In 2015, I agreed to volunteer some of my time with a group of marketers helping non-profits with their community outreach initiatives. I fielded emails coming in from the website, and I would often get inquiries from non-profits needing help or marketers wanting to volunteer.
On a weekday afternoon I received a random email from someone, not interested in the initiative but, needing branding services. As luck would have it, I could offer her my services and jumped at the opportunity. At the time, I was looking for exposure in Atlanta and this was a great lead.
I met with Heather at a coffee shop and knew that this was a great connection. We talked project details, and I followed up with an email after our meeting. I didn’t immediately hear back from Heather, and assumed the project wasn’t going to proceed beyond an estimate.
Over a month later, Heather contacted me again. She told me that since we last spoke, she was diagnosed with cancer and was recovering from having major surgery.
“When we last spoke, I didn’t know how this (branding project) would all come together. Now, I know what I need to do.”
Heather was lucky. She originally went to the doctor because of a tiny growth to be biopsied, and decided to get another procedure as precautionary testing for a possible pre-disposed condition. She was diagnosed with Stage I cancer.
She was also tested positive for a life-threatening genetic condition. Her genetic condition means that she will continually be diagnosed with different diagnoses of cancer during her lifetime.
She’ll be diagnosed with cancer. She’ll get treated. She’ll recover. Repeat.
This was Heather’s opportunity, and life calling, to help others. For me, it was an opportunity to use my skills for a cause well beyond making a living.
Heather wants to tell other women and moms to boldly like themselves and find humor and positivity in everyday life… and more importantly to laugh their control-tops off. Hyphen up is the platform for her to help her create her legacy.
It took a year to launch the Hyphen Up brand, which officially launched in 2016. In the past year, Heather and I built a friendship. In that time, we also built something that we both can be proud of in the years to come. I’m inspired by Heather’s story, and I hope you will be too.