In Memoriam: Maren Coffman, a Guiding Light for MBC Support

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance honors the life and work of Maren Coffman, who passed away on September 29, 2025, shortly after joining the Alliance as a member. Though her time with us was far too brief, her work in patient advocacy had already made a meaningful difference for many of our nonprofit members. We are grateful for her generous commitment to the MBC community, and are privileged to share the story of her work and enduring legacy.

Throughout her life, Maren’s focus was on listening deeply to the needs of vulnerable communities and building systems of peer support. A registered nurse and highly respected researcher in Latino health and access to care, Maren was inspired to pursue this work during a year and a half spent in mission service in Venezuela as a young adult. That experience would shape her fluency in Spanish, her worldview, and her commitment to equity.

Maren was first diagnosed with DCIS at age 44. When her cancer recurred in 2019 as ER+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer, the world was on the brink of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like so many people newly diagnosed with MBC during that time, she faced profound isolation. When she couldn’t find a peer support group through her own hospital system, Maren did what came naturally: she created one. She facilitated the development of an MBC support program, secured funding for therapeutic—and fun!—activities, and nurtured a community that grew exponentially under her leadership. She also developed a research survey to better understand the support needs of women living with MBC, ensuring their voices would guide future care.

As a professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a PhD in nursing from the University of Connecticut, Maren had a deep understanding of the research process, medical standards of care and real-life needs that positioned her to make a unique impact. Through UNC, she led a Latin America study abroad program and served as co-investigator on a five-year NIH-funded study examining social determinants of health in Latino communities. She also worked with teams to conduct research, publish in top journals, partner with the public health department, and make a difference in the lives of many students—some of whom are continuing her legacy of peer support.

Her excellence was widely recognized. Maren received research grants from the National Institutes of Health and was honored with the American Nurses Foundation Presidential Scholar Award. In 2009, she became one of only 15 nurse educators nationwide to receive the prestigious three-year $350,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar Award.

After her diagnosis, Maren shared her expertise generously as a patient advocate in the breast cancer community. She advised Susan G. Komen on the development of the MBC Impact Series and served as a founding member of its MBC Steering Committee. She advocated with Project Life and reviewed grants for METAvivor and the Breast Cancer Research Program, always centering the needs and experiences of people living with metastatic disease.

Outside of her professional and advocacy work, Maren’s life was rich with creativity, warmth, and humor. She was married, the mother of four beloved children and a goldendoodle. Passionately curious in every aspect of her life, she was also a master chocolatier trained in France and a gifted potter.

Maren leaves a legacy of care, connection, and courage. We are grateful for all she gave to people facing metastatic breast cancer, along with her unwavering care for her family, colleagues, and the many communities she uplifted. Her impact will continue to resonate through her students, mentees, and the programs she helped to shape.

Gifts in Maren’s memory may be made to the Maren J. Coffman Doctoral Nursing Education Scholarship at UNCC.