2021 Dancing with the Breast Cancer Stars Program

Greetings Denver, thank you for supporting Fighting Together to Save Lives year after year. Each year we expect excellence to share with you, the community, and the importance of “Celebrating the Lives” of these beautiful Survivors! Annually we approach the throne of grace with open hearts, minds, and spirits to walk this journey with these ladies for such a time as this. If you have not been affected by breast cancer, tonight, you will experience the horrific tool of reality it takes on the patient and the family members. This year, we present these twelve amazing women whose journeys are stories of courage, strength, resilience, beauty, longsuffering, and honor, so buckle in!

This journey will be an emotional one for these ladies and you, the audience.

This event can bring back memories of lost loved ones that did not win the battle but on the heavenly side. Our Mission and Vision of Fighting Together to Save Lives is to support the breast cancer community by encouraging women and men to get annual mammograms for early detection to save lives. To offer support, mentally, emotionally, and household help. Also, to “Celebrate Life” the life that has changed forever, but to live life in knowing that our God positioned us to be “Gracefully Broken” but repaired as we lay at the Potter’s Wheel to be reshaped and remolded by the hand of God. I pray you to enjoy this evening and continue to walk with us as we grow to a place where God would have us to be.

WE FIGHT; WE WIN

As we “Celebrate Life” at the 6th Annual Dancing with Breast Cancer Stars. I am filled with joy and anticipation as we gather to celebrate those who are survivors of Breast Cancer.

The women being honored tonight display such beauty and courage. I am truly honored to have had such inspiration cross my path. Not only hearing their stories but watching them live their stories have been moments that I will cherish and continue to share beyond the night’s events. I say to each one tonight; continue to soar and share your stories of solace and survival.

Peace & Blessings Caroline D. Price V.P. Fighting Together to Save Lives

I want to express my sincere joy and appreciation for being introduced and involved with the Fighting Together to Save Lives Organization. I embrace FTTSL’s mission and vision for the organization and the importance of spreading breast cancer awareness in our communities. Our communities embrace African Americans and the Hispanic community, Asian community, LGBTQ community, and Caucasian communities because breast cancer does not discriminate, nor does FTTSL. We welcome all of our sisters that have encountered breast cancer. I am also incredibly grateful for the annual “Celebration of Life” beautiful event for our breast cancer survivors who have battled, fought, and survived through this horrific disease. I give all glory and honor to our Lord and Savior for this special evening.

Thank you to our volunteers for the many hours devoted to the success of this special evening. You have labored in love with us, and we are grateful for you.

To our guests, tonight would not have been possible without you for coming out and showing your support to these beautiful women.

And finally, a special thanks to our beautiful 2019 survivors for sharing their incredible journeys with us. Thank you all for sharing in our “Celebration of Life. Blessings & Love.

Blessings & Love.

Theresa M Levy Vice President II Fighting Together to Save Life

CHERRIE BROWN My name is Cherri Brown, and I am a two-time cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with uterine cancer in April 2008. On May 1,2008 I had to have a total hysterectomy. Six months later I was diagnosed with breast cancer, On November 17. 2008 I underwent a lumpectomy with thirtyeight lymph nodes removed. Due to that I now have lymphedema. I received chemo and radiation.

I thank God that I had and still have such a supportive system through my family and friends. They are all prayer warriors who stood praying with and for me. That’s what helped me make it through. One of my sisters never let me go to any of my appointments alone.

But most of all I give God all the glory, honor, and praise. For I am so grateful for life because of Him! I am a survivor! I am !3 years cancer free!!! Through this journey I’ve trusted God. It takes faith and belief and standing on His Word.

We have to let our faith be bigger than our fear. ” Now I minister and encourage others and testifying about the goodness of God and how he brought me through.”

PATRICIA GEORGE I didn’t think it would be like this. When all of this began, one day in October 1995, I thought I would fight like crazy and come out much better. Little did I know that I would have to revisit a cancer diagnosis five more times, let alone, a bone marrow transplant.

