Here for the Girls

For René Roark Bowditch J.D. ’82 and Mary Beth Morrill Gibson ’86, the inspiration for Here for the Girls, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting young women with breast cancer, began with a simple realization: They were not alone.

The two met at a 2006 retreat for women with breast cancer, a diagnosis more commonly associated with older women. That connection became the foundation for Here for the Girls, which for two decades has provided free support and education while helping young women “live life with an exclamation mark and not a period.” On Aug. 29, the organization celebrated its 20th anniversary with its annual Pink Carpet Gala at the W&M Alumni House.

The organization took shape at Bowditch’s kitchen table in Williamsburg, where a few other young women began gathering on Sundays for “Tea and Talks,” and posted flyers in oncology offices inviting other young women with breast cancer to connect.

“The impact that we saw was not just in helping these young women get through breast cancer, but helping them get through life,” Bowditch says.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tea and Talks moved online, allowing Here for the Girls to reach women far beyond the Williamsburg area. Today, women from 47 states participate in the organization’s programs, and more than 2,000 women have become part of the community over the past 20 years.

As more people joined, they shared strikingly similar stories. Gibson says she often heard comments along the lines of: “I was diagnosed late because my doctor told me not to worry about it. I’m too young to have breast cancer.”

These late diagnoses, often tied to a lack of awareness and self-advocacy, can have deadly consequences, prompting the group to evolve from a community of support into a call to action.

Their desire to educate and support young women led to the annual Here for the Girls calendar and health guide, a free resource mailed to members with accessible health information and self-care tips. Each month features an “Ambassador Story,” in which women share their experiences to help others feel less alone.

Victoria Riley M.B.A. ’26, deputy director of Here for the Girls, became involved in 2016 after being asked to look at its operations. She recalls one woman who had worn out the pages of her calendar because she read the stories every night and found hope in them.

“These stories gave her something to live for,” Riley says.

As Here for the Girls has grown, it has expanded its programming, primarily across eastern and Central Virginia, to include health professionals who provide resources throughout treatment and recovery. A “Screening + Prevention Village” during Here for the Girls’ annual Run for the Hills 5K event offers mammograms, screenings and physical therapy. The programs and services are fully funded by donations.

The organization also connects newly diagnosed women with social workers who bridge the gap to permanent, oncology-focused therapy for patients and their families — a support coordination program Gibson calls a “godsend for a lot of young women.”

As part of Riley’s MBA program at William & Mary, she developed a plan to expand the counseling services, which she and the founders hope will reach more women in the coming years.

No longer relying on flyers and word of mouth, the organization now receives referrals through partnerships with healthcare centers, connecting newly diagnosed women with support much earlier in their journeys.

“It takes a village to raise a nonprofit, and this village showed up,” Gibson says.

The organization maintains deep ties with William & Mary; collaborations include annual lectures at W&M Law School on breast cancer and the law and events such as the “Empower Her Health” talk with Bowditch and Gibson in 2024 as part of the Road to Women’s Weekend series. Student volunteers frequently assist with the annual Run for the Hills 5K.

Mary Stultz Meagher M.B.A. ’86, a longtime volunteer and chair of Here for the Girls’ advisory council, found a calling with the organization after moving back to Williamsburg. A two-time breast cancer survivor, Meagher continues to mentor MBA students at William & Mary and sees a shared commitment to civic leadership in both communities.

“I think that William & Mary’s definition of civic leadership relates to the story of Here for the Girls. It’s all about giving back to the community and providing that leadership,” Meagher says.

Looking back on the last two decades, Gibson links the start of the organization to her own beginnings at William & Mary. As she moved into college her first year, she remembers looking back at her parents and feeling as though she was “glancing back at the past and walking toward the future.”

“I think we’re still doing that with this organization,” Gibson says. “A nod to the past, but we’re focused on the future.”