Gooses with Open Hand & More is a nonprofit rooted in compassion, courage, and connection. We exist to support those impacted by breast cancer — extending care not only to individuals and families, but also to the loyal companions who walk beside them through life’s most vulnerable moments.

Our mission is to fight cancer with empathy and action by providing meaningful resources, moments of comfort, and tangible expressions of care. We believe healing is not only medical — it is emotional, relational, and deeply personal.

In addition to supporting people facing breast cancer, we also provide support for canines diagnosed with cancer, offering comfort-focused assistance and advocacy for pets and the families who love them. Whether the diagnosis affects a person, a beloved dog, or both, we believe no one should have to face cancer alone.

At the heart of our work is the belief that care should extend to every member of the family — human or animal — guided by love, dignity, and an open hand.

The heart behind My Goose’s Open Hand & More beats with compassion, resilience, and boundless love, qualities that have defined every chapter of Corinne van Ryck deGroot’s remarkable life.

Corinne’s story is anything but ordinary. Born in East York, Toronto, Canada, she has built a life rooted in courage, discipline, and reinvention. A graduate of Carleton University with a bachelor’s degree in criminology and English, Corinne pursued paths that demanded both physical strength and deep integrity.

She served as a police officer with the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service, stepped into the ring as a professional boxer ranked #2 in the world, and forged a successful career as a Hollywood stuntwoman. Millions came to know her strength and determination when she captivated audiences as “Panther” on NBC’s American Gladiators.

Yet it was not fame, medals, or applause that shaped her greatest purpose, it was heartbreak.

The Moment That Changed Everything

What began as an ordinary visit to the veterinarian became the most life-altering moment Corinne had ever faced. There, she received devastating news: her beloved Pomeranian, Simba, her loyal companion and best friend of 14 years had been diagnosed with bone cancer.

Grief weighed heavily on her heart as she drove home, tears blurring the road. At a red light, her phone rang. It was her best friend. In that same moment, Corinne learned that she, too, had just been diagnosed with breast cancer. In that collision of heartbreak and fear, something powerful emerged, fierce determination!

“No matter what, we’re going to fight this. Simba’s going to fight it, and I’m going to fight with you.”

Searching for something, a symbol, a message, a shared expression of strength. Corinne looked for a way to honor women battling breast cancer and the devoted dogs who stand beside them, and for pups facing cancer of their own. But nothing existed that truly captured the shared courage, pain, love, and hope of that bond. So, she created it herself.

The Birth of a Mission

My Goose’s Open Hand & More alongside Naughty Pawzz was born from that aching need to love, uplift, and support.

What began as a deeply personal response to loss has grown into a movement: a beacon of encouragement for women facing breast cancer and the pets who walk beside them, as well as for dogs battling cancer and the families who refuse to give up hope.

Today, the mission stands as a living reminder that no one should face cancer alone and that even in life’s darkest moments, love can be a powerful force for healing.