This Mother’s Day, we are filled with gratitude as we celebrate the incredible moms in our community. We have been there as they’ve held their child’s hand through every turn of their cancer journey and celebrated each victory along the way. Their strength and capacity for empathy are truly remarkable.

Our Family Council consists of powerful individuals who are taking action to make a difference. Both caregivers and patients serve as the voice of the community we serve. Many of those involved are mothers of cancer-heroes we’ve assisted and have remained an integral part of spreading our mission. We asked them each two simple questions. Read on to hear their thoughts on how their cancer fighting kiddos inspire them daily.

Learning from your little ones

• As Mother’s Day approaches, what makes you proud to be a mom?
• What have you learned from your cancer-fighting hero as you take on this journey together?

Jennifer and daughter Effy

“I am proud of the strength that I have found in myself throughout this journey. Helping Effy through cancer treatments has made me feel stronger and has pushed me to take risks,” says Jennifer. “I want to show her that I am a loving, caring, soft, gentle mom, but also a strong, independent, tough, fierce woman who fights for what she wants – and that it’s ok to be both.”

“Growing up around sports and being a former collegiate and professional athlete, heroes have always been these mythical, larger-than-life figures to me,” says Jennifer. “I had no idea that they could also come in the very small body of a bald, 2-year-old with an infectious smile and a great sense of humor who simply refused to give up.”

Larissa and daughter Ella

“What makes me most proud to be the mother of my amazing kids, Luke and Ella, is bearing witness to their compassion, kindness and the robust way they take on the world,” shares Larissa. “They inspire me by their happiness and appreciative nature. It is truly a joy to be a mom.”

“I’ve learned so much from Ella. She is a constant reminder to always remain positive, never give up and appreciate the small things in life. Ella said to me just last week when I was complaining about the weekend being over and working on Monday, ‘Mom, look at it this way, every Monday is like a fresh start and you have the whole week to do everything you need to get done. It’s a good thing!’ I feel so lucky and proud,” says Larissa.

Lindsey and daughter Emma

“I am proud to be a mom every time I see my daughter learn something new and share what she has learned. I am proud every time I see my daughter introduce herself to someone and welcome them with unfaltering acceptance,” says Lindsey. “Emma is a fighter. She takes on all of this with the innocence of a child even though she has faced more hardships than most people face in a lifetime. Sometimes, I forget all she has been through because of the way she views the world. The greatest blessing in my life is being Emma’s mom.”

“Find the beauty in each day. Even during her hardest days of battle, Emma shared her beautiful smile and contagious laugh with everyone she encountered,” Lindsey continues. “Surround yourself with the ones you love. No matter what each day has in store, spending that time (good or bad) is better spent with the ones who have made a mark on the fabric of your life. And show compassion to others, always. You never know what hardships others might be facing.”

We hope all mom’s feel loved and appreciated today and every day! We are grateful to have such inspiring women in our community.