RISING ABOVE Book Launch Celebration - A FREE EVENT

What if the unraveling of your life was also the beginning of your becoming?

Join us for an empowering afternoon of storytelling, connection, and celebration as we launch RISING ABOVE: Our Transformational Journey to Wholeness After Breast Cancer—the first anthology of its kind to showcase the collective voices of young women diagnosed during the most formative years of their lives.

These women were falling in love, building careers, becoming mothers, and discovering their truths when cancer struck—shattering timelines and rewriting dreams. Yet within that breaking open, something deeper awakened. Their stories emerge from that sacred threshold: not just of surviving, but of becoming.

Held during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this family-friendly event invites you into a space of remembrance, resilience, and rising.

Born from personal reckoning and collective resilience, RISING ABOVE stands as a testament to the transformative power of becoming. These are not stories of illness—they are declarations of healing, wholeness, and radical authenticity.

Led by Gillian Lichota—mother, marine biologist, metastatic breast cancer thriver, and founder of the iRise Above Foundation—this anthology was born from her vision to turn pain into purpose and to ensure no young woman faces breast cancer alone.

Itinerary:

2:00 PM – Mingle with the Authors & Enjoy Food & Refreshments (Cash Bar Available)

2:15 PM – Welcome & Announcements (Raffles, Book Sales, “The Becoming Wall”, Honor & Remembrance Table, Children’s Corner, “I Rise Because…” Photo Booth)

3:00 PM – Book Signing

4:00 PM – Q&A with Gillian Lichota

4:15 PM – Live Readings from Contributing Authors

4:45 PM – Lucky Ticket Raffles Drawn/Announced

5:00 PM – Closing Words

What to Expect:

· Book Signing

· Raffle with exciting prizes

· Live Readings from Contributing Authors, sharing powerful excerpts from the anthology

· A Conversation with the Lead Author, Gillian Lichota, on Reclaiming Voice through Writing, Healing through Storytelling, and Founding the iRise Above Movement

· “The Becoming Wall” Interactive Art Installation – Add your voice to a living mural by answering prompts like “What have you risen above?” or “Who are you becoming?”

· Honor & Remembrance Table – Light a candle or leave a heartfelt message in honor of someone affected by breast cancer

· Children’s Corner: Little Lights Rising – A gentle space for families with butterfly art, story time, and “Make Your Own Courage Bracelet” crafts

· “I Rise Because...” Photo Booth – Celebrate your story and uplift others with an empowering photo moment

· Food, Refreshments, Uplifting Music & Soulful Community• Pink Attire Encouraged in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This is more than just a book launch—it’s a sacred celebration of transformation.

Come as you are. Leave transformed. This is your invitation to rise.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher iRise Above Foundation