Ask any Harvard University undergrad about Union Square Donuts, and they will gladly sing the praises of the award-winning donut shop serving fresh hand-made donuts and coffee every day. Union Square Donuts has locations in Boston, Brookline, and Somerville, but their Harvard Square location is most frequented by the Crimson. Josh Danoff, Union Square Donuts’ Co-Founder & Chief Donut Officer, and his wife Clare embrace everyone in the community they serve, but since a very special moment in October 2023, their relationship with Harvard University has reached a new level.
In October 2023, Josh and Clare’s daughters, five-year-old Tilly and ten-year-old Josephine, were matched with the Harvard women’s lacrosse team through Team IMPACT. When Tilly was three years old, doctors discovered a tumor pressing on her spinal cord. She has since undergone spinal surgery, chemotherapy, and months of constant appointments and treatments. Her sister Josephine was there for her sister through it all. So naturally, when the Danoffs heard about Team IMPACT, they knew it was a perfect way for Tilly and Josephine to have a team of their own together.
Tilly and Josephine’s relationship with the Harvard women’s lacrosse team has allowed both girls to be involved in a program that lets them to forget about the challenges they have had to face in their childhood—challenges that would leave any adult emotionally and physically exhausted. When asked what the team means to their daughters, mom and dad responded, “We have seen both our daughters become more confident. We have seen them become unconditionally accepted and celebrated and loved. They’ve been made to feel special and included and the center of attention. It has given them a safe place to go and be themselves, to come out of their shells and become themselves.”
A cancer diagnosis completely rocks the life of any child, and the effect of the diagnosis reverberates through the child’s entire family and community. Often those who are affected by the aftershock of the diagnosis the most are the child’s siblings. For Tilly and Josephine, this was the case. “For Josephine, a sibling was not her first choice, let alone a sibling with cancer and a complicated medical life that has engulfed a disproportionate amount of time and energy and resources,” Josh and Clare shared, “but she also experiences many of the opportunities and doors that have been opened through Tilly’s diagnosis, complicating things further. This journey, having now entered its third year, has been very hard on Josephine, especially emotionally, since Tilly is so young,” but their time with Harvard lacrosse has allowed both girls to experience something together—as sisters—celebrated equally. Dad went on to say, “At the end of the day, the experience of being part of the Harvard lacrosse team has brought them both closer. They are together, cheering for the same people and are on the same team.”
As beneficial as the Team IMPACT relationship has been for the Danoff family, it has been equally important to the Harvard women’s lacrosse team. Head Coach Devon Willis reflected on the match, “Tilly and Josephine’s involvement with Harvard women’s lacrosse has brought a sense of perspective, gratitude, and purpose to the team members. Having these young individuals as part of the team teaches us about a different type of resilience than one that can be found on the field.” Tilly and Josphine’s presence has inspired the student-athletes to approach lacrosse with a new passion and dedication. Knowing that they are serving as role models for these sisters has provided them with a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude. Tilly and Josephine’s impact on the team has redefined the team’s purpose—it goes beyond wins and losses on the field. Their presence enriches the team culture, instilling values of empathy, resilience, and teamwork that extend far beyond the game itself.
For one athlete in particular, the match means even more. Grace Taylor, a junior on the team, recently underwent treatment for thyroid cancer. Grace’s mantra throughout her personal cancer journey has been “We can do hard things.” She expressed that nobody has illustrated this better than Tilly and her family. Grace went on to say, “Tilly reminds me that who we are is not just the sum of the hardships in our life, but it is all who we choose to become despite our challenges. Even though she has endured years of cancer treatment at such a young age, Tilly is hilarious, kind, fast, tough, sassy, and so silly. Her unwavering spirit serves as a testament to the love, compassion, and resilience instilled by her parents and sister.” Grace summarized her admiration for the family with a final powerful comment, “Even though she is so much younger than me, she has been a role model, embodying how to radiate joy and vitality in the face of cancer.”
We will all be rooting for Harvard women’s lacrosse, Tilly and Josephine on and off the field this spring, and if you’re in the Boston area looking for something sweet and spectacular, look no further than Union Square Donuts.