We Tell Your Story
Part of Runway's mission is to honor the legacies and stories of those who have been impacted by breast cancer. Our blog page is dedicated to helping us share those stories.
Learn more about the importance and impact of our blog by watching the following video.
Rachael Asselin first came to Runway as a daughter who had lost her mother.
Now, through her role on the Runway Board as Chair of Family Grants, Rachael helps support children and families navigating the illness or loss of their own mothers.
This year, as Runway celebrates its 20th Anniversary, Rachael is reflecting on what it means to have grown alongside the organization, to have outlived her mother, and to help build the kind of community she once needed.
Sara Weiss’ children have grown up on the Runway stage.
When Sara first became involved, they were young, watching their mother turn her breast cancer diagnosis into purpose. Over the years, Runway became part of their lives too — a place where they could feel connected, understood, and empowered to help others.
For Sara, that may be one of Runway’s greatest gifts: giving children a place to belong, to understand what their families have been through, and to learn that they can make a difference too.
“Runway has meant the world for them,” Sara says.
Siobhan Donovan is returning to the Runway stage with her children by her side.
When Siobhan was first diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, her children were so young that much of the cancer world was outside their understanding. Now, as they get older, Siobhan wants them to experience the parts of this community that have brought her support, joy, and connection.
“It’s not all bad,” Siobhan says. “It’s not all bad, and you’re not in it alone.”
As she approaches five years since her diagnosis, Siobhan is holding many emotions at once: gratitude, joy, fear, heaviness, and hope. Through it all, Runway has helped her feel seen as someone who is still living her life while living with cancer.
“Runway just makes you feel seen,” she says.
Mena Granatino calls her Runway fundraising page Twin Blessings.
The name holds more than one meaning. When Mena found her breast cancer, she was with her twin grandchildren, who were newborns at the time. In the middle of fear and uncertainty, they were a beautiful reminder of love, family, and everything she wanted to keep moving forward for.
“It makes you feel not as alone,” Mena says.
Emily Knight was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2022, just before her 40th birthday.
Now living with metastatic breast cancer, Emily continues treatment indefinitely and is currently doing well, with clear scans since radiation and treatment to the affected area.
Through it all, Emily has found that community matters most.
“The community is the most important thing,” Emily says.
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