Meet the Models: Karen Walsh 2025
Model Spotlight: Karen Walsh
Runway Show: Boston | Diagnosed: 2015 | Metastatic since 2023
Karen Walsh’s journey with breast cancer began in 2015 with what felt like a surreal, cinematic moment. At 40 years old, she stepped into a darkened bathroom for a moment of peace while her two young sons were glued to a movie. A sliver of light revealed a pucker on her breast, and what followed would change her life. A self-check confirmed a lump—Stage 3A invasive ductal carcinoma.
Karen underwent a single mastectomy, 8 rounds of chemotherapy, and 28 rounds of radiation while also navigating the end of her marriage. As a newly single mom, she fought hard to rebuild a sense of normalcy for her family. For the next seven years, she remained in remission—raising her boys, nurturing deep friendships, and learning to live in gratitude.
But in July 2023, those familiar aches returned—this time, more severe. It wasn’t arthritis. It was metastatic breast cancer, now in her hip. “I was fortunate because it landed in my hip and we were able to do a replacement and get rid of the pain,” she shares. “But it’s metastatic now, and that has been a new, very challenging part of this—mostly for my boys.”
The Moment Everything Changed
Karen remembers the moment of her original diagnosis vividly. “It hit me right in the throat,” she says. “I felt frozen—stuck—and like nothing would ever be the same.” She came home to her sons, ages 5 and 8 at the time, trying to keep the evening normal. Her cousin, unknowingly, brought enchiladas over that night. “I remember thinking, how will I ever do anything normally again?” The song Trouble by Ray LaMontagne played on repeat from her sons’ bedroom. “I was too frozen to turn it off.”
Living Out Loud
Karen has made the conscious decision to live boldly. “I walk through this world with a single breast, and some days I wonder if I should tone it down—for my kids. But I’ve decided to live out loud.” Her life is one of purpose, of humor, and of resilience. “My boys are watching,” she says. “And I want them to see how people show up for each other.”
Even in the face of terminal illness, Karen refuses to be silenced or sidelined. “Get grounded,” she says. “Do the things that make you feel like you. Even if you can’t do them the same way. Dream of getting back to them—just keep living in ways that feel authentic to you.”
Choosing Her Path
One of Karen’s most surprising discoveries came during her reconstruction journey. After two infections, she made the decision to forgo further surgery and not reconstruct her left breast. “I never considered not reconstructing at first—why would I choose that?” But a simple, loving comment from her father shifted her perspective. “‘Ah, who needs it?’ he said. And he was right. It’s my body, my choice. Now when I put my hand on my chest, it’s closer to my heart. I consider that an upgrade.”
Gratitude for Her People
Karen’s tribe has never wavered—her large extended family, her two best friends Libby and Suzi, and countless others have shown up in big and small ways. “They’re my bookends,” she says. “They keep me standing—or catch me when I fall.” From organizing meal trains to simply helping clean her home during chemo, Karen has learned the value of accepting help. “It gave me room to breathe, and I wish that for everyone.”
What She Wants You to Know
“If you’re supporting someone with cancer, please don’t forget that they are the same person you’ve always loved,” she says. “Follow their lead. If they want to laugh, laugh with them—hard. If they want to cry, let it happen. Just be there. Walk with them, even if it’s hard for you.”
Karen walks the Runway not just for herself, but for her boys—and for every family touched by breast cancer. She walks to honor the deep complexity of living with metastatic disease and the beauty of showing up, just as you are, no matter what stage you’re in.
