When Jana Austin, a 50-year Ventura County resident, passed away in 2023 after a 30-year battle with breast cancer, her daughter and caregiver, Brooke Taylor, a native of the 805 area code, was trying to cope with her own grief, manage cancer survivorship, and care for two young children with big feelings. A few weeks after the loss of the children’s “second mom” aka “Gaga,” Brooke’s children received a Grief Toolbox from Childhood Matters. The box was life-changing in helping her children navigate the grieving process.

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Brooke’s journey as a cancer caregiver and breast cancer survivor led her to cancer coaching. Brooke was a young adult in college when she received the phone call that her mom had breast cancer. Years later, when Brooke became a parent, she found herself having to share a similar diagnosis with her own children and mom. Through Brooke’s coaching work, she discovered an overwhelming need for cancer patients to share their diagnosis with their children and grandchildren. By being honest and sharing a diagnosis, parents and grandparents give the gift of life skills and tools to help their loved ones navigate hard times. In turn, this reduces the pressure on patients to appear strong and maintain false appearances.

 

Brooke knew that her clients needed a Cancer Toolbox to help them find the words and tools to navigate a challenging diagnosis in a positive and powerful way. Brooke reached out to parenting expert, Bette Alkazian of Balanced Parenting, Shaleena Tareen of Childhood Matters, and local designer and cancer caregiver, Kim Roumain to create the Family Cancer Support Toolbox.