2025 Recipients Continued...
Please scroll down to read all the stories of our amazing & inspiring recipients
Melissa Blaha
Boston, MA
My name is Melissa. My two children and I relocated to Boston in October 24, to be closer to UMass where my oldest attends school. My youngest has Level 3 autism and I am his sole caregiver. He has receptive and expressive language delays but that does not stop him from working really hard and being a little love bug.
In 2021, I was working as a Financial Manager for a Wholesale Manufacturing company in Asheville, NC, but when they called us back to the office, I could not find childcare for my son. I left my corporate job, started my own business and went back to school to expand my accounting degree from associate to bachelor’s degree. I successfully graduated in May of 2023 and moved my family and business across the country to try to find better schools for my youngest.
The whole time I was reaching for my goals I was dealing with what the doctors called “intermittent fever of unknown origin”. I had abdominal pain, fatigue, skin issues, anxiety… A vague list of symptoms that could not be tracked down. I was told over and over again that I was just anxious and that everything bad had been ruled out.
This last year in the new city I was worse. As I finished my divorce, I continued to run my business and battle Boston Public Schools for a proper placement for my son while dealing with fevers over 102° most days per month. Again I was told it was just because my son was in school and I was dealing with a string of viral illnesses.
It wasn’t until I kept complaining through May that my doctor did a complete blood panel, discovering me to be severely anemic requiring a life-saving blood transfusion. While at the hospital over Memorial Day weekend they discovered a mass in my abdomen.
The mass was suspected to be connected to my ovary so the surgery was scheduled in June to remove the tumor. The 12cm tumor was necrotic and had ruptured several times into my body cavity. There were also cancerous spots on my peritoneum, omentum and diaphragm. I underwent a total hysterectomy but the primary cancer is still in my cecum. I was then diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer.
I started chemotherapy a few weeks ago. The doctors are hoping to cure me of this disease, so the regimen won’t be easy. I will most likely lose my hair, but it will grow back. However, I am young and strong and will beat cancer so I can be here to care for my kids. The chemotherapy sessions should go through the winter with an intestinal resectioning surgery in the spring.
Without family or friends in the area, I am grateful to be accepted as a grant recipient for the CMF Foundation. The support I can look forward to will really be lifesaving. Thank you.
Maria Lisette
Middletown, RI
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My name is Maria Lisette, and in May 2025, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 HER2-positive breast cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes in my axilla. The diagnosis came after I was hospitalized for sepsis and spent a total of 18 days in and out of the hospital. During that difficult time, doctors discovered a lump that ultimately led to my cancer diagnosis, and my treatment plan began immediately.
I am a single mother to my beautiful 15-year-old daughter, Yamille, who has been my greatest source of strength and inspiration through this journey. She has taken on responsibilities far beyond her years—helping around the house, cooking meals, and caring for me when I’ve been too weak from treatment. Her love and support have kept me going during the darkest moments.
This journey has been incredibly challenging, especially with limited support. I have very little family nearby and have faced most of this battle on my own. On top of the physical and emotional toll of cancer, my car broke down, making it extremely difficult to get to the many medical appointments I require. Due to the side effects of chemotherapy, I’ve also been unable to work, further straining our financial situation.
I am now approaching my final chemotherapy treatment 6/6, and while this marks a significant milestone, the road has been long and painful. Throughout it all, I’ve done my best to stay strong for my daughter and provide her with the sense of stability she deserves.
This program will help lift some of the financial burdens we’ve been facing, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to receive this support. Thank you for considering my story.
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Katelyn Lagrotteria
Middleboro, MA
My cancer journey began at the end of April 2025, when I started experiencing intense pain in my lower left back. Like anyone else, I brushed it off, assuming it would pass. But by May 1st, the pain was so severe that I could hardly get out of bed and had to call my husband home to help with our children. My doctor immediately ordered an MRI.
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While standing in line at my son’s school, I opened the results in my email and found out I had cancer—and that it had already metastasized. To my shock, the report mentioned spread to my bones and abnormalities in my left lung. Soon after, my doctor confirmed that the cancer had originated in my lungs and spread to my bones. Going through the follow-up testing only confirmed what I never expected to hear.
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The diagnosis left me in shock and denial, but I have been blessed with incredible support every step of the way. My parents have been my constant rock, there for me through my appointments and difficult days. My husband has stood by me with love and strength, and the cancer community at Dana-Farber has truly become like family. I am so grateful for all of them.
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Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for your generosity and for believing in me. Your support means so much—not only to me, but also to my family, as we continue forward with hope, courage, and strength.
