Runway For Recovery:
A Town Cares for its Own
F
BYOLIVIA OLIVIAACHTMEYER ACHTMEYERBOGER BOGER BY
everyone,but butititwas wasright rightfor formy mymom, mom,and and everyone, it empowered each of us after her death it empowered each of us after her death toto honorthe thegift giftofofchildhood childhoodinindifferent differentways. ways. honor Forme, me,the thebest bestway waytotohonor honorher herwas was For to find a way to shift the breast cancer to find a way to shift the breast cancer experiencefor forother otherfamilies. families.InIn2007, 2007,I I experience gathered a few volunteers, taped some gathered a few volunteers, taped some Christmaslights lightstotothe thefloor floorofofNashawtuc Nashawtuc Christmas Country Club to form a “runway,” andasked asked Country Club to form a “runway,” and those in my immediate community who those in my immediate community who weretouched touchedby bybreast breastcancer cancertotocome come were “model”with withme measasaatestament testamenttotohope, hope, “model” courage, and tenacity in the face of the courage, and tenacity in the face of the disease. The idea stuck, and over the next1313 disease. The idea stuck, and over the next years, “The Runway Show” rapidly outgrew years, “The Runway Show” rapidly outgrew venuesacross acrossthe theMetro Metroarea, area,packing packinginin venues crowds 700+toto crowds ofof700+ cheer on “models” cheer on “models” whoare aresurvivors survivors who andfamilies families and affected bybreast breast affected by cancer. In doing so, cancer. In doing so, we raised hundreds we raised hundreds thousandsofof ofofthousands dollars annually. dollars annually. Unlike most Unlike most otherbreastbreastother cancer-oriented cancer-oriented nonprofits,we we nonprofits, do not fund do not fund ErinHackman Hackman(pictured (picturedhere herewith withher herfamily) family)will willbe behonored honoredatatthis thisyear’s year’s research, research,aacure, cure,oror Erin Love Local: Concord event. treatment.ItItisisour our Love Local: Concord event. treatment. firm belief that there are things we can do, completely insulated from her illness up firm belief that there are things we can do, completely insulated from her illness up today, to radically shift the experience of until her very last week of life — she brought today, to radically shift the experience of until her very last week of life — she brought familieswho whoare areaffected affectedby bybreast breastcancer. cancer. halftimesnacks snackstotomy mysisters’ sisters’afternoon afternoon families halftime 2019,I Ileft leftaacareer careerininindependent independent gameone oneday, day,and andwas wasininthe thehospital hospitalfor forthe the InIn2019, game schools — having spent the majority last time later that evening. schools — having spent the majority last time later that evening. of my career at Fenn and Middlesex In those days, the breast cancer landscape of my career at Fenn and Middlesex - In those days, the breast cancer landscape workwith withRunway RunwayFor ForRecovery Recovery was very different and there were far fewer totowork was very different and there were far fewer (www.runwayforrecovery.org)full fulltime, time, peopletalking talkingopenly openlyabout abouttheir theirexperience experience (www.runwayforrecovery.org) people with the goal of narrowing our focus onthe the and sharing resources. By keeping her illness with the goal of narrowing our focus on and sharing resources. By keeping her illness wellbeing of children after losing a parent. from us, my mom had made a selfless wellbeing of children after losing a parent. from us, my mom had made a selfless Wetook tookour ourgrantmaking grantmakingprocess processin-house, in-house, decisiontotoattempt attempttotopreserve preserveaa“normal “normal We decision andI’ve I’vespent spentthe thepast pastyear yearvisiting visitingevery every childhood.”It’s It’snot notaacomfortable comfortabledecision decisionfor for and childhood.”
