Meet the Models, SoCal: Aidan Morris

By Caroline O'Donnell | December 8, 2022

Aidan Morris knew she would get breast cancer. Despite being BRCA negative, she had a strong feeling for years that she would be diagnosed, so much so that she was paying out of pocket for mammograms since the age of 27. Though she did have family history- her aunt’s diagnosis at 75 and mom around 60- Aidan’s proactivity was based off her strong inkling. Her relentlessness would pay off, when at age 34, a mammogram revealed breast cancer.

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Meet the Models, SoCal: Ada Pham

By Caroline O'Donnell | December 5, 2022

Three years ago Ada Pham was in her elementary school classroom when she got a call from her doctor telling her she had breast cancer. Looking back, she laughs at the date: Friday, September 13, 2019. After a cyst on her right side prompted a mammogram, stage 0 breast cancer was found. The early stage meant she had time to consider her treatment options, but she endured countless tests and screenings in the weeks after diagnosis. Living in Hawaii at the time, Ada had to face those weeks alone because her family resides in California: “I had to face a lot of it on my own, which was hard.”

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Meet the Models, SoCal: Ricky Hsin

By Caroline O'Donnell | November 28, 2022

Runway for Recovery’s growth to the west coast began out of Ricky Hsin’s desire to honor his sister, Rachael. In nearly all ways, Ricky and his sister grew up opposites and being the children of immigrant parents meant the two had to forge their path in America for themselves. Despite their differences, the two almost always found themselves converging on the same course, even attending the same high school and college. After Ricky married his wife, Melissa, and had their daughter, Lily, his sister remained an integral part of their lives- now expanding her role to being a super aunt.

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Meet the Models, SoCal: Lily Hsin

By Caroline O'Donnell | November 28, 2022

It’s hard to believe Lily Hsin is only 10 years old. Gregarious and well-spoken, she smiles when asked if she is ready to take to the runway by herself in her home of Southern California this January. She, of course, has some runway experience. She rocked the New England runway with her parents, Ricky and Melissa this past fall. She’s ready to do it all over again in honor of her Aunt Rachael, who passed away of breast cancer when Lily was young.

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Meet the Models, SoCal: Kristin Achtmeyer

By Caroline O'Donnell | November 21, 2022

Walk into the Runway offices in Newburyport, MA and you’ll be greeted by a pink neon lit sign that says KEEP DANCING. It’s a tagline that embodies so much about our organization, but most don’t know it’s origin: “About a year or two prior to my mom’s death, Lee Ann Womack’s ‘I Hope You Dance’ became a song she loved,” says Kristin Achtmeyer. Indeed, the spirit of the song- to continue moving through hard times- has been a theme for Kristin and her family since her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis.

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