On Saturday, June 13, we welcomed more than 55 grantees and their caregivers to our 3rd Annual Day of Hope. This year’s event centered on fostering connection, providing support, and offering educational sessions focused on wellness, recovery, and personalized financial guidance.
We were especially grateful to expand Day of Hope this year to include caregivers. We understand the vital role they play throughout a grantee’s breast cancer journey and recognize that they, too, experience the emotional, physical, and practical challenges that come with supporting a loved one through a breast cancer diagnosis.
“Day of Hope helped my wife find hope and a new drive as she fights breast cancer. I loved all the information shared and the financial session was helpful for us both.” – Jon, wife and caregiver of La Tarra.
Attendees took part in five breakout sessions centered on the mind, body, spirit, and our mission. One of the most meaningful aspects of this year’s event was having two sessions led by former grantees who generously shared their expertise and passions with fellow attendees.
Ava Barwick, a breast cancer survivor and owner of Rooted Bodywork & Lymphatics, led an informative session on lymphatic massage. She taught participants how to perform self-lymphatic massage techniques to support healthy lymphatic flow, including considerations for those who have had lymph nodes removed.
Jackie Manning, a breast cancer survivor and owner of Bee Vibrations Breathwork, guided attendees through the transformative power of breathwork. After sharing the benefits of intentional breathing, she led a breathwork meditation session that left many participants feeling relaxed, grounded, connected to themselves, and empowered.
Additional breakout sessions included Fill Up Your Cup: A Caregiver Tea Experience, led by Kym Motley and Aura Love of The Gladys Love Project. Together, they created a welcoming and supportive environment where attendees could connect, reflect, and prioritize self-care.
We were grateful to have Ann Wilson, ACSM, EP-C of Post Pink Power Program and Cheryl Hoover of Pharmacy in Your Kitchen lead educational breakout sessions focused on movement, strength-building, and recovery during and after treatment. Cheryl facilitated a nutrition session that provided practical strategies for developing sustainable, healthy habits that participants could easily incorporate into their daily lives.
A special part of each breakout session was the opportunity for attendees to share their experiences, offer support, and learn from one another. Caregivers also felt seen and supported while gaining new insights into how they can care for their loved ones. Martina, breast cancer thriver and grantee who attended this day shared, “Being part of Day of Hope really meant a lot to me. I was able to meet new people and really connect with some powerful women.”
Our Day of Hope supporter and sponsor, Mike Smiley of Coastal Bridge Advisors and Smiley’s 4 C’s Charitable Endowment, provided one-on-one financial guidance sessions for several grantees. These personalized conversations helped participants navigate the financial challenges and questions that often arise following a cancer diagnosis.
We also provided attendees with an opportunity to reflect on their journeys by writing a note or creating a drawing that captured their motivations, experiences, and words of encouragement for themselves or others. Together, these messages highlighted the strength, resilience, and sense of community shared among our grantees and their caregivers.
We loved spending time with our grantees and meeting their caregivers. It is a privilege to create a space where supportive hugs, shared laughter, and honest conversations about the challenges of the journey can take place. Seeing new friendships form and connections grow in such a welcoming and safe environment was truly meaningful.
Check out our photo gallery from the day together.
“This day means community, family, support, sisterhood, being seen, heard and understood. Having a space for “us” means a lot when processing treatment no matter what stage you’re in.”
– Adia, Breast Cancer Survivor, Go Jen Go Grantee, Day of Hope Attendee & Volunteer
We are deeply grateful to the volunteers who helped make the day a success, ensuring everything ran smoothly while providing support and encouragement to our grantees and their caregivers. We also extend our sincere thanks to our sponsors—Coastal Bridge Advisors, Smiley’s 4 C’s, and David Weekley Homes—whose generosity made this event possible.
If you are interested in learning more about our Day of Hope event for grantees, sponsorships, in-kind donations, or offering your services/expertise for programming, please contact Jessie Nash, program manager, jessie@gojengo.org
