I’m Liezl Janse van Rensburg, a resilience and emotional support coach, mom of two teen daughters, and founder of See Me Rise. See Me Thrive.

This space was born from both heartbreak and hope. In 2020, as I turned 37, I found myself reflecting deeply on my past. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36, and as I watched my own daughters, then 14 and 10, I was transported back to my teen years. The emotions I thought I had long buried, the fear, confusion, and uncertainty began to resurface. It was as if my body remembered what my heart had tried to forget and bury.

That awakening became the beginning of my healing. I realised how unprocessed emotions can quietly shape our lives, echoing through the years until we finally give them space to be seen and understood.

After six years of remission and recurrence, my mom passed away just before my eighteenth birthday. Her courage and love left an imprint that continues to guide me today.

The heartbeat of See Me Rise. See Me Thrive. was born from her journey and my own. From a once-lost, emotionally overwhelmed teen who found her way back to connection, faith, and purpose.

When cancer touches a family, it can feel as though the ground beneath you has shifted. I know that feeling deeply. Despite my mom’s strength and her love, we didn’t have the emotional tools or support we needed. I often felt stuck and broken, silently carrying my pain while pretending to be “fine.”

Those experiences shaped my mission: to walk beside moms with advanced cancer and their teen daughters, helping them find peace, faith, and connection in the midst of illness and loss.

Today, it’s my calling to help transform silent struggles into journeys of growth and grace. Through See Me Rise. See Me Thrive., I help families move from fear to faith, from chaos to calm, and from pain to purpose, creating space for hope, healing, and lasting connection.