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I truly am grateful! Thank you!!
Katelyn Lagrotteria
Erica Mineros
Lincoln, RI
Monique Ducharme
Ossipee, NH
My name is Monique and I was diagnosed with Invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer stage 3 at 42 yrs old, on March 17 2025. I have two teenage sons, Max and Jackson, and a supportive fiance, Allan. I have been a hairstylist for 15 years and loved my clients. Some of them were very close to me but unfortunately I had to take a break from work because my treatment came quickly. I started with treatment May 1st. I did 20 weeks of chemotherapy and my surgery is coming up next followed by a month of radiation. The hardest part for me was not being able to work through treatment. We live on a fixed income where we both have to provide for our family. My fiance has been working overtime trying to support and trying to keep the bills paid. It has been a struggle. My boys have been my biggest inspiration as they have helped tremendously around the house and been understanding when I'm not feeling well. My family is the reason that i am fighting this fight and i plan on beating this cancer for them I would like to thank everyone who helped to support women like me battling cancer it means a lot to know there are people out there that care.
Vanessa Santos
N. Providence, RI
My name is Vanessa, and I live in Rhode Island with my Husband and four beautiful children. I was diagnosed with what initially was thought to be Stage 1 Ductal Carcinoma in situ but was Stage 1 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, in March of 2025. I had surgery in May and was officially declared cancer-free but had to start chemo in July due to a small lymph node testing positive for a microscopic amount of cancer.
What a rollercoaster these last few months have been. There was nothing that could have prepared me for hearing those words: “It looks like cancer.” There were no symptoms I was experiencing that could have led me to think something was going on inside of my body. Two weeks before my official diagnosis, I began having paralyzing anxiety. My heart rate was out of control, I couldn’t get through any of my usual daily tasks and couldn’t sleep. I felt trapped in my own body.
This led me to my primary care doctor and coincidentally, I had an upcoming mammogram that was initially scheduled 2 months prior. The reasoning for the mammogram was for something completely unrelated but I am so thankful for my doctor ordering that test. Almost two agonizing weeks later, I received the news no one would ever want to. Looking back, I think the anxiety was telling me something had been going on because it completely disappeared after finding out I had cancer.
I’ve been on my chemo journey for almost two months now and will be done at the end of October. I’ll then have a break for a month and then four weeks of radiation before ending this journey. I am so grateful to God and my family who have given me the strength to keep going, even on days I don’t want to. To all the women out there on this same journey: I see you and pray for you. You are not alone.
Warmly,
Vanessa
My name is Erica Mineros, and this is my cancer story. It all started with a regular routine mammogram. A few days later they called me in for a 2nd mammogram. I was nervous and scared. A few days later I got the call that turned my world upside down. I was told I had invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer.
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All I could do is cry thinking about my 2 kids, one with autism, and what would happen to them as I am a single mother. Things went so quick within a few short weeks. I was at the hospital to have a lumpectomy and breast reduction.
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Recovery was hard and getting use to my new body was hard. Mentally I wasn't okay, but with the help of family and my kids, I was able to get through it. I thank the team that worked with me to get me where I am today.
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Recently started working again. Slowly trying to get my life back. No I'm still not 100%. Cancer does a lot mentally as much as physically to you, but I'm still here given a second chance in life. I intend to live every second to the fullest. Thank you for listening to my story.
Courtney Prime
Massachusetts
My name is Alyssa, my mom Courtney Prime was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in April 2024. Let's start from the beginning..
My mom has been my best friend my entire life. Her and I have always had a very close connection, I could always tell what she was thinking and feeling. She has been my person since day one, and I was stuck to her like glue. Even when I moved across the country, her and I still talked everyday and would be on the phone for hours. My mom has been a one-woman powerhouse since 2007. She got her degree, worked every day, while managing 4 rowdy kids. She has been a fighter my whole life, a resilient mom who did everything she could to forge a memorable life for us. Her strength and boundless love for us helped shape the people we are today. Which is why I vividly remember the day she called me and told me about a lump on her breast. We both talked and tried thinking of the positive, it was just a cyst, it will go away. Just be patient.
Then I got the call. "Lyss, it came back positive for cancer." That was the moment my entire world shattered. I was so scared of losing my mom, my person, my best friend. I pulled myself together and refused to cry on the phone, she needed me to be strong for her this time. So I took a deep breath and said, "We can get through this." We discussed every option, what we think would be the most beneficial for her, and how to move forward. She didn't want chemo, and I agreed. We had other options to try first. I was on the phone during every doctors appointment, writing lists of questions that I had. I researched every day, seeing the different stages it could be, the medicines that are out there now, and what options we truly had.
