Women's Health September 22, 2026 0 Comments

How One Breast Cancer Survivor’s Chemo Care Boxes Are Crushing Hope and Changing Lives Forever

When life throws you a curveball like a double breast cancer diagnosis during a painful divorce, where do you turn? For Cathy Angel, it was the simple, heartfelt gestures—thoughtful cards, cozy gifts—from loved ones that stitched together the strength she desperately needed. Battling the darkest hours while keeping a brave face for her kids, Cathy found her own army of angels lifting her up. Now in remission, she’s transformed that lifeline of love into a beacon of hope for others through her nonprofit, Boxed By an Angel—a mission that’s about more than just gifts; it’s about reminding women facing cancer that they are not alone. Ready to dive into Cathy’s inspiring journey of resilience and kindness, and see how one woman’s struggle turned into a nationwide movement of compassion? LEARN MORE

When Cathy Angel faced her darkest hours battling breast cancer during a painful divorce, she found solace through thoughtful cards and gifts from loved ones. Once in remission, she decided to pay that love forward and offer the same comfort to others who could use an angel of their own. Here, she shares her inspiring story of strength with Woman’s World and how her nonprofit Boxed By an Angel continues touching lives!

How Cathy Angel faced a double breast cancer diagnosis

In 2015, Cathy Angel was going through a painful divorce and struggling with depression and insomnia, so she went to see her doctor. While there, Cathy mentioned she still had a lump in her right breast. After a mammogram a year earlier, she had been told it was a blocked milk duct. Sharing her concern, her doctor sent Cathy for another mammogram. An ultrasound and MRI followed, then a biopsy. Still, Cathy was unprepared when her doctor called and said, “You have two types of breast cancer…both very aggressive.”

Cathy was at work when she got the devastating news. Driving home, tears streamed down her face. At another time, she would have called her husband for support, so the reality that she was now alone hit her harder than ever.

But the Lakeland, Florida, single mom knew she had to stay strong for her children’s sake. Brandon was 21, Leanna, 15, Kennedy, 7 and Kade was just 6. Cathy sat them down and told them she was sick but stressed there was a treatment and that she would be fine. In front of them, she was always positive. But she found herself crying in private, more scared than she’d ever been. How will I get through this? she wondered.

Turned out, she was surrounded by her very own army of angels.

Cathy (left) at chemo with two of her angels: son Brandon and her momCathy Angel

The “angels” who helped Cathy through treatment

As Cathy underwent a bilateral mastectomy in November of 2015, followed by multiple rounds of chemo that left her battling nausea, dizziness and weakness, family and friends rallied around her.

Her mom became her chemo buddy. She and Cathy’s dad helped with chores and errands. Her friends banded together and formed “Cathy’s Fight Club,” delivering home-cooked meals and helping out with the kids. And gifts poured in—soft blankets, candles, slippers, books, inspirational cards, lip balms, lotions, scarves and cozy loungewear.

With each thoughtful gift, Cathy felt warm and comforted, giving her strength to keep fighting, until finally getting the joyful news that she was in remission in December of 2016.

How she turned her journey into hope

With the ordeal behind her, Cathy reclaimed her life and looked ahead with hope. In 2021, she met the love of her life, Wesley Brad Angel, and they married in 2022. But as happy as she was, Cathy never forgot all she’d been through or the people who had been there for her.

Cathy and her husband, Brad, who encouraged her dream of Boxed By an AngelCathy Angel

And one morning, while out for breakfast with her new husband, who goes by Brad, Cathy couldn’t contain herself.

“I had so much support throughout my journey with breast cancer…I want to give back,” she said, and shared her dream to curate custom gift boxes for women going through the same battle. “I want to call it ‘Boxed by an Angel,’ as a play on our last name and as a nod to all the ‘angels’ that brought me joy during my darkest hours.”

Brad’s eyes twinkled as he smiled. “Let’s do it!” he said as he held her hand.

How ‘Boxed By an Angel’ began

Cathy launched her business during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October of 2023. With Brad’s blessing, she used money from their savings to compile 10 boxes filled with socks, nail polish, handmade soaps by Pixie Suds, earrings made by a friend and rose tea. Then, with help from her local hospital, gifted them to women undergoing treatment.

Feedback was just as Cathy had hoped for. Her boxes made women feel loved and gave them strength to keep fighting. I want to do even more, Cathy thought.

Thanks to a generous donation from her old high school coach, who had lost both his first and second wives to cancer, she was able to buy an inventory of gifts. In less than two months, Boxed by an Angel blessed 90 women, and the momentum kept getting stronger from there.

Each box has messages of love and items handpicked for the recipientCathy Angel

Inside the personalized gift boxes bringing hope to cancer fighters

Now an official nonprofit and funded by donations and filling orders with sponsors, the organization is blessing lives throughout the U.S. and into Canada, the U.K. and Venezuela. Visitors to BoxedByAnAngel.com can donate to the cause, gift a box to a loved one (boxes are available at different price points) or nominate someone to receive a box. Applications ask for details about the recipient so the box can be packed with personal things meaningful to them.

Boxed By an Angel has blessed hundreds of womenCathy Angel

Boxes also include affirmation cards with inspirational messages, such as:

“I see beauty in parts of me that I used to think were broken…”

“I choose to see my life through a lens of gratitude…”

“I know I was made for something beautiful.”

Today, Cathy also has boxes for caregivers, and she is working on a men’s line.

As Cathy receives touching notes from those who receive their angel boxes, she knows God is using her in a mighty way, and she never plans to stop.

Boxed By an Angel includes handmade friendship bracelets in each box with encouraging words or phrasesCathy Angel

Boxed By an Angel’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month giveaway

Every year, Cathy finds even more ways to spread hope, kindness and a little joy to cancer fighters and survivors. And this October, she’s celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month with something extra special: “Fab Fun Friday” giveaways all month long.

Every Monday, beginning September 28, Boxed By an Angel will unveil a special surprise on Instagram (@BoxedByAnAngel), giving followers the chance to win. Then, each Friday, starting October 2, a lucky winner will be announced!

And there’s an especially beautiful part to these giveaways: Every prize is meant to make its way to a cancer fighter. If a supporter wins, they’ll have the chance to pay the kindness forward by donating their prize to someone fighting cancer—helping Cathy’s goal of spreading love and encouragement reach even more people.

“God has given me a mission that has filled my heart,” Cathy, now still in remission, shares with a smile. “Through Boxed by an Angel, I have met so many incredible women who bless me every day, and I want to encourage and uplift as many women as I can, to help them believe there is always hope!”