How These Breast Cancer Survivors Are Giving Back

Eureka’s breast cancer roundtable returns for the 8th year with stories of service projects that are all focused on cancer

Eight years ago, Eureka embarked on a story that at the time we envisioned would be a single article. At the urging of colleague Liz Bowen, who heads up our Corporate Citizenship program at Charles River, Eureka assembled a small group of women from Charles River Laboratories who were also cancer survivors, mostly breast cancer survivors.

The reaction to the story was so positive that the roundtable eagerly agreed to reunite the following year on the cusp of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. And before long it became a yearly event.

The themes and makeup of each year have varied. We have brought in new members and lost a few to cancer, too. The women have tackled an assortment of topics. Several years ago, when COVID hit, the theme was navigating treatment and follow-up appointments remotely. This year, we decided to focus on service projects.

We asked this year’s roundtable of six women if they would be interested in volunteering with organizations supporting cancer patients and their families. They agreed. Their volunteer projects, which they describe here, cover education, patient support, fundraising, gardening.

The Healing Garden

Three years ago, our usually virtual roundtable gathered in person at the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center in Harvard, MA. The Healing Garden, a beautiful facility located on eight acres of woodlands and gardens, provides a community of support for women affected by cancer. Roundtable members Susan Desmond and Nancy Sullivan, who were part of that 2019 roundtable, decided to return to the Healing Garden in September to spend an afternoon weeding the gardens that so many cancer patients find rejuvenating. As they were weeding, they uncovered a colorful stone, which might have been a crystal, buried in the dirt. Both wondered if it might have been put there by a patient who had gone out to the gardens to meditate. “It just really resonated with me, in terms of people using the space and the peace and comfort that they may get from these beautiful gardens,” says Susan, an 8 ½ year survivor. “So, it was a great experience.”

“It was good to be able to be involved [in the Garden] and hopefully it made a little bit of difference,” added Nancy, a 15-year-survivor of triple-negative breast cancer.

Gilda’s Club

Gilda’s Club—named for comedian Gilda Radner who died of ovarian cancer in 1989—was created in 1995 as a support system for women undergoing cancer treatment. Today, there are more than 40 independent and locally funded affiliates, including one near Charles River’s Horsham, Pa. site where Polly Javorski works as an Associate Director of Human Resources.

Several years ago, Polly lent her hand to the local Gilda’s Club chapter, helping cancer survivors navigate their applications for Family and Medical Leave, and other HR-type concerns. Then last year, Polly found herself facing the same news the women she was helping had. Wrestling with her own breast cancer diagnosis, dealing with chemo treatments, she was gratified when her colleagues, in support of Polly, became supporters of Gilda’s Club, too. They planted flowers, cooked breakfast for members and provided childcare. “A lot of what [my colleagues] they did was literally in support of me, which I think is lovely,” says Polly. As she recovers, Polly is hoping to help, once again, at Gilda’s Club, because she realizes, more than ever, the value this group has in helping women through a difficult time.

Breast Cancer Prevention Education

According to the US National Cancer Institute, doctors most often diagnose breast cancer in women ages 55-64. Yet Jilliane Molloy, a data review team lead, was just 24 when she discovered a lump that turned out to be malignant. So, she knows how important it is for women, particular younger women, to be proactive about their breast health. She opted to do a short PSA as her service project that emphasized the importance of breast self-examination. “I really try and push that everyone, no matter their age, should be checking,” says Jilliane.

In fact, the day she was filming, Jilliane was approached by a curious colleague. “She’s, I know, on the younger side, so it was interesting to see her just open her eyes. She was like ‘Wow, I really didn’t think that I should be checking myself.’ And it was nice to see that right then and there, we were making a difference. That made me feel good.”

The PSA project also includes other prevention messages. Jen Bennett, Executive Director, Global Talent Acquisition, whose breast cancer was discovered during a mammogram, and Laura Gee, Communications Specialist, who has a family history of breast cancer, also contributed to this project.

Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation

Five years ago, Human Resources Business Partner Rachel Kiserow completed a sabbatical with the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation. Being around very sick children raises all kinds of emotions, but as a breast cancer survivor and mother, Rachel knew firsthand how a patient and parent might feel. When she was 37, Rachel learned she had an aggressive tumor growing in her breast. This year, Rachel celebrated an important milestone – 10 years cancer free – which she shared with the roundtable. She is also still involved with the Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation. Not only did Rachel advocate for the foundation to receive an event sponsorship, she also headed up the efforts to coordinate much needed volunteers for the event. At Rachel’s urging, she and her colleagues from Charles River’s Reno, Nevada site joined hands to support the Foundation’s major fundraiser, Dozers and Dirt . The event invites young and old children alike to come together and support our youngest cancer patients locally and operate heavy construction equipment, and get closeups of cool firetrucks, police cars and helicopters.

Over three different volunteer events, Charles River donated a total of 186hours putting together 1,500 goody bags for the children attending the event, as well as doing artwork for the charity envelopes, preparing the quarry site for the big event and working the fundraising event. “We had a whole room full of amazing volunteers that were happy to be there,” says Rachel. “I feel like every time I give a task to our employees at Charles River, and it's for a good cause, they work hard and work together and they get the job done and are happy to do it. It was neat to be around that and great for my heart and my soul to be part of that.”

Healing Consciousness Foundation

For her primary service project Jen Bennett chose the non-profit Healing Consciousness Foundation, which provides holistic programs to breast cancer patients in the greater Philadelphia area.

The foundation has grown to include more than 20 practitioners who provide a variety of opportunities for healing to patients in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. On a Facebook group established by the foundation for breast cancer survivors Jen noticed that several women were wondering how to re-enter the workforce after treatment, a difficult process given how long therapy can last. "I thought I could take my HR experience and maybe try and help them in some small way,” said Jen. The service project is still a work in progress, but Jen hopes it can provide support and help for women who would like to return to work but aren’t sure how or where to begin, and in what capacity.

“The foundation was very, very supportive of me when I got my cancer diagnosis, and I was leaning on them,” says Jen. “I wanted to give something back.”

Questions or comments for the roundtable? Feel free to leave a comment on this blog or email Eureka Editor Regina Kelder at [email protected] . And check out our previous roundtable stories here.