Maggie Corcoran Seitz’s Story

How has breast cancer affected you?

Breast cancer has shaped Maggie’s life through love, loss, and family.

Her mother passed away from breast cancer when Maggie was a young adult. At the time, there were very few people in her life who understood what it meant to lose a mother so young.

Olivia was one of them.

That shared understanding became part of what connected Maggie to Runway for Recovery. It was also part of why she first decided to walk the Runway stage years ago.

At the time, Maggie did not fully know what she was getting into. She was very pregnant, carrying her young son on her hip, and stepping into a community that would become far more meaningful than she could have imagined.

Looking back now, that moment feels unforgettable: a young mother, pregnant with one child and holding another, walking in memory of her own mother.

It has become one of those truly iconic Runway memories.

 

What does it mean to return to Runway now?

For Maggie, returning to Runway feels full circle.

When she first walked, she was still carrying so much of her own grief. Now, she is returning as a mother herself, with children who know their grandmother through photos, stories, and the love their family keeps alive.

Her children look at pictures of Maggie’s mother often. They talk about her. They work, in their own way, to know her and remember her.

That means everything to Maggie.

This year, walking with her children is not only about honoring her mother’s memory. It is also about celebrating that Maggie is still here, alive and thriving, able to raise her children, tell them stories, and help them understand where they come from.

 

How does your family continue to keep your mother’s legacy alive?

Even though her children did not get to know their grandmother in the way Maggie wishes they could have, her mother is still very much part of their lives.

They look at photos. They hear stories. They know that she mattered deeply.

For Maggie, that is part of the work of motherhood after loss: making sure her children understand the people who came before them, even when those people are no longer physically here.

Runway gives her family another way to do that.

On the Runway stage, her children get to be part of something that honors not only their grandmother’s memory, but the love and strength that continue to move through their family.

 

What does Runway mean to your family today?

Runway is meaningful to Maggie not only because of her mother’s story, but because of the role her family continues to play in the organization.

Her mother-in-law, Mary Lou, has been a huge part of Runway’s work behind the scenes, especially with funded families. Through that work, Mary Lou has helped support families facing breast cancer, metastatic disease, and loss in deeply practical and meaningful ways.

This year gives Maggie a chance to honor that too.

By walking, her children get to see what their grandmother does, why it matters, and how Runway shows up for families in moments when support can make all the difference.

For Maggie, that is incredibly special.

Runway is not just something her family attends. It is something her family believes in.

 

How does breast cancer affect you today?

Because of her family history, Maggie has to stay on top of heightened screening.

That can be tiring. It can be anxiety-inducing. It can bring up fear, memories, and the weight of what her mother went through.

But it also brings gratitude.

Maggie is deeply grateful to be alive. She is grateful to be thriving. She is grateful to have her children, to be raising them, and to be present for the moments her own mother did not get to see.

That gratitude does not erase the anxiety, but it helps her hold both things at once: the reality of what breast cancer has taken from her family, and the beauty of the life she is living now.

 

Why does Runway’s mission matter to you?

Maggie believes deeply in what Runway does.

She has seen how breast cancer affects not just the person diagnosed, but entire families. She understands what it means for children to lose a mother. She knows how important it is for families to feel held, supported, and remembered.

That is why Runway’s work matters so much to her.

Through its community, its events, and its support for funded families, Runway creates something that lasts far beyond one night on the stage.

For Maggie, being part of that mission is an honor.

This October, she will walk in memory of her mother, in celebration of her children, and in gratitude for the family and community that continue to help keep love and legacy alive.

We can’t wait to celebrate Maggie and her family on the Runway stage.