On World Kindness Day 2025 I had the opportunity to interview multi-mission research astronaut Kellie Gerardi to talk about compassion, empathy and why it was “a no-brainer” to write the foreword for the new book Beyond Words.

The minute I heard about it I agreed – a no-brainer. This book and the mission behind it will send all our hearts skyward.

A disclaimer at the start: Kellie and I had already met when she provided an inspiring quote about mentorship for my first book Être: Girls, Who Do You Want to Be back in 2019. Since then, Être girls everywhere have followed Kellie’s STEM inspo avidly, cheering with every launch of her own Luna Muna books and watching with mouths open when she became the 90th woman in history to fly to space.

So, when we heard about her commitment to Beyond Words, a new children’s book by Sheri Fink in collaboration with Aflac that explores the importance of presence and kindness in the face of challenges, Être girls had to know more.

Described by Aflac as “an original children’s book that follows Buddy the Bear on an imaginative intergalactic journey, where he learns that sometimes the strongest support is shown through presence and kindness, not words,” the book is inspired by brave children undergoing treatment for cancer and sickle cell disease. Cleverly placing a story about unfamiliar surroundings in space, Aflac then turned to Gerardi to write the foreword and record the audio book.

Below is a lightly edited version of our recent conversation:

Ê: I'm so happy this worked out!

KG: Likewise! It's so nice to be in touch again.

Ê: There are so many readers who are going to love this book! Whether it's kids or the grown-ups reading over their shoulders, anyone looking for ways to connect with people beyond words will find ways to do so. And I feel like you have perspective in three different areas – as a mom, as an author and as a STEM mentor – to talk about that.

KG: I think your summary of the message is so perfect. It's really showing not only kids, but the grown-ups who are reading alongside them - all of us need this reminder that empathy and compassion can be shown through action. It doesn't have to be about finding the perfect words to say something or show up for the people we love.

“Whether it’s being a mom, an author, having written children’s books myself, and knowing how powerful of a vehicle a book like this could be to delivering big messages, or in my science career - it’s about the values we want to export. You’re right to say that this was a very fulfilling project for me in each area, and very aligned with all of my values.”

— Kellie Gerardi

Ê: How did it feel when Aflac first reached out?

KG: I felt very fortunate – it was a no-brainer for me. [This book] is part of a 30-year-long commitment by Aflac and they've given more than $200 million in that direction, so it's real and tangible impact for children and their families who are struggling

Ê: And these are hard concepts for kids to get, right? When you talk about blood disorders and cancer - these are scary, grown-up words. The book is such a great way for parents to address them. As a mom – what’s the message you want parents or caretakers to take away from this book?

KG: The backdrop of an outer space adventure ended up being such a perfect vehicle for conversations like these. Buddy, this little mission driven little bear is on his quest for compassion and understanding and he's confronting a lot of unknowns and he's unsure in this wild new world. I think that was a really nice mirror for his emotional journey grappling with these bigger concepts, and the delight of new discovery is something that exists both in the space realm and in the realm of compassion and kindness.

“This is the core message, and I have to give credit to author Sheri Fink. I think she did a masterful job… my seven-year-old daughter was fully engaged at the end, understanding that core takeaway message at the end about showing up for other people without needing the perfect words.”

— Kellie Gerardi

Ê: I love that you said kindness because today is actually World Kindness Day! And I’ve seen kindness threaded through your books – the Luna series – as well. From the author's perspective, can you say more about why this book is so special?

KG: Absolutely! I think [Sheri Fink] really keyed in on what it would be like to go on an outer space adventure like this for Buddy the Bear. He's got this goal of figuring out what to say. And while he's navigating all these unknowns, he's able to take a minute and then discover the delight and awareness that comes from engaging in a new world. I think she did such a masterful job – because the unknown can appear scary at first. It can appear intimidating but being able to plow through that and keep going and see all of the delights of discovery, that is something she did that I think is special.

Ê: That had to make writing the foreword and recording the audio book so meaningful, having been in the author's chair and holding the pen yourself. So now we get to the mentor perspective, which is obviously the most near and dear to my heart. So much of mentorship is action as opposed to the perfect words – what are ways that people can get involved in this cause and take action on behalf of this book’s mission?

KG: I'll take it from the messaging side, but then also the the tangible side after reading this book and supporting the core message. In the mentorship context ,like you mentioned, more than half the battle is just showing up. Early on in my career as a mentor, I felt a lot of pressure to make sure I had the perfect advice for each person. And that's just an unrealistic goal, right? You might not have the exact perfect tailor-made advice for what's going to unlock the next chapter of [your mentee's] life, but showing up and listening and being a sounding board and giving your time and giving your energy, sometimes that's even more important than giving the perfect piece of advice.

“Mentorship is all about showing up with energy and impact - and I think Beyond Words really mirrors that well because it’s the same thing, right? You don’t need all of the perfect words. It’s just about consistent support...showing up and being there.”

— Kellie Gerardi

And then on the tangible side, I would say purchasing this book has real impact. One hundred percent of the net proceeds go to treatment and research for children's cancer and blood disorders. What a good mission, right?

Ê: An incredible mission. Can you say more about what a difference this makes and how the next generation can get involved to support?

KG: Every year in the U.S. alone, more than 16,000 children are diagnosed with cancer, and that's not even including all of the kids navigating blood disorders. It's too many. The number is too big. So this is a very real and tangible way to help support. On Aflac's website you can buy the book - Aflac.com/beyondwords - and you can also listen to my audio recorded version of the book, which is fun! There are a lot of other interactive elements on that site to take the action even further, like downloadable coloring content, which is really sweet.

“And then I love especially the companion piece called Seeds of Kindness, where children and families can write words of encouragement to other kids and families. It's such a beautiful way to continue the message of this story and take down the barriers and the hurdles of finding the perfect words of kindness.” - Kellie Gerardi

Ê: It is, indeed. We're so grateful to you, to the author and to Aflac for launching a book like this into the world. Être girls can't wait to help amplify this message!

And I mean that with all my heart. It was a joy to chat with Kellie on World Kindness Day and it's a privilege to share this book with every generation throughout the holidays. Check the Êxtras section below for links to purchase and ways to get the younger set involved.

My admiration for this project is beyond words.

Looking forward,

Illana