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Staff Photo / Bob Coupland Breast cancer survivors gathered at Boardman Township Park on Sunday for a fundraiser hosted by the Apple Breast Cancer Warrior Foundation. From left to right: Joyce Kohler from Poland, a five-year cancer survivor; Carla White of Austintown, a five-year survivor; Liz Mackey of Liberty, a 21-year-old survivor; and Anna Olek of Brookfield, a two-year survivor.
BOARDMAN – Breast cancer survivors gathered on Sunday to give each other hope and support for the Apple Breast Cancer Foundation’s annual celebration, which included pink frosting cupcakes, a Halloween dog costume and a tournament of cornhole.
Pink balloons and decorations covered part of Boardman Park, where the event was being held. Many of those present wore pink clothes and some sported pink hair. Michelle Apple of Boardman, event coordinator and three-year breast cancer survivor, said everyone was encouraged to wear pink.
The cornhole tournament and other fundraisers are held to raise money to help people pay medical bills, deductibles and travel expenses, Apple said.
“The journey in the fight against cancer can be long and expensive. I’ve seen a lot of young women under 50 get breast cancer, ”she said.
Judy Noel from Lisbon, a staff member of the event’s main sponsor, Bright Pet Nutrition Group, was diagnosed with breast cancer within three months of her sister’s diagnosis. Noel and his sister Jody Burt from Lisbon are 10 months apart.
“Women need to know they have support and it’s beatable. Michelle’s organization has been great for me and my sister and has sent us care packages and texts and has been very supportive, ”said Noel.
She said if her sister had not been diagnosed first, she would not have come for a test herself and would likely have died.
Apple said it contacted women in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and parts of western Pennsylvania, including Mercer and Grove City.
Joyce Kohler from Poland said she thought it was a blessing to have so much support.
“It’s so great to meet other survivors and how many years many of them have survived, especially when you’ve just been diagnosed. I’m just a five-year survivor, but I’ve met 20-year survivors, ”Kohler said. “We are showing people that we are here, we are strong and we will continue to fight.”
Carla White of Austintown, a five-year survivor, said she enjoys being there for others.
“I hope I can be a blessing to others. I feel it helps others when they see me and others, and how we are survivors. They want to hear our stories. I tell them to stay positive and hold on to their faith. We can help them get through, ”White said.
Liz Mackey of Liberty, a 21-year-old survivor, said she was told she had less than five years to live.
“I feel like I’m here to help newly diagnosed women,” Mackey said.
Two-year-old survivor Anna Olek of Brookfield was handing out cupcakes.
“These women have been a huge inspiration to me. I am two years old and they are there to help me, ”she said,
Sam Colaluca from Youngstown brought his 17-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Gizmo, to the event dressed in costume for the Halloween Dog Contest.
“I’m having fun and so is Gizmo,” she said.
Clare Jones of Boardman, a three-year breast cancer survivor and two-year uterine cancer survivor, said: “I couldn’t have done it for the past three years without the support of these people. daughters, family and friends. They have all been so encouraging.
Sherry Harrison of Struthers said she has been attending since her mother and aunt both died of breast cancer.
“I wanted to be here to help others and show my support for them,” said Harrison, packing his tickets into bags for many raffle items at the event.
Almost 40 teams went to the cornhole boards during the cornhole tournament which was set up in a large pavilion in the park.
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