I just held on tight, because the roller coaster and intensity of experiences and feelings could not be anticipated. No one could have told me that I could have endured or tolerated the pain, sickness, sadness and sometimes isolation that I experienced. Family and friends, many times absent, or lacking understanding and empathy created a void I did not need. Yet, God, in His incredible grace, sent the most wonderful people, all six times, to minister to me in ways I could not have imagined. Arming myself with knowledge helped me not to lose control, while my faith in God did not allow me to even get too close to the edge.

Coming to love my bald head took some practice, as I so missed my former, long, and thick hair.

As much as I was infuriated and had to fire my first oncologist, I am grateful for my connection with Dr. Mohamed Elmongy, who had a single-minded determination to help me beat this disease.

As much as drugs helped to heal my body, people who were willing to listen, healed my soul.

Sometimes the victory comes with deep love for those who share the fight, and the knowledge gained is most precious of all.

I am in love with a bunch of people!!

I fought! I laughed! I cried! We won!

SHIRLETTA HALEY During my routine home breast exam and felt a lump in my left breast. after recently having my mammogram seven months prior, but then, it started to hurt. I Immediately, scheduled a doctor’s appointment. I had my mammogram on September 2009, revealing two lumps. A biopsy was scheduled for the next day. Within two days, I was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer. Hearing the word CANCER, I froze and immediately thought of death. But I got myself together. My faith kicked in, and I knew I would not let this disease define who I am, not with God on my side. I chose to live and do whatever it took. I had a lumpectomy, chemo, and radiation.

With God, the love and support of my husband, family, and friends, I made it through that difficult time in my life. Also, what helped me never give up hope during my battle to defeat breast cancer, is Prayer, Faith in God, and His Amazing Grace, Mercy, and Unconditional Love. Trusting in Him and standing on Proverbs 3:5-6.

I thank God for my wonderful husband, who was by my side every step of the way. He is the perfect example of the marriage vows, “better or worse, sickness and in health.”

During my battle with breast cancer, the most important thing I learned is that I will not let cancer define who I am. In this journey called life, your faith will be tried and tested, but the love and support of my Christian family and friends. God bless.

KELLI HEFLIN I had my regular mammogram in October 2019, and on November 4, my cell phone rang while I was at work, my gynecologist, and my primary care doctor. I answered, and she said, “Are you at home?” My response was, “You have some bad news for me, so let’s have it.”

She told me I had cancer—stage 1 DCIS. The good news was that I had my annual appointment with her the next day.

I handled my diagnosis with my usual inappropriate humor, sarcasm, and general orneriness The doctor didn’t have time on her schedule until the middle of December, but I pushed, and she ‘found’ time the week before Thanksgiving. There was much to be done in those three weeks, including an MRI, where they found another spot.

My best friend from 7th grade was my partner through the process, and the day of surgery, we entertained the entire surgical staff at Lutheran Hospital. I had two lumpectomies, and they got everything surgically. The annual mammogram revealed cancer, and both lumps were too small to feel—even the surgeon couldn’t feel them.

I was mainly angry that I had cancer. I was a healthy person who exercised daily and ate reasonably healthy. They scheduled radiation treatment to start, and I got to end 2019 with my first treatment.

They tell you, “You may experience some tiredness.” That doesn’t even come close to what you “experience.” Some days, it’s hard to get out of bed, and some days, you can’t even remember your name or the fact that you hate diet soda. But you get through it. If my story helps someone get off the couch and get their mammogram or go to a dance class even though they are uncoordinated (hello—two left feet here), it will have been worth it.

