Celebration of Angels pays tribute to breast cancer survivors

CINCINNATI (WKRC) – With Breast Cancer Awareness Month, starting October 1st, a local event will launch the month by celebrating and honoring breast cancer survivors.

TriHealth's Angel / Think Pink Cure celebration begins Sunday (September 30th) at Mason Manor for a dinner followed by a round of golf on Monday, October 1st at TPC Rivers Bend in Maineville.

Kelli Kolkmeyer, who is currently recovering from a recent diagnosis of breast cancer, will be one of the women to be honored as an angel. She will be honored by the Mary Jo Cropper Center for Breast Care at Bethesda North Hospital.

"I always think" and if I was not there, "said Kolkmeyer," I could have missed all that and I feel so lucky and lucky. "

Mary Jo Cropper's family began the "celebration of angels" after Cropper lost his battle with breast cancer a few years ago.

"Angel's event is Mary Jo's vision of celebrating caregivers, not just women, but also the women and men who go through breast cancer," said Jacqui Appel, TriHealth Breast Program Manager.

Kolmeyer also falls into this category, not only as a breast cancer survivor, but also as a nurse caring for children with cancer.

"I like what I do," Kolkmeyer said. "I think I was born to do it."

Kolkmeyer admits that after her own battle, she has a renewed passion, not just to take care of others, but for each day she is always there, to be able to do it.

"I obviously do not want to have breast cancer, but now it's part of my story that I'm on the other side," Kolkmeyer said. "I have the impression that it made me better, so I sometimes look at it with a little gratitude."

The event will raise funds for a new mobile mammography can for TriHealth. Liz Bonis of Local 12 will host the event.