In 2009, at 40 years old and with two young boys at home, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer.

Those words changed my life in an instant. I underwent a double mastectomy, 12 rounds of Chemo, radiation and many more surgeries over the subsequent years.  At the time, my focus was simple: get through it, get healthy, and be there to watch my boys grow up.

And here I am, more than 17 years later. ❤

I’ve had the incredible gift of watching those little boys grow into young men, of growing older alongside my husband, and of getting to live a life that, back in 2009, I desperately hoped I would have.

That’s why I continue to fundraise every year with Team AVPink.

I know firsthand what breast cancer takes from women and their families—but I also know what research, early detection, better treatments, and incredible medical care can give back: time.

More birthdays. More anniversaries. More family vacations. More ordinary Tuesdays. More life.

I am incredibly grateful to still be here, and I want more women diagnosed with breast cancer today to be able to say the same thing 15, 20, 30+ years from now.

If you’re able to donate to Team AVPink, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Every dollar helps move us closer to a future where more women get the chance that I did—to keep living, loving, laughing, and watching their families grow.

Here’s to more survivors, more birthdays, and more time.

With love and gratitude,
Holly