© Runway For Recovery © Runway For Recovery
Formy mythree threesiblings siblingsand andI,I,growing growingup up For in Concord was idyllic. My parents loved in Concord was idyllic. My parents loved raisingtheir theirfamily familyininaasmall smalltown townand andmy my raising mother,Cande, Cande,flung flungherself herselffully fullyinto intothe the mother, inner workings of it joining boards of the inner workings of it - joining boards of the Old Manse, the Concord Museum, The Fenn Old Manse, the Concord Museum, The Fenn School and Nashoba Brooks School, and the School and Nashoba Brooks School, and the CCHSScholarship ScholarshipFund. Fund.Into Intoour ourteenage teenage CCHS years, we were blissful beneficiaries this years, we were blissful beneficiaries ofofthis close-knit town, but we’d soon find out close-knit town, but we’d soon find out justhow howimportant importantthis thiscommunity communitywould would just becometotoour ourfamily. family. become For a decade, from1991 1991toto2001, 2001,my my For a decade, from mother battled breast cancer in private. mother battled breast cancer in private. Shechose chosetototell tellonly onlyher herhusband husbandand andaa She selectfew fewfriends. friends.My Mysiblings siblingsand andI Iwere were select
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Discover CONCORD
| Spring 2020
cancercenter, center,hospice, hospice,and andsocial socialworker workerwho who cancer will answer my calls to reach families who will answer my calls to reach families who havelost lostaaparent parenttotobreast breastcancer. cancer.Through Through have processguided guidedby byaateam teamofofsocial socialworkers workers aaprocess trained in palliative care and grief, we identify trained in palliative care and grief, we identify key activities and programs for each family key activities and programs for each family thathave havebeen beenaffected affecteddue duetotothe thedeath deathofof that theirloved lovedone one——most mostoften oftenbecause becauseofofthe the their loss of a second income — and grant funds loss of a second income — and grant funds directlytoward towardthose thoseprograms programsininorder ordertoto directly restore routine and healing into their lives.InIn restore routine and healing into their lives. ourfirst firstround roundofofgrant grantfunding, funding,we wecovered covered our the costs of groceries and house cleaning, the costs of groceries and house cleaning, ensuredkids kidswould wouldbe beable abletotoparticipate participateinin ensured extracurricular activities or summer camp, extracurricular activities or summer camp, andfunded fundedaccess accesstotoquality qualitytherapists therapistsand and and grief counseling. grief counseling. Runway’sstory storyisisinextricably inextricablyconnected connected Runway’s with Concord and with my mother. The with Concord and with my mother. The secondmy mymom mompassed, passed,the thetown townofof second Concord rallied around my family, andthey they Concord rallied around my family, and are still doing so today. Every time we host are still doing so today. Every time we host Runwayshow, show,half halfthe thetown townappears, appears, aaRunway donatingauction auctionitems itemsand andoffering offeringcorporate corporate donating sponsorships. sponsorships. Thisyear, year,we’re we’reespecially especiallyexcited excitedtotobe be This hosting an event on May 29, 2020 called hosting an event on May 29, 2020 called LoveLocal: Local:Concord, Concord,totohonor honorthe thetown townand and Love bring the community together. We’ll feature bring the community together. We’ll feature pop-upshopping shoppingwith withlocal localboutiques, boutiques, pop-up wine, beer, and light bites. A shortprogram program wine, beer, and light bites. A short willhonor honorErin ErinHackman’s Hackman’sfamily familyand andraise raise will money for families in need. Erin was a money for families in need. Erin was a Runwaymodel modelfor fortwo twoyears, years,and andthe thelove love Runway and legacy that she left behind in Concord and legacy that she left behind in Concord veryperfectly perfectlyembody embodyeverything everythingthat that sosovery we stand for here at Runway. Honoring we stand for here at Runway. Honoring herisissmall smalltown townliving livingatatits itsbest, best,and andwe we her hope we can include you in celebrating the hope we can include you in celebrating the communitythat thathas hasseen seenususthrough throughititall. all. community ————————————————————————— ————————————————————————— OliviaAchtmeyer AchtmeyerBoger BogerisisExecutive ExecutiveDirector Director Olivia of Runway For Recovery. This article was of Runway For Recovery. This article was supportedby byLandVest LandVestConcord. Concord. supported
