Maria Brown-Spence, Founder & CEO of Hearts2Heal, allowed her lived experiences with grief to guide her to her purpose. After the loss of her Granny, Anna Marie Brown, to cancer in 2012, followed by the loss of her significant other to cancer in 2018, Maria struggled to find a grief support system.

Navigating the world of mental health was exhausting, expensive and dehumanizing. She came to the realization that the support systems in place were inaccessible to people like her. In sharing her experiences online, she received an overwhelming amount of support from individuals who were also struggling to find resources that reflected their diverse identities. It was then that Maria knew that the journey she was on was hers to be shared.

If her heart was broken, there were others with her lived experience who understood her grief. In 2019, Maria knew it was time to step up and find Hearts2Heal along the way.

Photo credit: https://www.taylorprinsenphotography.com/