Meet Our Amazing Volunteers

Meet Maureen, the T.E.A.L.®-nominated Volunteer of the Month for July!

For the student at Urban Academy, volunteerism runs in the family.

“I became involved with T.E.A.L.® because my sister who is two years older than me worked at T.E.A.L.®. I saw what she was doing and it was a good community service idea for me.”

She started helping in the T.E.A.L.® Community Center in Brooklyn in September. She organized the office, helped prepare the T.E.A.L.® newsletter for mailing, and assisted with packing T.E.A.L.® Kits for survivors.

To Maureen, when volunteering with Tell Every Amazing Lady®, she knows she’s making a difference.

“The thing about T.E.A.L.® is I know how personal it is. I know that I don’t normally see the survivor, but I know that what I’m doing is impacting them.”

For anyone thinking about volunteering, Maureen says go for it.

“If you have the time to do it and you’re passionate about it, you should definitely volunteer.”

Meet the Long Island University Post Genetic Counseling Graduate students, the T.E.A.L.®-nominated Volunteer of the Month for June!

The group of 12 Masters students began volunteering with Tell Every Amazing Lady® at the start of their studies to become genetic counselors. The students volunteered at the 11th Annual Brooklyn T.E.A.L.® Walk/Run by ensuring that the trail was safe for participants.

Later, they volunteered in the T.E.A.L.® Community Center in Brooklyn, where they worked on a variety of projects. Notably, they created and led a workshop to educate the community on hereditary cancer and how genetic testing may help those with a family history of this ovarian cancer.

Several months later, when the COVID-19 crisis brought uncertainty and restricted work ability, the LIU students reconnected with T.E.A.L.®, supporting the ovarian cancer community digitally. They took on a range of jobs from their homes, from identifying resources to keep ovarian cancer survivors healthy to finding funding opportunities for the organization during these difficult times.

The LIU students recognize the communal power of their volunteer work.

Elizabeth, a student in the program, feels that “volunteering with T.E.A.L.® was an eye-opening experience that showed me how a group of people who have been affected by a disease can come together and have the power to change lives and help others in need.”

The students encourage anyone considering volunteering with T.E.A.L.® to do so. Volunteering not only helps those affected by ovarian cancer, but also provides a valuable lesson in giving back and the strength of a community, they said.

Meet Jane, the T.E.A.L.®-nominated Volunteer of the Month for May!

As a licensed physical therapist, Jane volunteers with Tell Every Amazing Lady® by donating her time and expertise to moderate workshops about mindfulness and meditation.

Jane first learned of Tell Every Amazing Lady® a few years ago when she noticed the T.E.A.L.® Community Center in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn. Living in the area, she was always interested in learning more about the foundation, but never got around to stopping in. That changed when her sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

As her sister’s main caregiver, she saw the disease up close. Her sister unfortunately passed away a few months later.

Jane later attended a meditation class held in honor of someone with ovarian cancer and ended up meeting and speaking with T.E.A.L.® CEO and Co-Founder Pamela Esposito-Amery. The two chatted and Jane offered that she wanted to help the foundation.

She has since moderated workshops about energy healing movement and meditation at the T.E.A.L.® Community Center, and then online after stay-at-home orders were issued because of COVID-19.

While the latter experience is new, she says she sees its benefits.

“I’m getting used to it. I’m more of an in-person kind of person, but I was able to talk to someone in Florida during a workshop, so, I do like how accessible this way of living and working has made certain things,” she says.

As a physical therapist, for Jane, volunteering her time is second-nature and a rewarding experience.

“I’m in a helping profession, I like to reach out and share with other people. It’s a great way to help without the pressure you can sometimes feel when it’s a job. Volunteering your time is a more open and sharing experience.”

She recommends volunteering to anyone who is considering it.

“When you volunteer you are part of a community of people who care and are passionate. It helps expand a sense of who you are outside of what you do. And I think the situation with COVID-19 has shown greatness of what people can do.”

Meet Leonard, the T.E.A.L.®-nominated Volunteer of the Month for April!

Leonard has been volunteering with Tell Every Amazing Lady® since 2015, when he was a student at Brooklyn College and heard about the foundation at a health fair. His friend was a volunteer with T.E.A.L.® and was tabling at the event.

“They told me about T.E.A.L.® and volunteering to contribute to the mission, and I was definitely intrigued. From there, I went to a volunteer meeting, and they were talking about volunteering for the walk and I was sold from there.”

He’s now a regular at volunteer events, including the annual Luna Park Coney Island Parachute Jump lighting, and has not missed a Brooklyn T.E.A.L.® Walk/Run since his first in 2015. He also volunteered at the 10 Years of Amazing Gala at the Brooklyn Museum in 2018.

At the T.E.A.L.® Walk, Leonard is usually in the Pre-Registration Booth, and helps out in the Volunteer Both as well. His favorite part of volunteering at the Walk is being helpful.

“For those who know me, I’m a people person. I get to be that friendly face, helping with registration, directing traffic, telling them where they’re supposed to be.”

Leonard has always enjoyed volunteering, taking part in at least one event at Brooklyn College each semester he was a student. He says donating his time gives him a sense of being of service to others.

His favorite part of volunteering with T.E.A.L.®, other than contributing to its mission, is working with the staff and other volunteers.

“They play a big role in whether people want to volunteer their time, and everyone there is loving it, welcoming with open arms. It’s an organization that is looking to make a difference in the best possible way.”

Meet Tommy, the T.E.A.L.®-nominated Volunteer of the Month for March!

Tommy has been volunteering with Tell Every Amazing Lady® since its inception in 2009. He started helping because his dad was friends with Louisa McGregor.

