In the span of just two years, Agnes faced cervical cancer, breast cancer, and the abrupt conclusion of her 23-year marriage. Decades spent helping build her husband’s business—never worrying about writing a paycheck to herself—disappeared as quietly as the clothes from his closet. Tired, alone, and unable to find employment, Agnes stood on the tipping point between independence and instability. She was 62-years old.
Still undergoing daily radiation, Agnes reached out to our Second Careers Employment Program and was soon placed in a paid internship as a greeter at the San Mateo Medical Foundation. As her strength returned, so did her confidence. When a sales position opened at Late Bloomers, a boutique dedicated to the needs of breast cancer survivors, Agnes was ready. Through Second Careers, Agnes received three weeks of on-the-job training—funded by the National Center on Aging and donors like you—and the opportunity to show off her strengths.
Today, Agnes’s cancer is in remission and her new job at Late Bloomers provides much needed financial stability. Her outlook on life is brighter than ever: “I am blessed. I have my family, my job, and the support of my community and organizations like Peninsula Family Service. I am lucky to have so much to be thankful for.”