MARY’S BLOOM DAY 2023 — CELEBRATING OUR #1 KINDNESS AMBASSADOR

One of our favorite Playful Hearts and R2K’s #1 Kindness Ambassador is Mary Pellouchoud, our founder Elva Pellouchoud’s beloved sister. In early 2023, Mary was diagnosed with cancer. To help her celebrate her 12th and final chemotherapy session, R2K created a special day of kindness in Mary’s honor—inspired by her love of roses and aptly named Mary Bloom Day.

Throughout her cancer journey, Mary has been a shining (and dancing) example of courage, strength, gratitude and pure joy. She’s truly an inspiration to us all. But no moment was quite as heart-lifting as Mary’s bell-ringing ceremony on October 20, a triumphant ritual to mark the end of chemotherapy to a crowd of applause. Surrounded by supportive friends, family and staff, Mary took a moment to do what she does best—inspire everyone around her with a spirit of unstoppable fun and positivity:

“This has been a six-month journey that seemed like an impossible mountain at the beginning. This is a milestone. This isn’t the end. As we learn, we live in the moment, and we take the next step. But this is a really fun part of the steps, so here we go!”

On Mary’s big day, R2K’s Kindness Ambassadors, including Elva and their sister, Sarah, showed up with buckets of bright blooms to pass out to patients and medical personnel. Each stem was hand-tied with a ribbon and Bloom card, featuring a hopeful poem about flowers and a heartfelt message from R2K to remind all that we’re rooting for them.

Keeping the momentum going during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our team of Kindness Ambassadors delivered dozens of fresh roses, from CA to MI, in honor of Mary’s Playful Heart and our loved ones who have fought their own battles with cancer. We were moved by the gratitude of patients and inspired by their stories of resilience.

Mary has always been R2K’s #1 fan, promoting our passion projects and spreading kindness every chance she gets. And now, she is our #1 inspiration to always “do the thing you think you cannot.” Her boundless spirit and unwavering joy are a gift to all. The world is truly a better place with Mary’s light in it.

Mary credits her ongoing strength and positivity to all the love and support she received from her friends and family throughout the journey. While we agree, we also believe her Playful Heart had a lot to do with it. Much like the song about another much-loved Mary Poppins: “happiness is bloomin’ all around her…No wonder that it’s Mary that we love.”