Recipient Partner Spotlight - Flowers for Joy
November 2025- Seema Govil, founder of Flowers for Joy, poses with a bouquet of flowers. Keep Austin Fed donates surplus flowers to Flowers for Joy every Monday.
For Seema Govil, starting Flowers for Joy was an act of gratitude. “I want other patients to have this feeling that they are taken care of, that they have somebody who’s looking out for them. I want to do this because I know what it is to go through these treatments, and I want to help them.”
Established in late 2024, Flowers for Joy delivers bouquets of flowers and a poem written by Seema during her own treatment to patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments at oncology clinics. Every Monday, volunteers pick up donated flowers and transport them to the two participating clinics. At each clinic, the volunteer distributes the bouquets to patients preparing for treatments as well as anyone waiting in the lobby. Flowers are also displayed at the front desk, nurses’ stations, and in infusion rooms, creating an uplifting atmosphere for patients and staff. To keep the focus on recipients, Flowers for Joy hands out the bouquets anonymously. “There is an element of surprise to it,” explained Seema. “Nobody comes to an oncology clinic thinking they’re going to get some beautiful flowers in their hand and a little poem to get through the time.”
With eight deliveries each month, Flowers for Joy has had a deep impact on the lives of patients and their families. “The patients love it,” said Seema. “It gives them hope. And maybe they look at it as a sign from the universe that help is on the way, you are healing.”
2025- Bouquets destined for patients fill a volunteer’s car.
For Seema, delivering flowers to patients is personal. The idea for Flowers for Joy first came to her in an oncology clinic, minutes before her own radiation treatment. As she waited, she received a phone call letting her know she had a flower delivery. Although she had received flowers before, the unexpected call had a huge impact on Seema. “I felt so happy and relaxed. I had gotten flowers delivered from friends before, but that moment was so vulnerable,” explained Seema. “From that moment on, I was comfortable with my radiation treatments and wanted other patients to feel the same.”
After her appointment, Seema was picked up by Lauren from Road to Recovery, a program providing free rides to and from cancer-related appointments. During the trip home, Seema and Lauren brainstormed how to make Seema’s new idea a reality. Lauren was immediately committed to helping start the initiative, which gave Seema confidence. At her next appointment, Seema asked her nurses whether patients would appreciate flowers before their treatments. Encouraged by their enthusiasm, Seema began sourcing flowers the very same day.
When Seema reached out to Trader Joe’s, Mark Schumick, the store’s general manager, let her know that his store was already donating its surplus flowers to Keep Austin Fed. Typically, the flowers Keep Austin fed receives are distributed to community partners with food donations to decorate shared spaces or brighten recipients’ homes. Less than ten minutes after getting Seema’s call, Keep Austin Fed committed to share the flowers from Trader Joe’s with them each week.
As soon as she had the idea for Flowers for Joy, Seema knew she would need volunteers. Initially, she planned to call friends, family, and acquaintances and ask for help. “I didn’t even make one call. They all came on their own,” explained Seema. “When I was delivering flowers, someone would always come up and ask what I was doing and how they could help.” Now more than a year later, Flowers for Joy has eight regular volunteers who pick up and deliver bouquets each week.
December 2025- Volunteers and supporters of Flowers for Joy pose for a picture during Flowers for Joy’s first anniversary celebration.
As Seema looks to the future, she has big plans for Flowers for Joy. “The goal that day at the oncology clinic was that I wanted to do it everywhere,” said Seema. She hopes that Flowers for Joy will inspire others to start similar initiatives in their own communities. “Hopefully, the word will spread and somehow someone else will take it up in a different city. Maybe someone else will take it up in a different oncology clinic in Austin. We have everything in place; they just have to follow the process and duplicate.”
In the meantime, Seema is grateful for Flowers for Joy’s success and her dedicated team of volunteers and donors who bring comfort and hope to patients and make the initiative possible. “I don’t know what the future holds for me. Nobody does,” she said. “But at least I get to make something out of my journey. At least it created something that’s helping others.”
To learn more about Flowers for Joy, visit their Instagram page or email Seema at govilseema@gmail.com. To learn more about Keep Austin Fed, visit our website or email info@keepaustinfed.org.