In any city, there will be many classy and fabulous fundraising events to attend at night. Haven’t found any? Finding any reason to dress up and being a part of something bigger than you is pretty rejuvenating during the kick-in-the-ass stress of college. Also, there will usually be free food and influential people to make connections with so you can reassure yourself that you will do SOMETHING after (insert your number of years) of college.
I went to a fundraiser last week that aims to raise money to fight the battle against Breast Cancer. It was started by a daughter who lost her mother to breast cancer. Olivia Achtmeyer Boger, the genius behind the fundraiser, wanted to find a way to honor her mom, Candy Achtmeyer’s, beautiful life. Through Runway for Recovery, Olivia found a way to do even more. She found a way to celebrate all the women and their families who’ve fought against Breast Cancer.
Olivia created an evening filled with a silent auction, socializing, and a fashion show hosting various designers, families and friends who have fought the battle of cancer. The Runway for Recovery event turns survivors into the models, lifting their hearts for a moment, even more. Every story is shared on a projector screen above the runway while each model walks. Mothers, daughters, sisters and friends walk next to the survivor they celebrate with every day. Mothers, daughters, sisters (maybe even a brave brother) walk as the legacy to a mother, daughter, sister who lost their fight.
To honor Candy, the angel who was Olivia’s initiative to begin Runway for Recovery, the models dance.
The beginning slides of the show read, “It’s our turn to change the way these models experience breast cancer; It’s our turn to help bring back to life those who have lost their fight.”
The runway becomes a night for each survivor show their best moves and to celebrate their own story. Each story is displayed on a screen behind the models as they walk. At the end the models join hands and dance down the Runway as a united group. A group of legacies and super-women alike.
The hundreds of attendees cry with cheers of amazement. Every member of the crowd has a huge grin and dropped jaw. The families that fought together every day throughout treatments, remissions, and relapses stand in the crowd to cheer as their loved ones twirl down the runway.
A family very close to my heart has experienced far too much cancer in the past six years. In my eyes they should have starred in ‘Braveheart’ (…with a different story line). They are strong, unstoppable, and as talented and better looking than Mel Gibson with long hair.
The story begins with twin sisters, Ann Farrington Reis and Molly Farrington Bidstrup. Ann and Molly grew up with my Mom during summers. Later, Ann and Molly became the mothers of my best friends Izzy and Brett.
This family has had a journey and a half, so I’ve made a quick timeline:
In 2012, they joined the R4R family. That year, they were celebrating Ann.
Ann got diagnosed with Breast Cancer; she fought her battle and ended her last treatment with the same grace and courage she had when she began her first.
In October 2012, Ann walked the runway with her twin sister Molly.
Within the next year Molly was diagnosed with cancer, lymphoma, and began treatment of her own.
She as well fought with grace and courageously – in hopes that she would walk again with Ann to celebrate her recovery.
In April 2014, Molly lost her fight.
The 2014 Runway for Recovery was dedicated to Molly and her relentless fight.
In October 2014, Ann and Brett, Molly’s daughter, walked the runway accompanied by the twins’ three other sisters.
In 2015, Brett walked with her brother, Larsen.
They killed it. Like any of the Farrington’s, they never do anything less than 100%. Highlights of their runway walk was a butt bump, Lars spinning his sister around a few times and Brett being able to walk straight after being spun in circles.
These two are filled with talent. They are filled with Molly’s kind spirit and charming personality.
Watching my friends and a family that I admire celebrate through Runway inspires me and possibly makes me bias as I say I have never attended a more uplifting event.
A young member of the R4R family, Savannah Phillips, has walked multiple times for Runway for Recovery, in celebration, and by the side of her mother’s two recoveries from breast cancer. This picture is of her and her friend practicing their walks on the stage after the show. I was fortunate to get a lesson or two on walking the runway from them.
“It’s our turn to change the way these models experience Breast Cancer.” Each model has a different story ending, but all the models carry a spirit of wisdom, enthusiasm, and passion to find laughter and fun in any situation. One little boy skipped down the stage in celebration of mother, another survivor.
The night celebrates life and the strong spirits that strut down the stage. It punches cancer in the face. It proves that although no one can control cancer’s unpredictable outcome. we can control how we react to the sickening fright. This event serves as a tribute to every person who has come face to face with cancer’s battle, and to any future fighters. Runway for Recovery’s goal is to make a change for every Breast Cancer fighter, to hold their hand from afar, and to make sure every fighter, survivor, legacy and family member keeps on dancing. xx
Check out the Portraits of every Model who walked HERE