MY HERO
My Mother
Backstory
Breast Cancer...
Everyone knows someone right? I hate how much that phrase is used these days.
May 4th 2004, the day life in my family changed forever. Breast Cancer, a disease that takes another victim each and every day and my beautiful mother was diagnosed with it. I remember never truly understand the extent of what was happening to her. Although I have mostly suppressed all the memories that came with those few months, little things have stuck with me that I just cannot seem to shake. I remember my grade school teachers coming up to me and hugging me, telling me my mother was going to be okay and me not really understanding why this was all so scary. I remember the day she shaved her head; it was in the bathroom of the old bedroom. I remember peeking my head around the bathroom door as I watched her beautiful locks of hair that resembled mine fall to the cold black and white tiled floor. I remember playing uno with her on her hospital bed not really certain why we were even there in the first place. But most of all I remember never seeing her cry.
Fast-forward just about twelve years and I am so immensely blessed to be able to say my mother is just a phone call away.
As I got older I began to actually understand the severity of her cancer and how she found healing and I must say this is the main reason I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
Yoga, massage therapy, acupuncture, and nutrition. The means my mother used for recovery and survival and the basis she established Unite for HER off of. Unite for HER bridges the gap between the medical and wellness community to help other women affected by Breast Cancer find their road back to living on their terms.
Unite for HER Mission
Our mission is to bridge the gap between the medical and wellness communities by funding and delivering complementary therapies that support the physical and emotional needs of those with breast cancer during treatment and beyond. We educate our women and the community about the role of healthy lifestyle choices in the prevention of disease and the promotion of wellness.
Educate
We understand the lifelong value of educating women and girls of all ages about the importance of healthy lifestyle choices and disease prevention. Unite for HER seeks to find relevant, interesting and fun ways of communicating those important messages by hosting and participating in wellness days, health fairs, outreach and fundraising events, as well as developing print materials, videos and utilizing social media outlets. We believe that through education, we can empower generations of women to live healthier.
Empower
We recognize the power of the individual. By offering a variety of Unite for HER initiatives, volunteers are given opportunities to develop leadership skills and fulfill their potential in service to their community and women with breast cancer. We especially encourage youth-directed endeavors, such as the Students Unite program. Unite for HER understands the expense of fighting breast cancer, so we also provide financial empowerment through grants. We currently offer annual grants to students, USAG gymnasts, coaches, and judges.
Restore
Unite for HER, in partnership with local hospitals, hosts “Wellness Day” events introducing breast cancer patients to complementary therapies that can help them become fully restored. Attendees meet with nutrition, massage, yoga, meditation, and acupuncture professionals to learn more about strategies that will support their health and wellness.
