Christian Spencer

At Bloom Botanical Bistro in Forest Hills, the music carried more than rhythm, it carried hope.

On October 17, the Etcetera Band transformed their monthly performance into a night of healing and remembrance, raising funds for stage 4 breast cancer research and for their friend, Jeanette Mercado, who is currently fighting the disease.

For band members James and Claire Ramsay, the cause hits home.

Claire, a breast cancer survivor, lost her mother, Leslie Connolly, to stage 4 breast cancer in March of last year.

“I wanted to do something that would honor my mom and give back to the women I know,” Claire said. “This isn’t just an event. It’s personal.”

The Ramsays partnered with Reclaim October, a grassroots organization founded by Trish Michelle to empower women and pr

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