For every woman celebrating how far she has come, another is just beginning. This October, as we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Blossoming Beyond marks five years of supporting women through treatment, recovery, and the changes that follow a diagnosis.

In August 2021, Laura Kelly, BBF’s Vice President of Development and Communications, received a Stage III invasive breast cancer diagnosis. Her experience led to the creation of the Blossoming Beyond Breast Cancer Fund that October. Since then, donor support has helped the fund reach women in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as through international programs in Honduras and India.

This fall, BBF awarded another grant to Keepers of the Flame, continuing its support for counseling for women undergoing or recovering from breast cancer treatment. The program provides free, trauma-informed therapy to help women address the emotional challenges that can accompany a diagnosis and persist beyond treatment.

For someone beginning treatment, counseling offers space to work through fear and uncertainty. For someone further into recovery, it can help with processing what has happened and adjusting to life after cancer. By covering the cost of appointments, Blossoming Beyond helps women access this support without an additional financial burden.

The new grant reflects an ongoing commitment to care that recognizes women’s emotional needs alongside their physical recovery.

Blossoming Beyond has also supported access to breast cancer screening and treatment in Honduras and India. In Honduras, the Ribbons of Love initiative provided cancer care for people who could not afford it, including diagnostic services, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. In India, BBF supported RAD-AID International’s work to expand access to women’s health services through a mobile health program.

In New York, the fund provided resources for patients at the infusion center where Laura received treatment. These partnerships connect her personal experience with support for others facing their own diagnoses.

This anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the women whose experiences have shaped Blossoming Beyond and the donors who have made its work possible. Their generosity has helped provide counseling, care, and resources at different stages of women’s lives.

There is more work ahead. Continued support will help Blossoming Beyond sustain these partnerships, expand its reach, and respond to women who are just beginning their journeys, while remaining there for those celebrating how far they have come.