Turning a cancer journey into a company that heals: Story of a ‘cancer-preneur’
Prior to her first breast cancer diagnosis in 2018, Liz Benditt never imagined transitioning from corporate marketing executive to “cancer-preneur.” But life often re-routes us exactly where we’re meant to be. And many examples tell us that you’re never too old to launch a new business; in fact, there are many advantages to starting a business in your late 40s, early 50s or even later in life.
“The beauty of starting a business this late in life is that you have this network of people you can call upon,” said Benditt, president, founder, and CEO of The Balm Box, an ecommerce company that delivers gift boxes tailored for cancer patients. “I have this incredible network of people that have worked for me, or I have worked for, that I was able to rely on.”
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The ‘Starfish Play’
Years earlier, Benditt made a decision that ultimately opened her eyes to seeking greater flexibility, freedom, and autonomy But it wasn’t a single ‘ah-ha’ moment so much as a progression.
“I think it’s a lot of little things that build up over time and over the years,” she said, pointing out that it’s not uncommon for women, especially, to struggle with work-life balance.
Surprisingly, the dilemma had nothing to do with needing greater flexibility for cancer treatments. She said the companies she worked for were always supportive when it came to time off after a diagnosis; Benditt has fought cancer six times, beginning with melanoma and, most recently, breast cancer.
The moment that stands out in Benditt’s mind relates to her daughter’s first-grade play.
“She was cast as the starfish in the school play, and we were very excited. I was in charge of making the costume, which is hilarious, because I had no artistic talent whatsoever. I went to Hobby Lobby and just got creative,” Benditt recalled. “Anyway, the ‘starfish play’ was a very big deal.”
Right before the play, the company where Benditt worked as a marketing executive was sold; she learned that she was supposed to fly to Chicago for a big company meeting where they would meet the buyers and discuss what things would look like moving forward. It was an important moment in Benditt’s career at the time.
“It would have meant missing the starfish play,” she said. “I wouldn’t do it.”
In a happy twist of fate, Benditt stayed home for the play and then headed to the airport to catch a late flight. That’s when she found out the meeting was canceled, anyway.
“I keep going back to that moment. It was such a great example of the decisions you have to make as an executive mom,” she said.
Gifts cancer patients really need
The decade that followed included a sequence of cancer diagnoses, during which time Benditt’s kids “learned to do their own laundry, make pancakes for dinner, and most importantly, learned that the world continues to turn even when the family is in crisis,” Benditt said.
In 2017, Benditt had her first breast cancer diagnosis. Well-meaning friends and business associates sent gifts like tote bags and T-shirts which were, of course, appreciated—but not the type of things she found especially useful.
“That’s when I first had the idea for The Balm Box,” Benditt said.
But practicality had to come first. Launching a business meant walking away from a comfortable, two-income household and shifting how the family managed daily life.
“My husband and I sat down and spoke about what it would take for me to go ‘rogue entrepreneur,’ and we realized we’d have to cut out childcare,” she said.
At the time, her adolescent children, although self-sufficient in many ways, still needed rides to sports practices and music lessons. “We had a nanny, and we joked that she was really more of a chauffeur,” Benditt said.
When extracurricular activities and classes stopped during the pandemic, it removed that logistical barrier. Around the same time, Benditt was laid off from her marketing role and took an adjunct teaching position at the University of Kansas School of Business.
Meanwhile, with people spending more time online due to the pandemic, Benditt leveraged her expertise to perform extensive market research as she stepped into her entrepreneur identity, trading her CMO hat for the role of CEO.
“We interviewed 500+ patients and caregivers, online, to curate functional care packages for cancer patients,” she said. “It totally validated my business idea, and this huge disconnect between what cancer patients want and what they’re actually getting.”
Leveraging half a lifetime of experience
Benditt’s background helped her nail down what marketing professionals call the “4Ps”: Product, price, promotion and place (in other words, distribution channels).
She relied on her vast network for guidance on the hands-on elements of digital marketing. “I was at the stage in my career where I had been delegating the execution,” she explained. “I understood the marketing strategy, but I had to learn how to go in and manage Google AdWords, things like that.”
She tapped her kids and their friends to assist with product fulfillment, shipping boxes from the Benditt’s guest room and, later, their garage.
By 2023, The Balm Box expanded into office and warehouse space, with two additional full-time employees and a team of part-timers that can scale based on seasonal needs.
Building a legacy
In addition to direct-to-consumer sales, Balm Box products are also available at Walmart.com,CVS.com and Bergen Marketplace. The e-commerce site continues to grow, offering care packages for patients with specific types of cancer or undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
In her early 50s, Benditt is at an age when many of her peers might be planning for retirement. But Benditt is focused, instead, on expansion.
“I don’t see myself retiring until I’m in my 70s,” she said. “I have more interest in growing the business and controlling the direction while I have that capability.”
In addition to a greater sense of purpose, the company gave Benditt back something she said cancer often takes away: a sense of control.
Years before launching The Balm Box, Benditt skipped a high-stakes corporate meeting to watch her daughter perform as a starfish in a school play. Even today, that experience reinforces what matters most to Benditt as a mother, wife and entrepreneur. The core values of freedom and autonomy continue to guide her as she builds both a company and a family legacy.
“Being able to own my own choices and have that freedom has been amazing,” she added. “The longer I stay in this entrepreneurship role, the less I feel like I could really go back to what I call the ‘real world.’”
Are you doing something inspiring? Do you know someone who is pursuing a passion in their older years? If you or someone you know is 50 years old or older and should have their inspiring story told, please email the editors at Nifty 50+
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