She booked her surgery for a double mastectomy, and I booked my flight home. I had to be there for her, and to ask the surgeon and her oncologist a million and seven questions. The night I landed, her and I sat and talked all night. We cried together, laughed together, and stood strong together. We have weathered bad storms before, and we will make it through this one too. We woke up the next day and went to the hospital. My brother, sister-in-law, younger sister, and I all went to drop her off. My brother and I walked to the back with her, we were nervous as hell but refused to show it. We stood strong for mom, like she had for us our whole life. When they wheeled her back, we stopped in the hallway and cried for a minute, took a deep breath and walked out with happy faces. She'd be okay.
During her surgery we got a call. "It's bigger than we anticipated, it's attached to the skin and spread to her lymph nodes. It's positive for metastatic breast cancer. The incision and scarring will be bigger than we hoped." As long as she's alive and they can get it all, that's all that mattered; and they did. 5 lymph nodes down, and expanders in. I watched intensely as they showed me how to carefully drain her tubes. My hands shook the first time, I was scared I was going to hurt her. I stayed for 2 weeks, I did everything I could in those 2 weeks to keep her comfortable and make sure she didn't move a single muscle.
Some time later, we found out that it had spread to her brain, bones, and a few other organs. They prescribed her Kisquali to help with the growth, and a hormone blocker to make sure the cancer won't continue to grow, and most of the tumors ended up disappearing. She had radiation on the one tumor on her brain and it was gone. We thought we were in the clear.
About a year later, she was feeling sick, worse than before. She went to her doctor and her numbers were up because it spread to her liver. We were all terrified because her cancer had come back. I called everyday asking how she was feeling, she couldn't even eat. Finally they put her on a new medication, similar to Kisquali as well as changing the hormone therapy about 2 weeks later she felt better again. Her numbers are finally going down, and as of now, November 26th 2025, things are looking good again.
Because of the back and forth, and her health has been in and out, she had to stop working. She hasn't returned, and probably won't be able to return to her current job. It became too physically demanding, she can't continue to put her health at risk.
I am so grateful for foundations like this, that can share our story, and give my mom, and all of the women who are struggling, the support they need to keep fighting and to share hope. I see you all, and I hope you keep fighting that big fight. We are strong together. Thank you.
Alyssa Lane
Jennifer Legette
Manchester, NH
My name is Jennifer Legette and I was only 39 years old this past June when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have a 11 year old son and a 17 year old son. Who this has changed all of us. I had my surgery done in August then the next day I had to go in for a second surgery being that I had bleeding on the inside. I have been out of work for about seven weeks due to all of this being a single mom of two with food rent gas, cell phone bills car payments. It has just been too much of a struggle where I am forced to do this alone.
Katelyn Hebert
West Warwick, RI
My name is Lori, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my beloved niece, Katelyn Hebert. Katelyn is just 33 years old—a devoted wife to James and a loving mother to two beautiful children, Aaliyah (14) and Aidan (10). On June 26, 2025, Katelyn received devastating news: she was diagnosed with triple-positive HER2 invasive ductal carcinoma, along with focal ductal carcinoma in situ. Her diagnosis is Stage 2, Grade 3.
That phone call changed everything. It was the most heartbreaking day of her life. Since then, her world has been turned upside down—physically, emotionally, and financially.
Katelyn is the sole provider for her family. Her husband James suffers from Hidradenitis Suppurativa, a painful and debilitating chronic skin condition that prevents him from working. While he receives disability income, it’s not enough to support their household.
Katelyn works as a cook at Roger Williams University and has always gone above and beyond—taking on extra cleaning jobs during her days off just to make ends meet. But cancer treatments have taken a toll. She’s had to cut back her hours and can no longer do physical labor due to the port in her chest and the exhaustion from chemotherapy and hormonal therapy.
Her treatment plan includes 9 rounds of chemo over 27 weeks, followed by surgery in February to remove her breast. The side effects are brutal—nausea, vomiting, fatigue, hair loss, and days where she can’t even get out of bed. Despite all this, Katelyn continues to work when she can, determined to hold onto her job and provide for her family.
She’s applied for grants through her hospital’s social worker, but these are one-time and slow to process. They barely cover the basics—food, rent, utilities, car insurance. Katelyn doesn’t have luxuries like cable; her kids read and play outside, and her daughter even volunteers at the library helping other children learn to read.
Katelyn is an incredible mother, wife, and friend. She’s given her family everything—love, support, and unwavering strength.
