My sister, Jenny, was my best friend. She was just a year older than me, and as we grew older, we only got closer. In high school, we worked at McDonald's with our other sister. While driving to work at 6 am for the morning shift during the summer or on Saturdays and Sundays during the school year, we formed a special bond. We laughed about the fun we had the night before and started to plan what we would do that night.

From high school on, we were inseparable. Jenny’s friends became my friends, and vice versa. Once we both started our post-college careers, we met for lunch at least once a week. The one thing that I think most people remember about Jenny was her infectious laugh. She would throw her head back and let out the most contagious laugh. It made everyone around her laugh along. If I made her laugh in public, I found strangers laughing along just because she was laughing so hard.

At the age of 26, Jenny was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Jenny was vivacious, strong, and young. It was four months from diagnosis to death, and this came as a great shock to my family. The most difficult part for me was the realization that my future, as I always saw it, died with Jenny. I had envisioned every one of my life’s milestones with Jenny in it. My reaction was to put my life on hold. I felt like every step I took to create a new future took a step away from Jenny. Finally, I had a turning point, and distinctly remember having a really good laugh about a year after Jenny’s death. I realized that I had not laughed since her death and it was then that I realized I was going to be okay. I also discovered that I had begun to build a new future.

A few years after Jenny’s death, I met Kevin Barnett. After losing an uncle, he was watching his mother, Mary, battle uterine cancer. Kevin and I grew up in the same area and met while working in Timonium, Maryland. Ultimately, Kevin had to deal with the devastation of losing his mom and rebuilding his life afterward. I was saddened because there were so many people like Kevin and his family who also experienced the pain of losing someone to cancer. Together, we decided to start BSNCF to offer support to people living with cancer and their families. I credit Kevin’s enthusiasm as the catalyst that energized the start of the Foundation.

Today, BSNCF has extended Jenny’s impact. I take comfort in knowing that her light still shines warmly upon my life and many others. Because of the Foundation, Jenny does not seem so far away, and she is still bringing a smile to others. Because of the Foundation, there is also a personal link for my daughters, who never met their Aunt Jenny, to know her and to see the difference that one person can make in the lives of others.

As we embark on new paths to provide hope for those with cancer, I am excited for the future of the Foundation. We will honor cancer survivors by telling their stories. We will celebrate the spirit of those who have passed and offer ways for their family to celebrate their legacy through community projects benefitting cancer, fundraising, and paying tribute to them through athletic events.

Since exercise and a healthy lifestyle are some of the leading ways to prevent cancer, we are adding a fitness team to the Foundation. This addition mirrors Jenny’s love of sports. She played competitive tennis in college and was always active. Coaching my daughters' teams, running races, and participating in triathlons have also been an important part of my life. These activities help me maintain a level of health and also refocus me mentally on what is important. Racing has also allowed me to raise funds for the Foundation and race in Jenny’s memory and for those who can not.

While Kevin and I founded BSNCF, it is not just about us. BSNCF is about cancer patients, the survivors, the victims, and their families and loved ones that we have served over the past 20 years. The Foundation is also about the numerous loyal volunteers and supporters who have enabled us to thrive as an organization. They've allowed us to make a difference in the lives of so many by administering care packages, revitalizing waiting rooms, offering caregiver seminars, and giving logistical support. We want this new phase of the Foundation to be dynamic and inspiring, just like the two women we founded it for, as well as for those who are affected by cancer today.

Without a doubt, the toughest thing I’ve dealt with has been losing the woman who gave me life—my mother, Mary. While we lost her much too young and far too soon, I’ve learned that there is never a good time to lose someone you love. To say I loved my mom would be a massive understatement. She was beautiful inside and out—the most selfless person I’ve ever known.  Even in her final moments, when her doctors informed her that she would succumb to this horrible disease, her response was, “My children…” She was always thinking of others. Her selflessness is one of the many reasons I’m so proud to have this foundation honor her memory and carry out her legacy of caring deeply for others.

When I first received word that my mom was diagnosed with cancer, my entire world seemed to stop spinning. If there’s a silver lining to such a situation, it’s that what matters in life becomes apparent. Yet, I still didn’t quite know how to handle the news of my mother’s illness. However, unlike many, I was fortunate to have someone to look to for guidance and support—my friend, John Searing. John lost his beloved sister, Jenny, to ovarian cancer. His experience lent much light to the experience my family and I were going through. While John and I became closer, bonding through the loss of two of our nearest and dearest, we both agreed the worst feeling was that of feeling helpless. We also both agreed that the best way to fight this feeling would be to help others. The desire to support others is what inspired BSNCF. We wanted to do what we could to support cancer patients, their families, and friends through their most trying times. We also wanted to fund cancer research in the hopes that another family would not have to endure the same pain and loss.

My sincerest thanks go to every person who has supported the foundation over the years. It has never gone unnoticed or unappreciated.  It has also kept Jenny and Mary’s lights burning bright, as it has held them both very much alive in the hearts and minds of their family and friends. Maybe even more meaningful to John and myself, the foundation has introduced these two amazing women to people who didn’t have the privilege of knowing them while they were with us.

We look forward to speaking with you soon as we begin this new phase of the foundation, continuing our mission to help care for cancer patients and their loved ones.

John and I became friends in high school, and I spent lots of time at his house with his family. John and his sisters were close in age, so we often ended up hanging out with his sisters as well. That is where I met Jenny Searing. Jenny was fun, and John and Jenny together were hilarious. When John and his family were going through the cancer diagnosis and treatments with Jenny, I wanted to help in any way that I could.

I am happy to be a part of the BSNCF Board because I feel it’s a way to continue helping, not just the Searing family, but other families dealing with the same diagnosis. As Treasurer, I am proud that we have raised more than a quarter of a million dollars in our first 15 years and look forward to exceeding that figure in the coming years.

I have been with the Foundation from the start and am happy to see its revitalization. I’m an avid cyclist and love the idea of incorporating the opportunity to represent BSNCF through athletics to inspire others. Most importantly, I have two daughters of my own and am proud that they see me helping others.

The technology and healthcare available in her small hometown in Colombia were severely lacking. Unfortunately, she did not have access to the state-of-the-art facilities that are now available or were accessible in other countries. I cannot help but think that if she had been diagnosed sooner, she would have been able to fight with the assistance of medicine and science, and perhaps she may still be with us. My grandmother fought valiantly. However, the cancer took her too soon and robbed me of the opportunity to learn from her and absorb her wisdom. Sadly, there is no cure for cancer. Women of all ages, races, ethnicities, and socio-economic statuses are fighting this fight. Cancer does not discriminate.

I am passionate about giving back to the community and supporting the brave women engaged in the fight against cancer is something I hold dear. As a CPA, I have worked with nonprofits for more than ten years. By serving on the board of BSNCF, I hope to be a fierce advocate and supporter of the incredible women tackling their diagnoses and going through the treatments.