When Boston native Beth Davis was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, she treated it with chemotherapy and she was doing well. But in June 2020, she found out she had developed metastatic breast cancer, that it had spread to her bones, and that she may not have much time left with her husband Rick, and their daughter, Molly.
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Davis, 61, felt an "urgency," she says, to help Molly find the love of her life.
With her daughter's agreement, she placed a profile for Molly on a dating app called Wingman, where friends and family vouch for a loved one in search of a partner. That turned into a giant billboard placed in Times Square with Molly's profile when Wingman founder Tina Wilson found out about the family's story.
Davis tells CNN that she was inspired to focus on her daughter's love life while living with cancer because she wants to see her happy.
"Molly has always unselfishly spent a lot of time with us, including taking a leave of absence to fly to New Zealand last year [where I was] when I was diagnosed and also Molly, like lots of young people, have had their social lives interrupted by these Covid years, so I really just wanted to help find her a special someone," Davis says.
She adds that she admires Molly for her sunny "glass half-full" disposition.
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"She truly sees the good in people and really tries to make everyone's life she touches better," Davis says. "She is smart and so very funny, loves a good belly laugh and doesn't take herself too seriously. She works hard but always tries to balance that with having fun, and I really admire that."
Davis says that while she is trying to push things along in the search for Molly's match, she will defer to her daughter to "tell me when she has met 'The One.'"
"I would love to know that Molly has a good life partner that adores her and puts her first, as I know she will him," she says. "I want to see her surrounded by his lovely family that will have embraced her. And I bet she will slot right into his large circle of friends, and they will plan their own cool adventures."
Molly, 30, tells CNN she doesn't mind her mom's efforts. Her ideal companion, she says, is "someone who makes me laugh and is a good communicator."
"My mom and dad lean on each other," she adds. "That's what I'm looking for."