Episode 52

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Published on:

13th Jul 2025

E52 - Gwen Mysiak - Executive Director - WNY Compassion Connection

Gwen Mysiak is on a very personal journey. She was doing communications for Public Broadcasting in Buffalo and was not looking for a career change. But in 2010, her cousin’s son received a terminal cancer diagnosis when he was 13. That’s when everything changed for her.

Gwen Connected with Brian Moorman, the former Bills Punter, who started P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative. P.U.N.T. stands for perseverance, understanding, need, and teamwork.

“I took over as Executive Director in 2012,” Mysiak said. “The one thing I learned when I started, is that there is a total lack of support for the bereaved population. Within a year I established a bereavement retreat here in Western New York. It’s modeled after the program that former New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin’s Foundation was running. I brought it to Buffalo and for ten years we’ve been bringing families together for a Bereavement Retreat in Ellicottville.”

In addition, P.U.N.T provides financial, emotional and other support to families facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis.

“It’s hard enough to think about a child having cancer, let alone not making it. But it’s those families who need us the most. Their hope is gone, their child is gone, their finances are decimated and they’re trying to figure out how to breathe again.”

Gwen's passion to help those who are bereaved has now expanded to help the whole Western New York area through the WNY Compassion Connection.

The mission of WNY Compassion Connection is to help grieving children and families navigate their journey to healing and resilience through the power of peer support and grief literacy within a safe, caring environment and through building up a grief sensitive community.

We envision a place where every grieving child and family finds the support, understanding, and resources they need to navigate their grief journey. We aim to create a community where healing, resilience, and hope flourish, empowering young people and families to thrive despite their loss.

WNY Compassion Connection: https://wnycompassionconnection.org/

P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative: https://puntpediatriccancer.org/

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Heroes in Grief
Inspiring people who have done purposeful things with their grief.
I am a bereaved father, a bereaved son, a bereaved brother & a bereaved friend. Listening to other people's stories of how they cope with their death losses has almost always given me useful tools to use in my journey.
The purpose of Heroes in Grief is the same. It is my sincere hope that hearing the remarkable things that grieving people have done to honor their loved ones, or maybe just to cope will encourage you as well.
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