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HERS Breast Cancer Foundation
Spring 2026 | news & updates
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Happy Spring, Friends!
I hope you're enjoying the hope and renewal that comes with the new season. At HERS we're embracing not only seasonal changes but changes to our team, operations, and more.
Our annual staff retreat in January allowed us to renew our commitment to our mission and have some fun, too. We enjoyed a qigong lesson as well as a watercolor painting tutorial led by Senior Breast Care Specialist Debra Shanley. Our gathering was a great way to jump start the new year and reconnect.
We've had some staff changes (see more on this below) and are beyond busy planning our May 2nd Speakeasy-themed People with Purpose Gala (more on that below, too!).
In February, we made the difficult decision to close our Livermore location due to staffing and logistics challenges but we are grateful to our gracious patients for their understanding. We're filling those patients' orders by phone, when we can, and patients who need to be seen in person are visiting our Fremont or San Leandro locations, and are enjoying free shipping as well.
There is even more Foundation news in this newsletter and I hope you'll not only enjoy reading it but also forward it to anyone you know who has been touched by breast cancer. This is a simple yet impactful way to help us connect with new patients, volunteers, and other supporters.
As always, I welcome the opportunity to connect; call (510) 790-1911 x104 or email tinaf@hersbcf.org.
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Warm regards,
Tina
Tina Fernandez
Executive Director
| | | A Speakeasy Soirée is Coming Your Way! | | |
Our People with Purpose Gala is Saturday, May 2nd, and we can't wait to celebrate with you! As always, funds raised will ensure that our underserved breast cancer patients' and survivors' post-surgical product needs are met. And, as always, this event is supported by many dedicated sponsors, donors, and volunteers.
This year's Roaring Twenties theme is the Cat's Meow! Be sure to join us at our Speakeasy Soiree and purchase your tickets today.
We sent a "big reveal" announcement to our subscribers recently but it bears repeating: this year's People with Purpose Awardees are Dan & Rosana Kosin, District 2 Alameda County Supervisor Elisa Marquez, and best friends Corina Haralson & Elaine McElroy. You'll learn Join why we're recognizing them as outstanding community partners on May 2nd!
Our very own staff member Marcelle Kozocas will be featured in our patient testimonial film. Marcelle does an amazing job advocating for HERS, including in our film and in print, too!
We're grateful to Heather Holmes of KTVU FOX 2 for returning as our gracious emcee and we're excited to welcome Marcus in the Morning from Star 101.3 for the first time this year as our auctioneer.
We have an enticing array of silent and live auction items, including FIFA World Cup tickets, a Fremont Firehouse Dinner, and many more. And you Dapper Dans and Darling Danielles take note: be sure to attend in your best glad rags (that means pinstripes, pearls, fedoras, and feathers) because you never know...your Twenties-style getups just might be rewarded!
Tickets are $175 per person and include a reception with Prohibition-era cocktails plus appetizers and live music by the Mission Gold Jazz Band, followed by a three-course dinner with wine and good times for all!
To learn more, visit our website or visit our Greater Giving ticket and donation site:
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We're happy to share that in March two dedicated volunteers, Shalini Saxena and Marcelle Kozocas, became staff members! Shalini was formerly on our team as a receptionist before stepping away to explore volunteering with our Foundation. As a volunteer, Marcelle managed our social media and trained with Shalini to manage products and patient orders. Today, they collaborate weekly to provide inventory and patient order fulfillment support. Marcelle has a dual role as Community Impact Coordinator, managing our social media accounts and providing community outreach.
In their new positions as official team members, Shalini and Marcelle work diligently to fulfill their tasks and we are grateful for their contributions to our Foundation. Read Shalini's bio here and Marcelle's bio here.
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Join Our Team!
We're seeking FT and PT Breast Care Specialists to join our team at our Fremont location. If you're a compassionate, reliable patients, we want to hear from you.
This is also a great opportunity to learn new skills; HERS will pay for your coursework and testing to become a Certified Mastectomy Fitter once you complete 120 hours of paid in-person training.
Read the full description of this role here; to apply, send your cover letter and resume to info@hersbc.org.
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Achievements
Staff members Connie Delacerda and Justice Drake earned their Mastectomy Fitter Certification (CFm). Like our other staff members with this certification, they are now professionally and specifically educated and trained in the provision of breast prostheses and post-mastectomy items and services, including patient assessment, treatment plan formulation and implementation, patient follow-up and practice management. As such, they are required to comply with the Professional Code of Conduct set forth by our accreditation body, The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics. This code assures the overall welfare of patients and the integrity of the profession.
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Staff Changes
We also bid farewell (again) to a much-loved team member, Carlie Lozano. Carlie worked at HERS several years ago while pursuing her pre-nursing studies and then returned to our team last year after she earned her nursing degree. Earlier this year, she was hired at Washington Health, fulfilling her long-term career goal. We are proud of you, Carlie!
And finally, when our Livermore location closed, our Breast Care Specialist at that location, Connie Delacerda, converted to working remotely, providing patient services including scheduling and phone order fulfillment. Connie is also training with our Insurance Authorization Specialist, Jenny Klause. Thank you, Connie, for your service!
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To Celebrate Life
To Celebrate Life is an incredible organization run by incredible individuals. Their mission is to support people facing breast cancer by providing direct and emergency services. Their vision is that no one should face breast cancer alone.
Each year Bay Area nonprofits are invited to apply for To Celebrate Life grants and HERS has benefited many times over from this opportunity. This year, our Foundation received $20,000 in support of our Lymphedema Project and was one of 16 organizations to receive a grant. It is an honor to have our work recognized and supported so generously.
To Celebrate Life fundraises throughout the year and their biggest fundraiser is their "Stepping Out" fashion show featuring breast cancer patients.
| | Be sure to save the date for this year's Stepping Out Gala -- Saturday, October 3, 2026. | |
We enjoyed attending To Celebrate Life's grant reception on April 1st at Sausalito's Spinnaker Restaurant. This annual gathering is unique to their organization and is an excellent opportunity for grant recipients to connect with peer organizations, donors, board members, and event committee members.
Thank you, To Celebrate Life, for your generous support and dedication to the work of Bay Area breast cancer support organizations.
Photo Credit: Drew Altizer Photography
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Hayward Rotary Club
Our Foundation's Lymphedema Project grant application was approved by the Hayward Rotary Club! Their generous gift of $3,000 was presented to HERS at a reception hosted by the club on March 30th at the Hayward Masonic Lodge. We are exceedingly grateful for the club's generosity and for their support of our underserved lymphedema patients.
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Remembering Nancy Farber
We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nancy Farber who served our community and led Washington Health as CEO for 25 years until her 2019 retirement.
Nancy, along with HERS co-founder Tricia McMahon, ensured that breast cancer patients would be supported by providing us space at Washington West just a few steps away from the hospital's Women's Center. Thanks to Nancy and current CEO Kimberly Hartz, breast cancer patients and survivors may conveniently access post-surgical products and services. What a tremendous gift to patients and our nonprofit organization. Go here to read Washington Health's beautifully worded tribute to Nancy.
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Volunteer Appreciation Month
As you may know, April is Volunteer Appreciation Month. Due to our upcoming May 2nd Gala, we have decided to host a celebration of our volunteers in May.
Stay tuned for more information. We'll announce our May Volunteer Appreciation date in an upcoming email blast and on Facebook and Instagram.
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