Gifting Joy was founded in the fall of 2022 by Alexa Baltazar who knows firsthand the challenges of undergoing cancer treatment. In 2021, Alexa was diagnosed with leukemia, a shocking diagnosis for someone so young and fit. Her journey through treatment was grueling—five inpatient hospital stays for various types of chemotherapy, followed by a bone marrow transplant that required a month-long hospital stay. During that time, Alexa couldn't go outside, was incredibly isolated, and faced intense physical and mental challenges.

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Bone marrow transplants are life-saving treatments for blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, but they are incredibly demanding. Patients must endure intense chemotherapy and total body radiation, leaving them immunocompromised, in pain, and struggling with side effects like difficulty eating, headaches, anxiety, and depression. Alexa’s experience inspired her to create Gifting Joy, a non-profit dedicated to bringing a spark of happiness to patients during such difficult times.

At Gifting Joy, we believe that while we cannot heal these patients physically, we can offer them emotional support that plays a crucial role in their recovery. Our mission is to provide beautifully wrapped gifts that bring a twinkle of joy to those undergoing bone marrow transplants at Duke Hospital.

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In addition to gift-giving, Gifting Joy is expanding its mission to support Duke’s oncofertility program. This initiative provides financial assistance to young adult cancer patients who face infertility due to their treatment. In North Carolina, insurance does not cover fertility preservation for these patients, and the out-of-pocket costs can be overwhelming, often reaching thousands of dollars. Through our support, we aim to relieve some of this financial burden, giving young adults hope for future family-building.