just aiding in cancer research, but spreading the word about the value of early detection of lung cancer, particularly in people who have never smoked, like Valerie.

"It took so long find my cancer," Valerie says, "and no one should get that diagnosis."

Valerie says that her and Ralph's toes have been purple ever since they got that first pedicure and will stay that way until she is cancer-free.
Contact Us