In 2021, my husband of 32 years, David, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that had metastasized to his brain. What followed was a three-year journey of caring for him, navigating doctors, treatments, hospital stays, medications, caregivers, insurance, and all the things you never imagine you will have to learn.

Through that experience, I began to realize just how unprepared I was for many of the challenges life can bring—and how often women put themselves last while caring for everyone else.

David passed away at home on April 11, 2024, holding my hand.

It was during those years of caring for him, and especially after losing him, that the idea for HERcolumbia began to take shape.

I started thinking about what it would mean to create a space where women could come together to learn, connect, laugh, encourage one another, and prepare for the unexpected—but also to celebrate life and make time for themselves.

That idea became HERcolumbia.

HER stands for Hope, Empowerment and Renewal—three things I believe every woman needs as she navigates the different seasons of her life.

And now, we are entering our third year.

What began during one of the hardest seasons of my life has grown into a community of women who continue to show up for one another. Every year, HERcolumbia reminds me that when women come together, something special happens.

And while HERcolumbia has grown, so has my family.

This year, we celebrate my beautiful grandson Camden turning two, and in January, we will welcome another precious little girl into our family.

Those new little lives have reminded me even more of the beautiful—and sometimes unexpected—seasons of a woman's life.

Some seasons bring joy. Some bring uncertainty. Some bring loss. And some bring new beginnings we never could have imagined.

HERcolumbia was born from one of my hardest seasons, but it has become a celebration of what can come next.

Our theme this year, “Put Your Mask On First,” is really the heart of what HERcolumbia has always been about. Before we can continue caring for everyone around us, we have to remember to care for ourselves.

David never knew about HERcolumbia. He didn't get to see the idea take shape or know what it would become. But caring for him, and walking through that journey, is what inspired me to create this space for women.

Something beautiful grew from something incredibly hard.

A story that began with cancer and loss became a story of Hope, Empowerment and Renewal.

And each year so many women add their own stories to ours—