NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The woman who founded Norfolk’s Starving Artist Cafe and the cancer charity Paint Pink died this week at age 55.

Kim Keene was first diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago. She had a double mastectomy and thought everything was fine, and it was until the cancer came back in her lung two years ago.

It was then that Keene experienced the kindness of others and decided to start her own nonprofit, Paint Pink.

Friends said no one wore a hat like Keene, and she wore quite a few — mother, partner, artist, business owner, philanthropist and friend.

“The one thing I would say about Kim is she was fun,” said her partner Nicole Carry.
“She fought, fought, fought, [but] her body just gave up.”

The end came quickly.

“It’s hard to see someone you love suffer,” Carry said.

While she mourns the loss of her love, Carry and the couple’s friends are determined to keep Keene’s mission moving.

“I made her a promise and I intend to help keep that promise,” said Paint Pink Board Vice President Jo Hughes.

Paint Pink helps men, women and children battling any type of cancer. The organization provides services insurance does not cover — things such as mowing a lawn, a ride to a doctor’s appointment or cleaning their house.

“It was very important to Kim to be able to focus on healing and taking care of yourself,” Hughes said. “And you can’t take care of yourself if you’re trying to provide meals for your family or get your kids to school.”

In its first year, the organization helped more than a dozen people, including a Norfolk police officer battling lung cancer.

As Keene’s cancer progressed over the last year, the organization upped the ante, creating Kim’s Krusade and set a fundraising goal of $100,000 by the end of this year.

“Painting was Kim’s passion,” Hughes said. “Her generous heart is Paint Pink.”

Like Keene’s final work of art that stands unfinished in her home, Paint Pink is a work in progress, and only the community can complete the artist’s vision.

Paint Pink has quite a few fundraisers scheduled in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it is active in fundraising year-round, because people get cancer all year-round.

Here are a few upcoming fundraisers supporting Paint Pink:

There will also be a celebration of life for Keene on Tuesday, October 1 at 11 a.m. at Elation Brewing on Colley Avenue in Norfolk.