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.
When Emily Friedrichs was 17, she lost her mother to breast cancer. At just 43, her mother left behind Emily and her two brothers, ages 14 and 10 at the time. Her battle defined most of the children’s lives, especially her youngest brother: “my mom was sick for three years before her death, so my youngest brother was only 6 and for him, most of his memories of her involve breast cancer.” It’s why, as Emily got older, she was diligent about self-exams and and breast MRI’s. The early screening would pay off because although she herself was unfortunately diagnosed, her early stage diagnosis meant a very treatable prognosis.
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Katie Smith was enjoying all the facets of being a new mother to her boys, ages 2 and 5. In fact, she and her husband were trying for a third. Six months prior, given extensive family history of breast cancer, Katie received her first mammogram, at an earlier than typical age, and was all clear. She carried on with family life and being a science teacher to her middle schoolers. Her seemingly blissful family existence was soon shattered, first by a miscarriage and then a devastating diagnosis of stage four metastatic breast cancer. Katie has been fighting the disease for three years now.
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Paula Gordon was a force for women. Described as a “professional volunteer” by her daughter, Amanda, it is clear the lasting effect Paula has had on generations of women, particularly her daughters. Paula was intensely passionate about women’s causes and believed deeply in organizations that sought to empower women. She had a unique way of connecting with women and making them feel seen, so much so that at her funeral, Amanda was blown away at the amount of people who expressed a deep connection to her mother.
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Lisa Hennessy did not think twice about breast cancer in her thirties. There was no family history, but one day her 39 year old cousin called her up to tell her she had breast cancer. Lisa was shocked, but immediately began to advocate for herself with doctors. She asked her OBGYN several times if she should be tested, but given that she was 34, her doctors did not think testing was necessary. Shortly after having her third child, Lisa noticed what she thought, at the time, to be a blocked duct. Doctors agreed to screen it to be safe. On March 1, 2017, doctors alerted Lisa that she had HER2 invasive ductal carcinoma that had already spread to her lymph nodes. Lisa notes, “I immediately went into mode” and, given the aggressive nature of the cancer, on March 31st she began treatment.
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Breast cancer has been apart of Sharon’s story for many years. She married her, now husband, after he had lost his first wife to breast cancer. She also became a step-mom to 10 year old Julia, who had seen her mom bravely battle the disease for nearly a decade. It’s why, when Sharon felt a small lump in her breast, she waived it off thinking, “lightening could not strike this household twice
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