Breast Cancer in my 30’s
Sarah Hickey’s Story
Sarah Hickey dreams of being there for her daughter’s wedding.
For a long time, she imagined that certain future milestones such as this would define the fullness of her life.
But she is also learning to see that fullness in the present: dropping her daughter off at kindergarten, tucking her in at night, and sharing the small, ordinary moments that now feel anything but ordinary.
“I’m measuring the success of my life in those little moments,” Sarah says.
She still wants the big moments. But she no longer believes they are the only proof of a life well lived.
Read MoreLindsay McGloughlin’s Story
Lindsay was first diagnosed with cancer at 28 years old. Her son, Charlie, was only 18 months old.
From the beginning, Charlie was her reason to keep fighting.
“He will never truly know how much he helped throughout my battle,” Lindsay says.
Now, Lindsay is 13 years out from her initial diagnosis, and Runway has become a special and safe place for both her and Charlie. He was only two years old when he made his Runway debut. This fall, he is headed to high school.
Read MoreLaura Gradel’s Story
Laura has been through breast cancer treatment, pregnancy loss, questions about fertility, chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and eventually, two pregnancies after treatment.
For years, Laura was not always sure how much of that story she wanted to share.
Now, five years later, she is ready to tell the fuller version.
“I want to be able to just talk about it,” she says. “And not be protecting people from feeling sad or feeling overwhelmed.”
Read MoreLauren Bonato’s Story
Lauren Bonato was diagnosed with breast cancer at 36, with two young children at home and a life she was determined not to miss.
At first, the fear was overwhelming. Eventually, instead of focusing only on everything that could go wrong, she began asking herself a different question: “What’s the best that could happen?”
That mindset helped carry her through chemo, surgery, and now radiation. It helped her keep showing up for Christmas, school events, birthdays, her daughter’s recital, and the everyday moments of motherhood that mattered most.
Read MoreBecky Read’s Story
Diagnosed at 39, Becky Read found ways to take back control. Her husband shaved her head before chemo could take her hair. After treatment, she threw herself a party called “Becky Got a New Rack,” complete with a band, red devil Jell-O shots, and a show-stopping T-Shirt: “Yeah, they’re fake. The real ones tried to kill me.”
Now, Becky is returning to the Runway stage not only as a survivor, but in honor of her mother and aunt, both of whom passed away from cancer after her own treatment ended.
“I just feel like I need to do this again,” she says.
Read MoreRebecca Muirhead’s Story
Rebecca Muirhead grew up knowing breast cancer was part of her family story.
Her grandmother was diagnosed around 48. Her mother was diagnosed at 40 and faced breast cancer twice. Because of that history, Rebecca began seeing breast doctors when she was just 18 and started mammograms at 30.
That early screening changed everything. After a mammogram found atypical ductal hyperplasia, an MRI revealed stage I invasive breast cancer.
“It really changed me,” Rebecca says. “I’m telling all my friends, just go and get it checked.”
Read MoreMelissa Huber’s Story
Melissa Huber’s breast cancer story begins with her son.
At just four and a half years old, James helped her face one of the most emotional moments of treatment: losing her hair. As Melissa sat in the salon chair, tears rolling down her face, her little boy looked at her and said words she still carries with her today.
“Mommy, you do not need hair to be beautiful.”
Diagnosed at 34, Melissa has faced breast cancer, treatment, recurrence, bone metastases, and liver lesions with honesty, grit, and deep love for the little boy who remains her reason why.
Read MoreWhy Our Models Choose to Dance the Runway
Experience the power of Runway for Recovery through the voices of our Models—individuals who are breast cancer previvors, survivors, currently in treatment, and those living with metastatic breast cancer, alongside the legacies of loved ones we honor and remember.
Read MoreSiobhan’s Story
Siobhan Donovan, a mother and wife living with metastatic breast cancer, shares her journey and the profound impact of organizations like Runway. A grant has enabled her to focus on her identity beyond cancer, cherishing precious moments and milestones with her children. She emphasizes living fully, being present for every ‘first,’ and enjoying her children’s development.
Read MoreJLynn’s Story
JLynn McCarthy’s story is one of resilience, self-reliance, and radical self-love.
“When I was told they couldn’t save my breast or nipple, I remember feeling calm… and then everything else felt distant.”
Diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2023, JLynn faced her journey largely on her own—navigating treatment, a divorce, and a move all at once. Without a strong support system, she became her own: taking herself on dates, choosing self-love daily, and ultimately embracing life flat with confidence and pride.
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