This October, I'm thrilled to share a very special brand partnership with Lilly Pulitzer. Each year, Lilly Pulitzer drops a new ‘print with purpose’ collection in support of breast cancer research. This year, the collection entails 14 styles across loungewear, sleepwear, activewear, dresses and tops and was designed in collaboration with and in support of The Pink Agenda. 

What started as a business conversation for Stage to carry the collection, quickly evolved into me being invited to appear in the campaign along with the other survivor and previvor models from our website… of course, we emphatically said, ‘yes!’  What an honor to have this platform from such an iconic brand to share key takeaways from our respective journeys to support other women – and research. 

This year’s print is aptly named, "Supportive Squad" and is a tribute to love, strength, and solidarity – which aligns so closely with Stage’s views on sisterhood and paying forward. 

Read on for my interview with Lilly Pulitzer and hear from our cast of survivors and previvors in the video here.

Tell us who you are!

I’m Virginia, breast cancer survivor, best friend, dog mom, sister, daughter, auntie, fashion industry veteran and the founder of Stage – a style and support website site for women with cancer. 

Can you share a glimpse into your breast cancer journey—what you’ve been through and what it’s taught you?

I was diagnosed with breast cancer seven years ago on my first mammogram. Since then, I’ve had multiple surgeries, chemo, radiation, five years of endocrine therapy and physical therapy for some complications.

Cancer has taught me to…

• Be a more empathetic and compassionate person
• Focus on the things that really matter in life
• Live in the now
• Give back generously with the knowledge I gained from this experience
  

What does this partnership with The Pink Agenda & Lilly mean to you?

To me, this partnership is about spreading joy, hope and inspiration to patients and supporters everywhere. As a patient, finding little moments of joy in your everyday life can really help with your mental health. A brand like Lilly with its whimsical prints, bright colors and flattering fits can be a boost on tough days.  It’s the little things.

And The Pink Agenda is about progress and hope. Supporters can feel good knowing that sales from this collection will help to fund research to improve patient outcomes, longevity, prevent recurrence and improve the quality of life of survivors, thrivers and previvors. Now that’s something to celebrate!

What does a supportive squad mean to you?

Having a supportive squad is everything when fighting cancer. When I was going through treatment, I was fortunate to have support from close friends, family and others and I’m so grateful for that. I let them in and the love they gave back to me was more than I could’ve ever imagined.

I connected with friends of friends who had gone through breast cancer to learn what to expect and coping strategies. The pure generosity of complete strangers who were willing to open up to me about their experience was a beautiful thing. And today, I pay it forward by sharing knowledge, resources, treatment tips, hacks and style advice for women who are in the fight.

In the years after cancer, I’ve found it equally important to build a community of survivors and thrivers. There’s power in a common experience and understanding without having to explain. We share knowledge, hope and levity–that’s something very special. 

What does research mean to you? 

Research gives me hope for a future where less people have to battle this disease, quality of life for patients and survivors improves, and all of us can enjoy longer lives.

What message do you want others to hear?

Survivorship is a lifelong journey. You are going to face challenges along the way and it can be isolating at times. Don’t suffer in silence, voice your concerns with your care team. Get that second opinion–you have to advocate for yourself! 

There’s a world of support out there waiting for you if you just reach out and grab it. Confide in a friend. Step out of your comfort zone, attend a support group, download a community app, join that Facebook group, go on a retreat with other thrivers, take advantage of the free social services at your hospital, look into non-profits that offer patient services in your community.  

Surround yourself with positivity. Learn about your disease. There’s so much progress being made in research–there are many reasons to have hope. 

Behind the scenes: Fun Facts about the Print

Did you know that Lilly Pulitzer has a team of hugely talented artists on staff that design their incredible prints? I had the pleasure of speaking with the artist responsible for this design on shoot day about the hidden pink ribbons and animals designed into the print. 

What the team didn’t know is that the tiger embedded in the middle of the print carry significance to me and so does the giraffe... A beautiful connection that was meant to be, I suppose.