The Unicorn Project
Silver Lining: A Unicorn’s Beginning
Not all unicorns are born in enchanted forests. Some… are found in the darkest places.
She appeared quietly. A pale filly with eyes the color of the sky just before dawn.
Seven months old.
Alone.
Standing in a place where hope rarely survives.
They called it a kill pen…
but we saw something else.
We saw a unicorn.
There is an old belief that cremello horses, with their soft ivory coats, pink skin, and striking blue eyes—carry a kind of magic.
Rare. Radiant. Otherworldly.
The kind of horse children dream about.
The kind of horse you don’t let disappear.
That day, as her image flickered across our feed, something deeper stirred.
A knowing.
A pull.
A whisper that said: “This one matters.”
And so, we answered.
Her freedom was purchased because of the generosity of donors just like you.
Her life - saved in a moment where it could have been lost forever.
We named her 'Silver Lining'.
Because even in the darkest storms… there is always light waiting to break through.
But rescue is only the beginning of a unicorn’s story.
'Silver Lining' now faces a journey ahead -
one that requires care, patience, and belief.
* Specialized veterinary care
* Safe transport
* Nourishment, healing and time
* And gentle, skilled training at our Unicorn Academy
Where frightened horses learn to trust again…
and become partners in healing for others.
Silver Lining is just beginning her story.
And you can be part of it.
Help Us Raise a Unicorn
Your donation helps provide:
Lifesaving rescue from kill pens
Veterinary care and rehabilitation
Safe transport
Training in humane, trust-based horsemanship
A future where these horses give back through healing
Because unicorns aren’t found…
They are saved.
Join us. Believe in her. Help her become what she was meant to be.
Donations are 100% Tax Deductible
The Unicorn Project
Every horse has a story.
Some stories are born from heartbreak.
Others are born from love.
The Unicorn Project was born from both.
In honor of my beloved sister, Cat—our family’s guiding light, my “little unicorn”—this mission began not as a plan, but as a calling.
Throughout my years working in cancer care, I witnessed both the fragility and the strength of life. At the same time, I began to notice another quiet tragedy unfolding - white horses with blue eyes, being discarded, neglected, and sent to slaughter. These rare and gentle souls are labeled “high risk” and cast aside simply because of their predisposition to cancer.
I couldn’t look away.
The First Unicorn
My first rescue was a cremello mare named Crystal Blue.
She was pregnant.
She was sick.
And she was just moments away from being lost forever.
I brought her home - saving not just her life, but the life of her unborn foal. In the midst of my sister’s battle with cancer, Crystal became more than a rescue… she became my companion, my comfort, my safe place.
When Crystal gave birth to her filly, Whisper, something extraordinary happened.
In the middle of grief, there was light again.
Their bond was pure, powerful, and healing in a way words cannot fully capture.
A Love That Endured Loss
Cremellos are among the rarest horses in the world - marked by their luminous coats, pink skin, and striking blue eyes. But their beauty often comes with a cost.
When cancer threatened Crystal, I made the heartbreaking decision to remove her eye to save her life.
She endured it with quiet strength.
But life had more heartbreak in store.
At just seven months old, Whisper passed away from a muscular disorder.
Crystal grieved deeply. We walked together in silence. I stayed with her, spoke to her, sang to her—trying to carry her through a pain I understood all too well.
Just one week later, my sister lost her own battle with cancer.
Grief… and a Promise
In that space where grief feels endless, Crystal and I found each other.
We cried together.
We healed together.
She became my rock, my soulmate, and the living embodiment of everything I refused to let be lost.
And from that pain, The Unicorn Project was born.
Rescue, Rebirth, and Purpose
In honor of Whisper—and in defiance of a system that discards the vulnerable—I returned to the kill pens.
Places where horses are sold by the pound.
Where gentle souls wait, unseen, for an uncertain fate.
There, I rescued three more cremello fillies - young, forgotten, and standing on the edge of becoming statistics.
Under Crystal’s nurturing presence, they began to heal.
They learned to trust.
They flourished.
It was nothing short of awe-inspiring to witness.
A Final Goodbye… and a Living Legacy
In Thanksgiving of 2025, we learned Crystal’s cancer had returned.
It moved quickly.
And in December, just one week before Christmas, my best friend was laid to rest as the sun slowly set behind the mountains.
Even now, that moment lives quietly in my heart.
The Future She Inspired
Today, the three cremello fillies are growing into something extraordinary.
They are beginning their training as therapeutic co-facilitators—working with women and children facing cancer, offering connection, peace, and healing in ways only horses can.
We now have four unicorns, with a fifth arriving soon.
Each one carries forward a legacy built on love, resilience, and purpose.
Why This Matters
There are thousands of individuals walking through cancer right now - searching for hope, for peace, for something to hold onto.
There are also countless horses—misunderstood, discarded, and standing in kill pens - waiting for someone to choose them.
The Unicorn Project exists at the intersection of both.
Rescuing lives.
Healing hearts.
Creating something beautiful from unimaginable loss.
An Invitation
I share this story with tears in my eyes - but also with unwavering belief.
I hold tightly to the vision of my sister, smiling, riding my first unicorn, Crystal Blue, somewhere beyond pain… where everything is whole again.
If this story touches your heart, I invite you to become part of it.
Your support helps us:
- Rescue more horses from slaughter
- Provide specialized care for vulnerable cremellos
- Train these extraordinary animals for therapeutic work
- Bring comfort and healing to those facing cancer
Every act of kindness carries this mission forward.
You’re not just donating - you’re rescuing, healing and creating something extraordinary.
Every donation rescues a horse from the brutal pipeline of kill pens and slaughter. These are animals that were discarded, neglected or simply unwanted. Your support gives them a second chance at life.
Because these horses don’t just survive—they become healers.
The Unicorn Project transforms rescued cremello horses into gentle, therapeutic partners for women and children facing cancer.
What was once a life marked for loss becomes a source of comfort, connection, and hope.
Because healing goes both ways.
There is something profoundly powerful about the bond between humans and horses.
These “unicorns” help individuals navigate fear, grief, and uncertainty—while their own stories of survival inspire strength and resilience.
Because your impact is direct and real.
Your support helps fund:
- Rescue from kill pens and transport to safety
- Veterinary care and rehabilitation
- Training for therapeutic work
- Ongoing care in a safe, loving environment
Every dollar moves a horse from fear… to safety… to purpose.
Your generosity makes it all possible.
Your donation supports rescued animals with the care they deserve while helping us deliver transformative programs through COPE Farm School.