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Every once in a while, I meet someone who makes me pause. Someone who reminds me why I started this podcast in the first place. Michele Gannon is one of those people.

She’s the founder of Mary’s Place by the Sea, a nonprofit home in Ocean Grove, NJ, that offers women with cancer something most of them don’t even realize they need: permission to stop. To rest. To not be strong for everyone else. To just… be. What began as a persistent thought in Michele’s mind has, 16 years later, become a safe haven where over 16,000 women have found emotional, spiritual, and physical refuge. And what makes it even more extraordinary? They’re not charged a single penny.

This episode moved me deeply, not just as a host, but as a sister of someone currently battling breast cancer. I could feel in every word Michele said how powerful this work is, and how underserved this need really is.

Here are just a few things Michele shared that stayed with me:

• Mary came to her in a dream. The name isn’t a branding exercise. It’s inspired by a spiritual visitation that helped Michele envision the house and guide her every step.
• It’s beyond medical, but it is healing. Guests receive services like oncology massage, Reiki, guided meditation, expressive writing, and nutrition education. And it’s all focused on the person, not the illness.
• Hope is the most powerful outcome. Women come exhausted, anxious, and scared. They leave rested, connected, and often laughing and having made new friends.
• The experience is deeply personal and also free. Whether they’re newly diagnosed or up to two years post-treatment, women find sanctuary and sisterhood, regardless of their ability to pay.
• Volunteers keep the heartbeat strong. With over 100 regular volunteers and 60+ practitioners, the sense of community is palpable. Most of the healing happens through presence, not protocol.
• They’re just getting started. And the demand far exceeds the supply. Michele’s now actively planning an expansion to New England.

I’ve had the privilege of interviewing many founders in healthcare and wellness, but what Michele has built is something beyond metrics and business models. It’s a sacred space that honors the human experience of illness, and says to every woman walking through the door: You matter. You’re allowed to fall apart here. And you’re not alone.

If you’re moved by this story (and I know you will be), please visit MarysPlaceByTheSea.org. Whether it’s to volunteer, donate, or simply learn more, it’s worth your time. I’ll be making a visit myself soon, and I know it won’t be my last.