Christy’s cousin and best friend, Teresa, was diagnosed with breast cancer a year after her mom (Christy’s aunt) died of the same disease. Teresa died four years later. Their relationship and the intricacies of her end-of-life experience fuel Christy’s work today.

Christy begins her work in serious illness and end-of-life managing programs and communications for a cancer support center.

Christy opens a small marketing consultancy serving nonprofits and small businesses with a focus on healthcare communications and marketing tech integrations.

Jane graduated with a degree in design and began working with non-profit clients. She focused her strategic design skills on building brands and fostering connection through visual storytelling.

Jane's fiancé, Andrew, was diagnosed with a brain tumor 25 days before their wedding. After a complex, risky surgery he recovered well and the two moved to New York City where they are raising their three children.

Jane and Christy partner to launch a new startup from idea stage to Shark Tank investment. They quickly realize there is a certain kind of magic ✨ in their partnership and merge their design and marketing businesses to form Well Refined.

After learning more about the gaps in support from serious illness to end-of-life to grief, Jane and Christy launched the first iterations of Near with a focus on practitioner connections and end-of-life navigation. Their work on Near temporarily paused in 2022.

Jane's husband of 8 years, Andrew, was diagnosed with a second brain tumor and underwent surgery. As Andrew recovered in the hospital doors down from a neighbor who was dying, the idea for Near's Care Registry was born.

Integrating their experiences - from the deeply personal to the professional - Jane and Christy re-launch Near to connect communities of loved ones through a seamless, easy-to-use platform where empathy and kindness make a tangible difference.