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When a girl’s mother dies, she loses more than her mother’s physical presence in her life.  She loses her go-to person as she grows up, her compass, her role model. Some girls never recover from this loss, especially if they lack a strong family support system.

When she was only nine, Cara Belvin experienced the loss of her mother and was very fortunate to have her father, brother and her aunts in her life.  But she was still walking around with a broken heart.  She knew she had to do something, and decades later, she created EmpowerHER, a charity whose focus is to provide mentorship and support to girls who have experienced the early loss of their mothers.  In just a few years, EmpowerHER has reached out to hospitals, schools, and social service agencies in Massachusetts to locate these girls and to offer friendship and guidance to them in ways that have changed their lives.

There is no other charity like this in the entire country. Cara Belvin’s story is one of inspiration and empowerment.  We’re so honored she shared it on our podcast series so that you can be inspired, too.  Find out more about her charity at: www.empoweringher.org.

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It’s hard to imagine the pain associated with having a blood clot explode in your brain. But that’s what happened to Astrid Hendren, this week’s guest on The Story Behind Her Success.  She was only 32 when she had her stroke and Boston’s best doctors doubted she could survive.  But they didn’t know Astrid!  20 years have passed and this exceptional woman is alive and well.  She is the founder of a new non-profit called Cause Fund and despite debilitating headaches every day of her life, she is a constant advocate for stroke victims and the author of the book Surviving Lasts A Lifetime.  Learn more about Astrid at https://causefund.org and https://astridhendren.com.

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In the spotlight, Sondra Celli.  Like her mother, legendary Boston fashionista Yolanda Cellucci, Sondra is a big fan of bling.  In fact, word spread so quickly about the over the top gowns she created for gypsies that she was approached by the TLC network to star in My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding.  This exceptional single mom, daughter, and entrepreneur even designs the outfits for our beloved New England Patriots cheerleaders!  Rhinestones and glitter can but fun, but hard work is her middle name.  Find out how world-renowned dress designer Sondra Celli got to where she is today on The Story Behind Her Success. Learn more about the queen of bling at:  http://sondracelli.com/home.html

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In the spotlight: Christine McSherry.  This wife, mother of five and RN from Boston’s South Shore, was told:  “your son Jett has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.”  After shaking her head in disbelief, she knew she had to fight for her son, so she created The Jett Foundation.  Christine took on Congress, the Senate, the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies in an effort to find a drug in a race against time to treat this fatal disease that strikes only boys. Hear her incredible story on The Story Behind Her Success with Candy O’Terry.  To find out more about the Jett Foundation, just go to: www.jettfoundation.org.