This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Northeastern chapter.
This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Some students wear pink to support for the cause, however one Northeastern student is taking awareness to the next level.
Name: Dewey MacMillen
Major: Business with a marketing concentration
Year: Sophomore
Interests: Fashion, Boston Sports, baking, Kate Middleton
What is Runway for Recovery?
Runway for Recovery is an organization that creates a stage for those heroes among us who have battled Breast Cancer, both survivors themselves and the children of those who have passed away. Six years after losing her mother to Breast Cancer, my cousin Olivia Achtmeyer Boger resolved to find an aspect of the battle against this disease where she could make a difference, while honoring her mother’s memory and celebrating the kind of life she lived while sick. It is an annual Fashion Show and Silent Auction event where the models are either survivors, patients, or kids who have lost a loved one to breast cancer.
How did you get involved in this event?
I got involved with Runway initially at age 12 when I modeled alongside my cousins at the inaugural event in memory of my aunt, who had passed away 6 years prior. In the years since then, I have modeled two additional times, and it was in 2012 that I got involved in the organizing aspect of the event.
What do you do for Runway for Recovery?
For the past two years, I have been a model coordinator for R4R and this past year I also have taken on the role of social media coordinator. While we each have our own domain in the planning process, we all work extremely closely and help out in all areas of the event.
Has Runway impacted your career goals?
Yes, I think that I would love to test the waters in event planning, especially of this nature since the event is so beneficial to so many people. After my experience with Runway for Recovery, I definitely am very interesting in pursuing event planning in the future, as well as in my career!
What is your favorite part of the night?
My favorite part of the event is easily the beginning and finale of the actual runway show. It is extremely hard to adequately describe how emotionally-charged the room gets, but it truly is an unbelievable thing to witness. Watching survivors, family members, and those currently in treatment dance down the runway smiling and being 100% carefree is infectious and makes it very hard not to smile (and cry), too. Having Olivia start this event and provide a platform for these people to forget about cancer for the night and have fun is extremely inspiring. Breast Cancer Awareness month in general is also extremely special because there are tons of other great events to get involved in. I also love how tons of celebrities, sports teams, and other public figures all rally to fight against breast cancer throughout the month, as well.
How can Northeastern students help?
Students can help by checking out Runwayforrecovery.org and donating, as well as spreading the word about the event! We are on Facebook, Instagram (runway4recovery), Twitter, etc. so “like” our pages, please! We are always looking for people interested in either sponsoring, donating, attending, etc. so spreading the word always helps! Since the tickets can be a little expensive for a college student to afford, if you’re unable to attend, volunteers are sometimes needed, too! If anyone is interested feel free to contact me at macmillen.d@husky.neu.edu