Breast Cancer Hero
Lindsey Bubar

Lindsey Bubar is a part of many tribes and within those tribes, she plays many roles. A mother, wife, daughter, and friend are the ones that are easy to discern from the surface. If you dig a little deeper, you’ll also hear her described as a “survivor,” a moniker that she took on when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 at the age of 35.

Lindsey added another title to that list: 2022-23 Chair of the Rays of Hope Walk & Run Toward the Cure of Breast Cancer. 

“Lindsey’s courage, spontaneity and positive outlook drew me to her when I met her in 2017. That, along with her deep passion for Rays of Hope, led me to believe she would be an excellent choice as our next chair,” shared Baystate Health Foundation Manager of Events Michelle Graci.  “I am excited she accepted and know her joyful spirit and energy will help so many people in western Massachusetts.” 

Rays of Hope is not a new tribe for Lindsey. In fact, her parents, John and Suzanne Boudreau, started their team, Lindsey’s Tribe, in honor of her in October 2017. And from there, Lindsey’s circle of support has grown to many more than just her team members. 

“Having access to Rays of Hope and those people, programs and information just made me feel better taken care of and really part of something special,” said Lindsey. “It reminded me that I wasn’t alone and that I was going to have unlimited support throughout this whole experience.” 

In a little more than two years, Lindsey received her diagnosis, underwent treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, a lumpectomy, and a mastectomy. Today, Lindsey is doing well and, she shared, feeling even better than she did before she had cancer. 

As she heads into her role as chair, Lindsey is excited about what this year has in store and hopes to make her mark on Rays of Hope, especially for young mothers. When Lindsey was diagnosed, her sons Jackson and Brady were just seven and three years old, respectively. She and her husband Brett were fearful of what the future may look like for their family. 

“When you get hit with this at such a young age and you turn around and look at your children, it’s really hard to picture yourself being there for them 20 years from now, but you have to get out of that mindset. Focus on the present and getting better, then focus on the future and never look back,” she said. “I just want to be able to share my positivity and strength with people. I want to try and spread a little joy to young moms out there who are also going through this.” 

For Lindsey, Rays of Hope has proven to be more than an organization that provides resources and education to breast cancer survivors – it’s all about the people.

“More than anything, the part that feels most special to me is the feeling of belonging to this loving group of people who just want to support women and men in what will most likely be the worst experience of their lives,” shared Lindsey. “If I could sum up what Rays of Hope means to me in one sentence, it would be ‘you are never alone’.”

With that in mind, Lindsey keeps it movin’, cheers on her fellow survivors, provides hope to those around her on their breast cancer journeys, and then heads home at night to spend time with her family, dreaming of what the next 50 years will bring.

Watch Lindsey Talk About Why She Chose to Dance Before Her Surgery

Lindsey Bubar - Dancing Before Surgery