Parents with Breast Cancer
Why 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.
Across our Runway Shows in Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City, these stories come to life on stage. Each Model walks not only for themselves, but for their families, their communities, and those who can no longer walk beside them.
This is more than an event—it’s a movement rooted in resilience, connection, and purpose. It is a space where strength is celebrated, stories are shared, and a powerful community comes together to remind one another that no one faces breast cancer alone.
Inspired by her own experience, Arlene has become a source of strength for others. She now supports and uplifts newly diagnosed patients, offering empathy, guidance, and a powerful reminder that they are not alone.
JLynn’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.
Read MoreTonya’s Story
Tonya’s diagnosis came in the middle of an ordinary moment—one that should have been filled with celebration.
“It was my son’s birthday,” she shared. “We were walking through the store looking for a football that he wanted.”
In an instant, everything changed.
“I was in complete shock. All I could think about were my three boys and how I would tell them.”
Read MoreSadiqa’s Story
Breast cancer was something Sadiqa thought she understood—first as a child watching her aunt go through it, and later as a physician caring for others. But at 34, just beginning her career and newly married, it became her own reality.
Read MoreXiaoqi’s Story
Xiaoqi Han was diagnosed with breast cancer on January 30, 2024—after a routine mammogram that had been postponed for a couple of years. What followed was a moment that instantly shifted everything. “I was more than shocked… my sky was falling.”
Read MoreBeth’s Story
Beth Gelman’s story is one of profound loss, unwavering honesty, and a deliberate, powerful choice to live with joy.
Read MoreKaitlin’s Story
Kaitlin Kelly was just 32 years old when she was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer—a moment that instantly changed the course of her life. What once felt predictable and full of everyday plans quickly became consumed by fear, uncertainty, and a path she never imagined she would have to walk.
Read MoreAsha’s Story
Asha Miller describes herself as a “breast cancer veteran”—a title that reflects not just what she has endured, but how she has chosen to show up in the world because of it. Long before her diagnosis, Asha was already using her voice—advocating in DEI spaces and sharing stories through her writing and photography. But breast cancer reshaped that advocacy into something even more personal.
Read MoreAlison’s Story
In May 2023, Alison Feller was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma. Her daughter Annie was just four years old at the time, and the news sent Alison into a spiral of shock and fear. “I remember sobbing in the middle of the night after my diagnosis, terrified that I might die and leave my daughter without her mom.”
Read MoreHelena’s Story
SoCal Model, Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer & Funded Family
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