Meet the Models: Kathy McCullen
Legacy Model Spotlight: Kathy McCullen
Honoring Her Mother, Shirley | 17-Year Breast Cancer Journey
This year holds particular meaning for Kathy McCullen. If her mother were alive, she would be celebrating her 90th birthday this August—a milestone Kathy deeply believes her mother would have reached if not for breast cancer. After all, her grandmother lived to 95. “Had she been diagnosed later or had access to today’s treatment,” Kathy says, “I believe she’d still be here.”
A Childhood Shaped by Strength and Silence
Kathy was only 12 years old when her mom, Shirley, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 45. It was the early 1980s, a time when few spoke openly about the disease, and even fewer resources existed to support families. Her parents, trying to shield their daughters, shared little about the gravity of the diagnosis. “It was a confusing time,” Kathy recalls. “There was so little information. Support to families was minimal.”
Over the next 17 years, Kathy watched her mom endure multiple mastectomies, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments. But never once did she complain. “She fought like a true warrior,” Kathy says. “She was selfless through it all.” Shirley also found purpose in helping others, volunteering with the American Cancer Society’s Reach to Recovery program, offering support to newly diagnosed patients—many of whom had no one else to turn to.
A Mother’s Spirit, Still Very Much Alive
Shirley died in 1998, just six months before Kathy’s wedding. Her absence has been deeply felt during every major life event since, but Kathy is adamant: “She will forever live in our hearts.” One silver lining, she notes, was the deepened relationship with her father. “My mom’s death broke his heart, but he was always there for me and my sister until he passed in 2020.”
Kathy carries her mother’s spirit into her daily life. Shirley was a fun-loving, positive, and deeply compassionate woman, with a deep love for animals and nature. Their home was filled with pets—horses, cats, rabbits, a dog, even hamsters—and Shirley maintained a lush vegetable garden and flower beds. Her favorite flower, the iris, and the cardinals that pass by, are now powerful symbols of her enduring presence. “Every time I pick up my tennis racquet,” Kathy adds, “I think of her. I took up tennis just to be with her, and I still play today.”
Living Through Loss, and Passing Forward Love
One of Kathy’s most treasured memories involves a small act of kindness: after Shirley’s passing, a woman from town who had lost her own child gifted Kathy and her sister a framed copy of “A Parable for Mothers.” That gesture stayed with her. For years now, Kathy has gifted the same parable to others who lose their mothers—a quiet, thoughtful tradition of remembrance and comfort.
As she reflects on her mother’s 17-year battle and the way her family moved through it—grieving, growing, surviving—Kathy remains focused on honoring that legacy. “I’ve missed my mom every day for the past 27 years,” she says, “and I will continue to honor her for the rest of my life. Breast cancer has had a huge impact on our family—and sadly, it continues to affect so many others today.”
Why She Dances
This year, Kathy walks the Runway not just in remembrance—but in celebration. “My mom should always be celebrated,” she says. “She was the kindest, most loving, and fun mother. Her memory, her values, and her love live on in me and in my children—even though she never got to meet them.”
By honoring Shirley, Kathy honors the strength of all mothers, daughters, and families who have moved through a breast cancer diagnosis together. And she ensures that her mother’s story will continue to touch hearts—on the Runway, and beyond.
