Second semester success with Shades of Inspiration

For the past 14 weeks, Hill Communications has had the incredible opportunity to partner with Shades of Inspiration for a second semester. Our team, led by Account Supervisor Teresa Kurkjy and supported by Ciane Lopez, Izzy Gordon, Kiley Johnson and I, had a clear goal: to elevate the voice of an extraordinary organization supporting breast cancer survivors in ways far beyond traditional support systems.

Our first step was to immerse ourselves in the story of Shades of Inspiration and understand their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Founded in 2011 by nine breast cancer survivors in a support group, this community has grown from small meetings in a kitchen into a comprehensive support network. The organization provides practical, emotional and financial assistance to women with breast cancer. 

As we dove into our work, our first objective was to strengthen the organization's brand cohesion. We collaborated closely with the Shades of Inspiration team to ensure their website, social media channels and overall messaging were aligned. This included developing a detailed social media branding guideline book — a tool that would help maintain consistency as they continued to expand their online presence.

One of the semester's biggest wins was securing a feature article for Shades of Inspiration in The Good Life Magazine. This opportunity allowed us to share the organization's critical work and the invaluable resources they provide to breast cancer patients and survivors. Our strategic media outreach efforts also helped introduce Shades of Inspiration's inspiring initiatives to an even broader audience.

Still, our greatest task was to re-establish Shades of Inspiration's website, focusing on updating content from their old site as well as adding new updates. Adding a consistent visual identity — including a uniform header and footer structure — made it easier for users to navigate and find the information they needed.

As our collaborative work came to a close, we reflected on the deep impact we had been able to make. By strengthening Shades of Inspiration's brand, increasing their recognition, and improving their digital presence, we played a role in amplifying their vital mission. The journey of a cancer survivor is deeply personal, but with organizations like Shades of Inspiration, no one has to walk that path alone.

We're honored to have contributed to the growth and success of this inspirational community, and we look forward to seeing how Shades of Inspiration will continue to make a difference in the lives of breast cancer survivors and their families.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​