Holding Her, Holding Each Other: A Tribute to Motherhood and Sisterhood

By Kyla Danae

In this raw and heartfelt reflection, Hermanas ambassador shares the emotional landscape of caring for her terminally ill mother alongside her sisters. Through grief, resilience, and unexpected moments of grace, she invites us to consider what sisterhood truly means—in family, in community, and in the quiet spaces where women hold each other up.

For the past 2 months, my siblings and I have been taking care of our mother, who has terminal cancer. In the beginning of January, she was given a life sentence.

I had such positive expectations for the new year that I would’ve never guessed this would be the start of the new year. There’s no rulebook for how to handle this. It feels like grieving, but the person you love is still here.

Cancer is so common that people have become numb to it. We scroll past stories of suffering, feel something for a moment sadness, sympathy, or nothing at all then move on with our lives. But when it happens to your family, it doesn’t feel common. It’s personal. It’s consuming. And no matter how much you’ve seen it happen to others, nothing prepares you for what it’s like when it’s your reality.

I come from a big family 12 siblings and for the first time in five years, we’re all together, brought back under one roof because of our mother. In the last two months, I’ve felt every possible emotion: shock, sadness, anger, confusion, depression, stress, even happiness in fleeting moments. No one teaches you how to exist in this emotional chaos.

The world is a strange and scary place to navigate sometimes. Even though my mother was told she has less than six months to live, we’re still here, still processing, still trying to take it all in.

For Women’s Month, I want to dedicate this to my mother and my sisters, strong women who have come together in different ways and with different strengths to care for her, for each other, and for our family. In the midst of heartbreak, they are a reminder of what resilience, love, and womanhood truly mean.

March is Women’s History Month and also a time to acknowledge the reality of cancer. Behind every diagnosis is a family doing their best to hold it together and right now, that’s all we’re trying to do.

beyond family, this experience has made me think about the broader idea of sisterhood and community. How do we, as women, show up for each other in grief, in care, in love?

In moments of loss and uncertainty, it’s the strength of the women around us that carries us forward. Whether by blood or by bond, the way we hold space for one another is what truly defines us.

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Meet Kyla

Kyla Greene is a multi-hyphenate creative and natural connector who lives boldly outside the box. A lifelong questioner of the status quo, she’s driven by deep curiosity, creative expression, and a desire to help others break free from fear. Whether through writing, travel, art, or honest conversations, Kyla uses her own lived experiences to inspire transformation and courage in others. With a background in digital marketing, event planning, and film direction, she brings a unique blend of storytelling, strategy, and soulful leadership to every space she enters. As a mentor, she guides fellow creatives toward clarity, confidence, and the freedom to live—and earn—on their own terms.

Kyla Danae is an Hermanas ambassador.