He got a group of Boy Scouts together to help out at the first ever T.E.A.L.® Walk in Brooklyn. Tommy decided to come back each year. To this day, he has never missed an Annual Brooklyn T.E.A.L.® Walk/Run!

He currently serves as Water Station Captain, making sure the Water Station is prepped for thirsty runners and walkers, the area is safe for incoming participants, and that each volunteer knows their role.

Tommy wants everyone to know how important volunteering is.

“Things like this are built on volunteers,” he says.

He says no matter in which capacity you help, by volunteering your time, you’re making a difference.

Meet Samantha, T.E.A.L.®’s nominated Volunteer of the Month for February!

Samantha has been a volunteer with T.E.A.L.® since 2016. She found out about the foundation when she was playing roulette in Las Vegas. A group of guys next to her were teasing a man for wearing a teal-colored shirt.

“The man told them to ‘knock it off’ — it was Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. We struck up a conversation and I told him I lost my right ovary and tube due to a 7-centimeter tumor six months prior.”

He told her he worked for a company involved in finding solutions for ovarian cancer. He asked for her card, and one day she received a call about an opportunity to work with T.E.A.L.® on a series of PSAs sponsored by a pharmaceutical company.

“I had stumbled upon T.E.A.L.®’s website when I was sick — so I was very excited to be able to tell my story.”

Samantha is an event planner in Greenville, S.C. She and the volunteer team of Southern Gala have planned and executed many large events benefiting T.E.A.L.®, including several New Year’s Eve galas, a battle of the sexes bartending event, wine dinners, and more.

“I have had the great fortune to plan and direct a series of events from wine dinners, guest bartending, and even our New Year’s Eve gala to benefit T.E.A.L.®. I am so lucky to have an amazing team of friends and coordinators who love giving back to T.E.A.L.®.”

To Samantha, she hopes her volunteering and fundraising for T.E.A.L.® leads to a screening test for ovarian cancer.

“I look at my efforts to support T.E.A.L.® as an opportunity to ensure that one day there will be a better and more effective screening process to find ovarian cancer early on. This will lower the fatality rate of the ‘silent killer,’ ovarian cancer. I love T.E.A.L.® because of their dedication to not just funding support and awareness, but their support to research projects.”

For anyone who is considering volunteering, Samantha says, “Do what you can, when you can. Every moment and every cent makes a difference.”

Meet Patsy, our Volunteer of the Month for January!

Patsy has been volunteering with Tell Every Amazing Lady® since its inception 11 years ago.

She helps as part of the stage crew at the Annual Brooklyn T.E.A.L.® Walk/Run, and volunteers on the foundation’s board, currently serving as vice president. She also creates signage for the walk, and crafts amazing, one-of-a-kind butterflies, flowers, and more — adding a beautiful touch to all T.E.A.L.® events.

Patsy was nominated by a peer, who said, “Patsy works effortlessly when crafting for T.E.A.L.®. She is creative and is always making new things, whether it’s for the survivors, the T.E.A.L.® Walk, or even some decorations for the T.E.A.L.® Community Center. She is always happy to lend a hand, and her work is Amazing.”

Patsy enjoys volunteering for a cause, and encourages others to do the same, saying, “Volunteering has become a win-win situation — you give a lot, and you get back 10 fold. So I try to get others to volunteer and get that great feeling of giving.”

Meet Karen.

Karen assists in the office with social media and email projects.

She also uses her knowledge of essential oils and yoga to conduct workshops. Karen has volunteered her time throughout the year to help with tabling outreach and awareness events as well.

Meet Sabrina and Joe. They’re longtime T.E.A.L.® volunteers.

Sabrina’s involvement began when she was at St Joseph’s College and students were asking what they could do for ovarian cancer.

She looked into Tell Every Amazing Lady® and fell in love with Louisa and Pamela’s story. The students decided to do a raffle and donated the money they raised to T.E.A.L.®.

But Sabrina wanted to do more, and began interning with the foundation. She now returns to volunteer at the T.E.A.L.® Events, and has been part of T.E.A.L.® for six and a half years.

Joe has now been to five T.E.A.L.® Walks. When he experienced his first, he found that he liked the foundation’s mission. He says he also loved that he could tell “everyone’s heart is really in it — from Pamela down to the person who volunteers just once a year.”

They encourage everyone to get involved.

“You never realize how much of an impact what you do has on someone’s life,” says Sabrina. “It’s going to change your life and you’re going to change so many other lives with what you do.”

Says Joe, “ovarian cancer may not affect our bodies, but all the women that we love, it could affect theirs. What would you do if someone in your life was diagnosed? Volunteering is the least we can do.”

Meet Samantha

She grew up volunteering for T.E.A.L.®, and returned from school to volunteer this summer.

She helped with outreach, phone calls, prepping for events, and then finished the summer as an intern, before going back to school. She returned one more time to volunteer at the 11th Annual Brooklyn T.E.A.L.® Walk.

Meet Shelly Ann

She has been volunteering since her junior year of high school, when T.E.A.L.® was just beginning.

She is still enthusiastic about coming to volunteer at T.E.A.L.®, even while balancing nursing school at the same time. Shelly has recently helped us by doing outreach to doctor’s offices and small businesses.

Meet Adelaide

She’s one of our amazing volunteers.

Meet Anthony!

He’s one of our dedicated volunteers.

Anthony first began volunteering in 2009 to help out with the first Annual Brooklyn T.E.A.L.® Walk and has been volunteering ever since. He helps at events, at the office and with whatever comes up that works with his schedule and he does it all with a smile.