Palm Seaside County’s 2022 Warriors in Pink
Due to the pandemic, final yr the Susan G. Komen’s annual Downtown West Palm Seaside run and stroll to boost breast-cancer consciousness and analysis funds went digital.
On Saturday, nonetheless, the favored occasion — which attracts 1000’s of individuals and spectators — shall be again at its acquainted staging space at Meyer Amphitheater — with a brand new identify.
As an alternative of being referred to as “Race for the Remedy,” the 2022 occasion known as the “Komen Extra Than Pink Stroll.”
“We modified the identify to place the main target again on fundraising somewhat than racing,” Susan G. Komen Florida Improvement Director Tia Isoff-Celestin stated. “We wished to supply the neighborhood a possibility to come back out and provides it their all from a fundraising perspective, to be enveloped in the entire expertise. Avid runners can nonetheless run, however we wished to make it extra open to everybody and be extra inclusive to households.”
One factor that hasn’t modified, is that the group nonetheless selects a half-dozen native girls yearly to honor for his or her braveness and style throughout their breast most cancers journeys.
So, let’s meet the 2022 Warriors in Pink.
Sherri Boyce
Age: 57; lives in Jupiter.
Boyce is a counselor at Glades Central Group Excessive Faculty. She grew up in Hicksville, NY, and has been residing in Florida for 20 years.
She enjoys paddling water sports activities, strolling, crocheting, and studying. “I’m extremely grateful, humble, grateful, and proud to be a Warrior for 2022,” she stated
A member of the Jupiter Medical Heart “Residing with Breast Most cancers” help group since June 2014, Boyce stated, “I hope that I’ve been capable of assist others. My purpose and mission are to be an inspiration to others by elevating consciousness about Aesthetic Flat Closure (AFC) as a viable choice for girls who’re dealing with mastectomy because of a breast most cancers prognosis. It is very important bear in mind that reconstruction surgical procedure just isn’t the identical as breast augmentation surgical procedure. Ladies have to be made conscious of all the info and make an knowledgeable resolution about their selection of surgical procedure.”
“I’m most grateful for the kindness and selflessness of others who’ve helped me throughout my breast most cancers journey,” she stated. “I’m actually grateful for my whole household, my medical and help groups at Jupiter Medical Heart and at M.D. Anderson Most cancers Heart, my mates, and so many others. Interested by their help brings tears to my eyes.”
Sara Duff
Age: 36; lives in Loxahatchee.
Duff is a human assets supervisor for Buckeye Plumbing, Inc. She was born and raised in Loxahatchee the place she nonetheless resides together with her husband of 14 years and two youngsters, ages 11 and 6. When she isn’t working, Sara loves spending time together with her household, touring, boating, and enjoying volleyball together with her daughter.
For Duff, being chosen a Warrior offers her the chance to “present others that if sooner or later they ever should go down this highway, they’ll know that there’s hope.”
She recalled when somebody did that for her.
“I used to be in my second or third week of chemo and simply reeling from all of the uncomfortable side effects and modifications in my physique,” stated Duff. “My chemo nurse launched me to a lady named Kristy, who sat with me and was so open and type. She shared all of the secrets and techniques she had discovered that made these modifications bearable. She was preventing her personal most cancers battle however nonetheless had time for me. That was a game-changer.”
She beneficial for all girls who could also be dealing with their very own most cancers journeys to “really feel all of the sentiments you have got and don’t be sorry if that makes different folks uncomfortable. You simply want time to permit your thoughts and coronary heart to get round this life-changing prognosis.”
Sharon Perry
Age: 52; lives in Jupiter Farms.
Perry has labored in human assets for Florida Energy and Mild for the previous 25 years. She was born and raised in Williamsburg, Va., and moved to Florida at age 15. She and her husband, Scott, have 5 grownup youngsters and one grandson.
Perry believes that being chosen a Warrior permits her to point out that “I’m residing proof of how vital the mission of Komen is — elevating illness consciousness, early detection, and steady analysis. Being chosen to share my story to encourage others can actually assist save lives.”
Perry is aware of how lucky she is that breast most cancers remedy has superior as a lot because it has in recent times.
“A really pivotal second for me in my journey was when my oncologist instructed me my most cancers was very aggressive and that 5 years in the past, the remedy and potential outcomes had been very totally different,” she recalled. “Now, nonetheless, there was a drug we may use earlier than surgical procedure that has been very efficient in treating my kind of most cancers. It wasn’t out there simply 5 years prior. I knew then that the continued analysis to finish breast most cancers was actual and progress was taking place and now I used to be capable of profit from it.”
