Awareness. Awareness is our Here to Serve goal for 2023. And through greater awareness of Here to Serve’s mission, we will ultimately be able to bring more support to families of pediatric and young spouse cancer patients.

To achieve our goals, we have been working hard over the past year to build our internal support. I am pleased to announce that Here to Serve now has an expanded Board of Directors and Advisory Board. All members are highly respected professionals in their fields, and most have a personal understanding of the challenges a family must overcome when faced with a cancer diagnosis. The first task of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board is to form a long-range strategic plan that will allow us to turn our dreams into action. With the new board in place as of December 2022, we will begin solidifying the strategic plan and share progress over the coming months.

We also have a strong base of volunteers working in many ways to keep our daily operations moving forward. They, too, have been working to create operational structures and strengthen the various aspects of our organization. I am grateful for their belief in Here to Serve.

Here to Serve would not function without our Community Caregivers. They are the heart of the organization, the people in direct contact with our families. Their ability, resources, and dedication to providing non-medical support in the daily lives of families are remarkable.

Most of you know that I created Here to Serve as a direct result of my personal cancer journey with my son and beloved husband. I had, and continue to have, a burning passion for giving others the type of support needed during those challenging days. The greatest blessing I have received through the past eleven years as President and Founder of Here to Serve has been the many amazing children and young parents I have been privileged to know. Their strong spirits and the love of their families are a daily reminder that Here to Serve is a much-needed element of support; my passion is now directed at providing that support to more children and their families.

I begin this year with confidence and gratitude, knowing Here to Serve has such a strong cohort of professionals, volunteers, and staff dedicated to bringing Here to Serve to the next level of service for our families on their cancer journeys.

Thank you for your continued support and belief in our mission. Our organization looks forward to 2023. And Happy New Year 2023!

Kathleen Quintas is the CEO at Here to Serve, providing practical, non-medical, wrap-around, living support to families of pediatric cancer children.