CUPS Bra Drive
Honoring Mom
Carolina Gamboa
At the age of 49, my mother was diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer. She would succumb to stage four breast cancer just five years later, at the age of 54. But, before she would pass away, she would teach me a precious lesson.
A Mother's Legacy: The Unseen Thread of Empathy
My mother, a woman of indomitable spirit, found a new rhythm during her recovery. It was a time of quiet healing, punctuated by an array of new hobbies, among them the spirited orchestration of our bi-weekly summer garage sales. These weren't just sales; they were community events, and everyone in our family was enlisted. Mom had a way of turning decluttering into a family mission, gently but firmly encouraging us to unearth forgotten treasures from the depths of our homes. My brothers and I were certainly not exempt from this delightful duty.
I remember one particular Saturday morning, a bright sunlit day that belied the small storm brewing in my teenage heart. Mom, radiating her usual infectious enthusiasm, swept into my room. "Anything for the garage sale today, sweetheart?" she asked, her smile wide and hopeful. "Of course not, Mom," I mumbled, already bracing myself. But she was undeterred. Her gaze, as sharp as it was loving, landed on my dresser. Without a word, she began rummaging through my drawers. My eyes widened in mortification as her hand emerged, triumphantly holding up a handful of my bras.
"Eeww, Mom!" I exclaimed, my face flushing scarlet. "Who would buy my bras?" The sheer absurdity of it struck me, but her response, delivered without a flicker of hesitation, struck me even more profoundly. "Some women can't afford bras, honey," she said softly, her voice carrying a quiet conviction. "And if we don't sell them, we can always donate the ones you no longer wear." In that moment, a seed of empathy, unknowingly planted, began to sprout within me. She placed the bras at the end of our driveway in a box, simply labeled "Free." It wasn't long before a modest car pulled up, a man stepped out, collected the box, and drove away, leaving behind a subtle echo of gratitude.
Two weeks later, at the next garage sale, that same man returned. He sought out Mom, his eyes alight with genuine appreciation. He shared how immensely grateful his sister in Indonesia was for the box of free items – a box that, to my teenage embarrassment, had contained my pre-loved bras. This seemingly small act of kindness had traveled across oceans, a testament to my mother's quiet compassion.
A Legacy Ignited
Years later, in late 2016, a profound shift occurred. My mom was no longer with us, her vibrant spirit having moved on. The ache of her absence was a constant companion. My family and I were on a short-term relocation assignment in McAllen, Texas, for my husband's work. Many of my days were spent in the quiet solitude of our hotel room, lost in thought. One afternoon, as I idly flipped through channels, a news brief on the Huffington Post caught my attention. It featured a woman in Wheaton, Maryland, who was collecting bras for her community.
In that instant, a wave of emotion washed over me, hot tears stinging my eyes.
The image of my mother, bursting into my room with that knowing smile and those bras, flashed vividly in my mind. Her words, so simple yet so profound, resonated with newfound clarity: "Women across different communities seldom have access to a new bra." It was a moment of searing pain and profound epiphany. The grief of losing her, a raw and tender wound, began to transform into a powerful purpose. I knew, with an unshakable certainty, that I had to channel this pain, this love, into honoring the precious lesson she had taught me.
By early spring of 2017, driven by an unyielding desire to uplift others as my mother had, I had gathered six phenomenal women from all walks of life. Together, we established what is now known as CUPS Bra Drive – A Commitment to Uplift with Purpose and Service. It is a living testament to my mother's quiet acts of compassion, a ripple effect of kindness that continues to spread, one bra, one woman, one community at a time.
I knew at that very moment that I wanted to channel the pain of losing my mom by sharing the precious lesson she had taught me. By early spring of 2017, I had gathered six phenomenal women from all walks of life to establish what is now known as CUPS Bra Drive - A Commitment to Uplift with Purpose and Service.
.png)
Special THANKS to our Volunteer Board Members [2023 & 2024]
-
Carolina Robles
-
Zayra Chavez
-
Blanca Monarrez
-
Jackie Camacho Ruiz (not pictured)
-
Host - Aurora Regional Fire Museum
-
Hoar - Family Focus Aurora - Roots Festival in Downtown Aurora