Perry can also be grateful to her husband and household for being by her facet the whole manner.
“After 12 years as a single mom, I met the person of my goals,” she stated. “We had been engaged to be married in March 2017. It was one month earlier than our wedding ceremony after we bought my prognosis. I felt blessed to have this wonderful man by my facet, together with my youngsters and mates. I took it sooner or later at a time and when typically it will get overwhelming, these round me would elevate me as much as proceed preventing.”
Since then, she says “I discovered a neighborhood of breast most cancers survivors and I discovered a lot from every of them. I’ve discovered that everybody’s journey is totally different, everybody’s remedy is totally different. However now I generally is a supply of consolation and help for individuals who are identified.”
Kelly Stephens
Age: 35; lives in Boynton Seaside.
Stephens is a cosmetologist who not too long ago went again to highschool to get her bachelor’s diploma in enterprise entrepreneurship and progressive management and can graduate in Might. She moved to South Florida in March 2020 after residing in North Carolina for 10 years. She is an avid scuba diver and an animal lover who has volunteered with rescue organizations.
“It’s an excessive honor each to be nominated and chosen to be with these different sturdy warriors,” stated Stephens. “Being nominated means I touched somebody in such an impactful manner that they thought I’d make an ideal ambassador for Komen. Being chosen as a warrior means I’m now gifted the chance to the touch the lives of others and turn into a beacon of hope for others who’re preventing this similar battle.”
Stephens discovered her first lump doing a self-exam at age 33. After surgical procedures and remedy, she thought she “was within the clear till I discovered my second lump throughout a self-exam simply 18 months later.” After extra therapies, she was thrilled when she bought to “ring my third and closing most cancers remedy bell in August.”
She needs to make use of her skilled coaching to uplift different breast most cancers survivors.
“My objectives are to do one thing with cosmetology and breast most cancers. I’d like to have a cellular salon the place I pair up with most cancers facilities and hospitals to supply complimentary wig styling, haircuts, and wonder tricks to make warriors really feel extra assured after they look within the mirror and battle to acknowledge the particular person staring again,” she stated. “As an alternative of letting most cancers maintain my objectives hostage, I’m utilizing it to make new objectives. My mission is to provide again within the manner I understand how.”
Danette Volmy
Age: 38; lives in West Palm Seaside.
Volmy is a nurse who lives together with her mother and father and two youngsters — son Damari, 12, and daughter, Zari, 10. Volmy is the youngest of eight youngsters and is keen about serving to higher the lives of others.
For Volmy “being chosen as a Warrior means I’ve survived the challenges and obstacles life has thrown my manner. By staying sturdy and having religion, I’ve come to imagine that something is feasible.”
She’s additionally grateful for all of the help her mates in her youngsters’s youth sports activities groups have given her.
“A second that stood out to me is when my Flex Soccer household got here collectively and shocked me with a donation and inspiring phrases,” she stated. “It stood out as a result of they actually did not should do it however to see them come collectively like a household actually spoke volumes. One of many workforce moms even bought her employer to donate and be part of the household. It was a right-on-time second — like, simply while you suppose you’re in a combat alone God finds some approach to remind you that you simply’re not alone.”
Chakela Montgomery
Sadly, Montgomery — a 40-year-old schoolteacher and entrepreneur who was born and raised in West Palm Seaside — misplaced her battle with most cancers on Thanksgiving Day. She left behind 4 youngsters — three sons and one daughter. Her oldest baby is in school. Her two center ones are in highschool and her youngest is in elementary college. Montgomery’s household described her as “an incredible mom, daughter, buddy and sister who beloved serving to others and attending her sons’ soccer video games.”
“We’re all devastated by Chakela’s dying however hope to make use of her story as a approach to promote screening and early exams,” stated Susan G. Komen Florida’s Isoff-Celestin. “Chakela was a real Warrior proper up till the top and we are going to honor her reminiscence this yr.”
IF YOU GO
What: 2022 Komen West Palm Seaside Extra Than Pink Stroll
When: Saturday; registration begins at 7 a.m. and stroll begins at 9:30 a.m.
The place: Meyer Amphitheater, 104 Datura St., West Palm Seaside.
For extra info: Go to komen.org.