Helene Broomer and Rachelle Broomer

Helene is a child of a Holocaust Survivor. Her mother’s memories and experience from that moment proved to have a serious impact on her life and the raised she raised her children. Her experience in the Holocaust especially produced an anxiety in her about being alone or abandoned. She lost her entire family and therefore, used the company of her children to help her get through. She would also encourage her children to stay with her.

Helene is a breast cancer survivor and helps other women get through their battle with it with a program Reach for Recovery.

Helene’s greatest regret is that she didn’t go to college. She received a scholarship from Queens College, but her mother refused to let her go, insisting that her education would never allow

What scary to Helene is losing a loved one, especially her husband, who she has known since he was 8.

Of all the hardships that Helene has endured, she would change nothing. She says that even the cancer gave her her life back.