From AEPhi to Team Sharsheret: How a Campus Connection Became a Lifeline
When I joined Alpha Epsilon Phi at Boston University in 2014, I was drawn to the sorority’s commitment to supporting Sharsheret and raising awareness about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. At the time, the mission already felt personal. My mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer at age 42 and, thankfully, has now been in remission for more than 20 years. Like so many families, ours has also experienced the heartbreak of losing loved ones to breast cancer.
As a college student, I was proud to support Sharsheret’s mission through AEPhi’s philanthropic efforts. I never imagined that years later, I would turn to the very organization I had learned about on campus for support during one of the most difficult chapters of my own life.
In 2018, I had the opportunity to run the TCS New York City Marathon with Team Sharsheret alongside my oldest sister, Maggie. Crossing that finish line was an unforgettable experience, and I was honored to run in support of an organization making such a meaningful impact for families facing breast and ovarian cancer.
Then, in 2020, my connection to Sharsheret became even more personal.
After undergoing genetic testing, I learned that I carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. Suddenly, the conversations I had heard about through AEPhi—and the importance of hereditary cancer awareness—weren’t just educational. They were my reality.
Over the next several years, I made the difficult decision to undergo multiple risk-reducing surgeries, including a double mastectomy in the fall of 2024. As a young person making life-changing medical decisions, I experienced fear, uncertainty, and countless questions about what life would look like afterward.
Through it all, Sharsheret was there.
Before surgery, they sent me a thoughtful pre-surgery kit to help me prepare. They connected me with other young women who understood what I was going through, offering reassurance that only shared experience can provide. When I faced unexpected complications during recovery, they even sent me a cozy bathrobe, a simple gesture that reminded me I wasn’t facing this journey alone.
Those moments reinforced something I’ve come to believe wholeheartedly: support isn’t just about resources. It’s about knowing someone understands.
Of course, I could never have gotten through this experience without the incredible love of my fiancé, my family, and my friends. But Sharsheret became an extension of that support system, offering compassion, connection, and guidance exactly when I needed it most.
Today, I also have the privilege of working on health policy for Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, serving the people of New York. Every day, I’m reminded how important access to information, care, and support can be in helping people make informed decisions about their health.
That’s why I’m returning to Team Sharsheret for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon.
This race is about so much more than running 26.2 miles. It’s about helping ensure that more individuals and families know their hereditary cancer risk, have access to genetic education and testing when appropriate, and find the same compassionate support that made such a difference in my own journey.
Looking back, it’s incredible to think that a cause I first learned about through AEPhi would one day become such an important part of my life. What started as a campus philanthropy became a lifelong connection, one that has supported me through some of my hardest moments and inspired me to give back.
Every mile I run this November is a thank you to the organization that stood beside me and a reminder that awareness truly saves lives.
If you’re able, I hope you’ll consider supporting my Team Sharsheret journey. Together, we can help ensure that no one facing breast cancer or ovarian cancer, or an inherited cancer risk, has to navigate it alone.