Nikki conceived the Foundation in the final stages of her battle with pancreatic cancer. She left a notebook with her first board of directors noted, a list of collaborators, and the first research she wanted to support. After 31 months battling cancer, Nikki left her wishes to 9 friends to begin carrying out. NMF started the month after she died on July 9th, 2013 and has been consistently active and growing since. In 2013, NMF held a small intimate concert in Nikki’s Normandy River Cafe.