Why Belongward Exists

My name is Nicholas Meeks, and Belongward comes from experiences in my own life.

I was diagnosed with colon cancer at 39 years old. My life changed from work, family, and everyday responsibilities to surgeries, chemotherapy, hospital stays, scans, uncertainty, and learning how quickly life can change.

I've also experienced grief, including losing my father, career changes, financial challenges connected to serious illness, and the fear and uncertainty that can come with not knowing what tomorrow looks like.

Through those experiences, my faith, family, and the people who showed up for me became incredibly important.

One thing I learned is that sometimes you don't need someone to have all the answers. Sometimes you just need someone who can honestly say:

"I've been there."

That idea became Belongward.

I wanted to create a place where someone going through cancer could find someone who has been through treatment. Where someone grieving a parent could find someone who understands that kind of loss. Where someone struggling financially could find resources and guidance. Where someone questioning their faith could talk with someone willing to listen.

And where people who have survived difficult chapters of their own lives can use those experiences to help someone else.

Belongward isn't about pretending everything is okay. It's about making sure people don't have to face life's hardest seasons completely alone.

That's what Belongward means to me: a place to belong and a way forward.

— Nicholas Meeks
Founder, Belongward