My husband, Mike, and I planned and hosted the first Butterfly Ball in October 2013 to celebrate his sister Lisa Marie’s 10th anniversary of her passing. To honor her memory we created the Lisa Marie Muccilo Foundation and donated the $25,000 raised during our first Butterfly Ball to Young Survival Coalition.

Lisa Marie was diagnosed at 27 years old with aggressive breast cancer. She started working with YSC, helping many young women get through their diagnosis and treatment while facing breast cancer herself. She became a Young Survival Coalition Board Member, Outreach and Education Committee Co-Chair and founded the YSC of New Jersey, which was an affiliate office at the time.

Lisa Marie was a beautiful, loving and compassionate person who was taken from us much too soon on August 18, 2003 at 33 years old. Her passion to help young women with breast cancer inspired us to create the Butterfly Ball and is our way of honoring her while supporting YSC.