My mother has always been my best friend. Growing up, we’d laugh, we’d shop together (a little too much at times), we’d cook together, we’d watch the Chicago Bears together and you could count on her to be cheering for me in the stands at 10 years of my baseball game no matter rain or 110-degree weather. Of course, growing up I made some questionable choices, but what teenager doesn’t? Regardless, she was there to support me through everything whether I wanted the advice or not. I am now 30 years old and I still call her every morning on my drive to work to check in with her and see how she’s doing.

About 3 years ago, my mom was diagnosed with lymphoma and my entire family was shook. We are a close family and stick together through any tough times that life likes to throw at us. You know, we all are thrown tough times in life but it’s those around you that help you push through and keep a smile on your face. Just hearing the word “cancer” was scary, let alone knowing your mother has it inside her body and there’s really nothing we can do to help. I would think to myself, “why us,” “what do I do,” “what’s going to happen” but that really wasn’t accomplishing anything. I knew the only thing we could do is help keep my mom’s spirits up and that is what me and my family came together on. We’re going to beat this together — no matter what and a positive attitude will be the leading force behind it.

When time for her most recent cancer treatments arrived, I wanted to get my mom something special to let her know that I supported her and to keep her mindset positive through what could be one of the toughest stretches of her life. My mom has always been the type to tell me she doesn’t need anything for gifting holidays, just a card with a handwritten note in it.

So I knew I had to do something truly heartfelt. Insert Songfinch.

Everyone loves music. But when you can put your own heartfelt feelings and stories inside a beautiful song, it gives them a bit more power. I felt this was a gift that she can listen to any time she feels down, lonely or wants some reassurance that we’re with her through these times.

I went to Songfinch’s website and gave them a bunch of details that I wanted in the song including our morning calls, the fact that she’s a master baker, her endless love and support and a bunch more. I then selected the genre, vocalist gender and mood. What I got back in 5 days was incredible. Companyon is the artist and his voice was perfect, the instrumentation really helped set the tone and the lyrics incorporated a lot of my details. It was perfect! I could not wait to present it to her. I’ve never felt this way about a gift.



That night, I presented it to her over Facetime because I couldn’t wait a few days until the weekend – I was way too excited, haha. My mom teared up on the first listen when I gave it to her. I could tell she was a bit choked up. We ended the call and all went well. She texted me about 20 minutes later and told me that she couldn’t stop listening to it and she couldn’t control her tears. I think she was trying to hold herself together while she was on Facetime. Well done, mom! 🙂

Over the next few months, she went through many chemo treatments, scans, shots, blood work and all the other stuff that comes along with having this terrible disease, but one thing that stays the same is her positive attitude and her incredible support system. She listens to the song often to help her remember that she has a team around her and she says it helps her get through the treatments.

In the end, I don’t really know another gift that I could have given her that would make such an impact and keep her spirits as high as this song did. It is something that she listens to today and the meaning has not changed. I am forever thankful that I found Songfinch and I am happy to announce that after 3 years, she is still in remission.