It was Katherine Hahn Schomberg’s birthday Thursday, and recipients and Isles wives and girlfriends sang Happy Birthday to her to celebrate. Although the women had met for the first time earlier that day, the shared love and connection felt instantaneous.

“As soon as we walked into the lobby this morning, we all locked eyes and knew that we’d all been through something intense, either recently or in the last few years, and we connected instantly,” said Hahn Schomberg. “It was special. We had such a wonderful day.”

The special day was centered around the importance of self-care and wellness. Burns is an example of how important preventative care is, as she was diagnosed with cancer after she went in for a routine screening, advocating for all women to do the same.

“I realized it was time to get my mammogram, so I went and that’s how they found it,” Burns said. “Nothing’s more important to get your yearly screenings. It saved my life, it saves lives, it’s so important to make the time.”

Lauren Doda, who works as a nurse at Northwell, had the two-fold experience of being a caretaker and a patient. She leaned on her immediate family and children in her toughest times. She hadn’t been part of any outside support groups during her battle, but the community she stepped into on Thursday felt especially empowering.

“It’s such a loving, welcoming community,” Doda said. “The group of us are superheroes, all walks of life and going through the same thing at different stages. You find your strength at your weakest times, and you can feel the energy and strength in that room.”