Have you ever wondered what prompted me to “pull the trigger,” as they say, and start a charity?
Like many major life changes, stepping into a space I never imagined was a deeply emotional experience. But the driving force behind founding The IBC Network Foundation wasn’t actually my own diagnosis with inflammatory breast cancer. It was something more surprising: a reaction to someone else’s emotion—a moment of vulnerability that lit a fire in me.
After finishing treatment, I started support groups for women with IBC because I realized they simply didn’t exist. The beginning was rough: few resources, hardly any medical expertise, and devastating survival rates. My first group had just seven members, but over time it grew—slowly at first, then steadily—until we had global networks in the U.S., Canada (in English and French), the UK, and beyond.
But when I tried to collaborate with larger charities, I encountered an unexpected wall: resistance. The information I shared didn’t fit the mainstream breast cancer narrative. That’s when I realized I was working in a niche—and oddly enough, I’ve always flourished in niches. They’re where real change can happen.
And then came the turning point.
A Facebook friend—who happened to be a researcher—shared a photo of a tear-stained grant application. It had been marked #1 by reviewers and included the words, “This will save lives.” But it wasn’t funded. Why? Because it was deemed low population impact. It was a “pay-if”—approved in principle, but only funded if leftover money existed.
That moment was a spark. It pushed me from creating support to directly funding research.
Now, The IBC Network Foundation has grown into a global movement, with chapters in multiple countries and more on the way. We are helping shape the future of IBC research—and saving lives.
Please join us.
Together, we’re not just talking about change. We are making it.