Meet the Models: Carly Fauth

Model Spotlight: Carly Fauth

Runway Show: Boston | Diagnosed: 2024 | Triple Negative, Stage 1B

Carly is the host of the podcast Chemo Coffee Talk, but she’s about to add “Runway Model” to her list of credentials—and with a story as powerful as hers, we couldn’t be more honored to have her join us.

In February 2024, just ten months after finally turning her fitness side hustle into a full-time business, Carly was in the shower when she felt something off. She’d recently had a mammogram that came back clear, but her dense breast tissue had masked a tumor. “I wasn’t even checking myself,” she explains. “I was washing my armpit and felt a little bump. I kind of wished it would go away—but it didn’t.” That moment changed everything.

Carly was diagnosed with Stage 1B triple negative breast cancer, and after genetic testing revealed a CHEK2 mutation, she and her medical team opted for the most aggressive treatment plan. She underwent a double mastectomy followed by 16 weeks of chemotherapy—and did it all without skipping a single day of exercise or teaching. As a fitness instructor who leads everything from barre to yoga, Carly’s commitment to movement became her lifeline. “I think that’s what saved me,” she says. “It’s what got me through the whole journey and helped me come out stronger on the other side.”

Podcasting from the Chemo Chair

True to form, Carly turned fear into purpose when she launched Chemo Coffee Talk—from her chemo chair. “I was terrified before my first treatment,” she shares, “and I just thought, maybe I can take people with me so they aren’t as scared.” She brought her microphone to Dana-Farber and began interviewing the friends who accompanied her to each session. Each guest had taught her something important—something she’d drawn on to face cancer. “That was the framework. I’d tell the story of what that person taught me and then open it up for them to share how they developed that strength.”

The podcast has continued to grow and evolve, and Carly’s now interviewing notable guests—including Olivia from Runway for Recovery—and building a platform focused on resilience, honesty, and connection. “We have to be willing to talk about it,” she says. “Cancer isn’t always a death sentence. There’s so much we can learn, and so many good things that can come from the journey—if we’re brave enough to share.”

Learning to Receive

Carly describes herself as someone who never liked asking for help. But one friend insisted: “You need to take the help. You deserve it.” A meal train was organized, and friends showed up in ways Carly never imagined. “The human kindness was mind-boggling,” she says. “I knew I had people who loved me, but the people who came out of the woodwork…it was overwhelming.”

She learned to be specific in her asks and embrace support—not as a sign of weakness but as a reflection of community and love. “That was the best life lesson I could have received.”

A New Chapter

Carly is joining Runway for Recovery’s Boston show this fall with a sense of excitement and gratitude. “I always saw Runway on WCVB and thought, ‘What an amazing thing,’” she says. “Even before my diagnosis, I noticed it. And now I’m part of this club no one wants to be in—but it’s a pretty special one.”

While she won’t thank cancer, Carly acknowledges what it’s given her: a deeper understanding of her own strength, an even greater appreciation for movement, and a passion for helping others navigate the fear and unknowns of cancer. Through her voice, her podcast, her classes, and now the runway, Carly reminds us that beauty and courage are not separate—they are one and the same.

We’re honored to have her on the runway this year and can’t wait to watch her shine.