Authors Note: I wrote this story for my multimedia news gathering course. This story was created to inform people of an annual event that happens to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. This is a story for people who don’t know much about ovarian cancer. For this story I utilized my Sony camera, the Rode portable microphone, My interview skills to conduct interviews at the event, my photography principles, and the inverted pyramid layout to structure the story. This story was published on February 26, 2022. This story taught me the importance and lasting effect of keeping connections after an interview.
Ovarian Cancer Survivor Walks in Fashion SHow
Catherine Banach was diagnosed with stage 1C ovarian cancer in 2013. In 2017 Banach was told, “The cancer is everywhere.”
Last week, she was center stage as a model for the Runway for Hope fashion show put on by Be the Difference Foundation to raise money for Mary Crowley Cancer Research.
“It’s something I always wanted to do when I was younger.” She said, “I got that chance to be the model and show people that even though you’re sick, you don’t have to look sick and you don’t have to always feel sick. You can go out there and strut your stuff.”
Nearly 150 people attended this year’s Runway for Hope that raised over $60,000. Eight women, all ovarian cancer survivors, showed off daytime and evening wear supplied by Nordstrom.
Be the Difference Foundation was founded in 2012 by four ovarian cancer survivors after putting on a cycling event as a fundraiser.
“Our goal was to raise about $50,000 and have 100 people participate in an indoor cycling event.” Julie Shrell, Co-founder of Be the Difference Foundation, said. “By the time it was done we had 300 participants and we raised over $350,000.”
Since then, Be the Difference Foundation has held its cycling event, Wheel to Survive, for 9 years.
Two years ago they launched the Runway for Hope fashion show. The two events combined have raised over $3 million. Their mission is to give survivors hope.
Be the Difference Foundation and Mary Crowley began their partnership in 2015. According to Jon Friedenberg, CEO of Mary Crowley Cancer Research, Mary Crowley helps treat stage 4 cancer patients. No Mary Crowley patient receives a bill from the research center. Mary Crowley helps bring cutting edge trials to their patients.
“Mary Crowley has given my life back.” Banach said, “When you’re going through this you feel like you are being robbed of your life.”
Many Runway for Hope attendees were also cancer survivors. Linda Bezner, three-time cancer survivor and board member of Be the Difference Foundation, has battled ovarian cancer since 2003.
“What I always think is so important is that a woman should listen to her body.” She said, “If something is different you should check it out. I was diagnosed in 2003 with ovarian cancer and I had a complete hysterectomy ten years before. I had no ovaries.”
Bezner has now been in remission for eight years now. Banach said that she lives an active lifestyle in Dallas, Texas, and is preparing for her fourth clinical trial. She wants people to know that cancer is not an end.
“I like to tell people that cancer is not the end.” She said, “You don’t have to think of it as the end of your life, it’s a different journey, but it’s not the end. There is life after cancer.”
For more information about ovarian cancer or information about how to get involved go to: https://www.bethedifferencefoundation.org