Community Corner
Glimmer of Hope Foundation Expands Courageous Moms Collective, Invites Mothers to Apply for 2027 Program
Newport retreat brings together moms navigating their children's cancer journeys as yearlong program builds community, connection & support
PROVIDENCE, RI — When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the focus understandably shifts to treatment plans, hospital stays and the child at the center of the fight. Often overlooked are the mothers carrying the emotional weight of appointments, difficult conversations and uncertain days while caring for their children and families.
Recognizing that need, Glimmer of Hope Foundation created the Courageous Moms Collective, a yearlong program designed to support and connect mothers whose children are navigating pediatric cancer.
The program recently brought its 2026/2027 group together for its first event, a three-day retreat in Newport, Rhode Island. The experience gave the mothers an opportunity to step away from the demands of caregiving, spend time with women who understand their experiences and, for a few days, be the ones being cared for.
The Newport retreat was sponsored by Rafaelian Brands, with support from And Livy, Belcourt Castle, Bar & Board and Sakonnet Vineyards. Additional sponsors included Castle Hill Inn, Viti Automotive Group, Lawson Charitable Foundation and Newport Antique Yacht Collection.
“Our goal with the Courageous Moms Collective is to remind these mothers that while they spend so much of their lives caring for everyone else, they deserve to be cared for, too,” said Alison Hornung, Founder and Executive Director of Glimmer of Hope Foundation and former Miss Rhode Island. “There is something incredibly powerful about bringing together women who understand one another’s experiences without having to explain them.”
For Megan Pilger, Family Engagement Manager for Glimmer of Hope Foundation, working directly with the mothers and coordinating the foundation’s family programs has provided insight into the challenges that can continue well beyond treatment.
“Stepping into my role as Family Engagement Manager — and having the privilege of coordinating and managing the programs we offer families — has been deeply meaningful,” said Pilger. “As we prepared for our first Courageous Moms Collective event with our 2026/2027 group, they each shared something with me that held a common theme: that the hardest part isn’t only the treatment, but everything that comes after.”
Pilger said mothers described emerging from a period in which much of their energy had been focused on getting their child and family through each day.
“You realize you’ve been surviving in fight-or-flight, and finding your new normal, and even yourself again, can be a greater challenge,” Pilger said. “The Courageous Moms Collective creates a space where moms can meet on common ground not only as caregivers to children fighting cancer, but as women who deserve to have the abundance of love they pour into others brought back to them.”
During the retreat, the mothers experienced some of Newport’s most memorable destinations and had time to relax, enjoy meals together and strengthen the relationships they had begun developing through the Courageous Moms Collective.
The retreat was one part of a larger year of programming made possible with generous support from the Lawson Charitable Foundation, whose partnership has helped Glimmer of Hope Foundation create experiences and a community of support for mothers navigating their children’s pediatric cancer journeys.
“The retreat may last three days, but the relationships these mothers build can continue long after they leave Newport,” Hornung said. “They know they have other mothers they can turn to on the difficult days, the good days and all the days in between. That sense of connection is exactly why we created this program.”
For Pilger, that long-term support is central to her work with the foundation.
“I think about that every day, and it has become the driving force behind my commitment to supporting these moms, their children and their families not just during treatment, but in the life that comes after it,” she said.
Glimmer of Hope Foundation is now looking ahead to its next Courageous Moms Collective and is encouraging mothers of children affected by pediatric cancer to learn more and apply for the 2027 program.
Hornung hopes increased awareness of the Courageous Moms Collective will help the program reach mothers across the country who may be looking for a community that understands the unique challenges their families are experiencing.
“When a child has cancer, the entire family is affected,” Hornung said. “Through the Courageous Moms Collective, we want mothers to know there is a community ready to stand beside them.”
About Glimmer of Hope Foundation
Founded by former Miss Rhode Island Alison Hornung and inspired by the life of Ella Catherine Integlia, Glimmer of Hope Foundation supports children and families navigating pediatric cancer nationwide. Its initiatives include providing bald dolls to children undergoing treatment, Best Day Ever experiences across the country, the annual Glimmer Gala, the Courageous Moms Collective, family resources, advocacy and Hope Has No Hair, Hornung’s children’s book inspired by Ella’s leukemia journey.
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