Over three years ago, on February 17th, my husband of 32 years was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, which had metastasized to his brain with nine tumors. My whole world shifted with one sentence: “This cancer is treatable, but not curable.” For three months, I was paralyzed by fear. We gathered people to pray over David as we began what became a three-year journey of living with cancer. In the beginning, I held my breath with every scan and doctor’s appointment. But then, God performed an indescribable miracle in both our lives. We started to seek joy and embrace the everyday miracles that came our way, even while living with this awful disease.

During this time, we celebrated two daughters' weddings and created countless cherished memories. David passed away on April 11, 2024, at our home, holding my hand. Through the many hours spent in emergency rooms, hospital stays, and meetings with attorneys, an idea began to form in my mind: How could my story reach other women and help them prepare for this difficult path?

I found myself unprepared for so many things — researching cancer, hiring caregivers, administering medication, being the primary caregiver for my husband, who was only in his 50s, understanding insurance, and planning for the unimaginable, among countless other questions that arose during his treatment. I felt compelled to write a book to tell the truth about what really happens when living with someone who has a terminal illness.

I also reached out to other women who had faced similar experiences. From this, I realized the potential for a women's conference — not only to educate women on what to do if they lost a spouse but also to explore ways to enhance their lives at any stage. Thus, HERcolumbia was born, driven by my desire to offer women Hope, Empowerment, and Renewal in the midst of whatever they are going through in life.