4:45 pm - VIP Lounge Opens 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm VIP Reception 6:00 pm - Doors Open to Ballroom

PROGRAM Welcome by Emcee Quiency “Q” Shannon Blessing of Dinner by Pastor Bernard Wesley Performance by Dare to Believe “DTB” Introduction of Survivors by Lequita Taylor Performance by Dare to Believe “DTB” Dinner & Soft Music “Live Performance by Kinsley Middlebrook” Performance by Zengery Dancesport Performance by Dancing w/Breast Cancer Stars Survivors Introduction of Founder by Bernard Wesley Introduction of The RATT PACKS by Quiency “Q” Shannon Comedy Show Live Dance Music by: “Al Your Pal Productions”

2021 HONOREES Cheri Brown Patricia George Shirletta Haley Kelli Heflin Debora Jackson LaShauna Guiden Jackson Crystal Booth-Johnson Camille Jones Tonya Quinn Deborah Reid Ashlee Saddler Gwen Shaver

Rhonda Porter | Anita Wesley | Shyolanda Brown

DEBORAH JACKSON On my fortieth birthday, I decided that I would schedule my first mammogram. I didn’t feel any lumps, and, I was uneducated about the need to do self-breast exams, so I wasn’t even checking for lumps at that time. As far as I know, there wasn’t a history of breast cancer in my family.

I scheduled the mammogram because I figured forty was the age of a real grown woman. At least, that’s what I told myself. My first mammogram detected my first Triple Negative Breast Cancer in my right breast. I thanked God because I realized it wasn’t me thinking I was grown; God directed my path to schedule a mammogram that resulted in breast cancer.

On my fiftieth birthday, I learned, during my scheduled appointment, that I had TNBC again but in my left breast. I did the same treatments of radiation and beat cancer for the second time.

I learned that I had hypothyroidism or more commonly known as papillary carcinoma, thyroid cancer. I was quarantined in the hospital for five days without any human contact except the nurse who entered my room fully covered head to toe. I was contagious and radioactive from my treatment with nuclear medicine.

In 2019, I learned that I had TNBC again in my right breast. This time was very challenging. It is now 2021, and I continue to suffer from the chemo treatment side effects, which left me suffering from neuropathy.

LASHAUNA GUIDEN JACKSON Still a newlywed, I was diagnosed with my first cancer at age 38! Just hearing those words spoken towards me was shocking. With family history, I thought I was exempt from this horrible beast!

All I could do was pray! I recall looking up to the sky saying, “Okay, God, you helped me find this lump; I’m trusting you to heal me.”

My faith in God helped me get through my four battles of cancer. I had no idea how long this journey would last, thirteen years and counting. God has been my consoler and being strong spiritually and my sense of humor played a big part in living my healthy life. I made jokes and said things some people would frown upon, but it helped me stay lively.

My excellent (caregiver)husband and daughter walked this journey with me every step of the way. During this breast cancer journey, I realized this journey was for me; I was not going to let cancer make me a victim, but, helped me to inspire others to fight.

God gave me strength, courage, and a voice that will help others in my situation know they’re not alone and can win! I have chosen to live my life like a camera, take the negative, and turn it into something positive if you hear this, know that breast cancer doesn’t have to win! Turn your journey into inspiration for others.

CRYSTAL BOOTH-JOHNSON I am a mother of two, a widow, a 20-year retired veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and a Breast and Uterine cancer Survivor.

At age 40, in early spring 2005, I felt a lump in my right breast, and I dismissed it, thinking it would go away. After a mammogram and biopsy, I was diagnosed with stage III infiltrating breast cancer within four months. I underwent aggressive treatment; this included a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation.

After diagnosis, I was determined to learn as much as I could for my daughter and pay it forward. Staying positive and having the support of family and friends continues to help me throughout my ongoing journey.

In 2014, I faced another cancer diagnosis, stage I, uterine carcinosarcoma, high-grade cancer Although I am in remission, I live with the fear of recurrence or getting another type of cancer. I choose not to dwell on this fear and remain grateful and blessed. I try to do things within my power to reduce my risk and leave everything to God.

CAMILLE JONES I summarize my journey in a straightforward sentence “Baseball Moms That Step to The Plate Swinging at Breast Cancer Are an Unstoppable Force!!”

I was diagnosed with Aggressive high grade 3 stage 2 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Triple Negative Breast Cancers with poorer outcomes, higher mortality rates, & greater reoccurrences.

I found out on Mother’s Day weekend in May of 2019. As scared & terrified as I was, I thought to myself, “Camille, you are the Pitchers Mom; you’re used to handling curveballs.” When I told my two sons, they cried, something I had never seen him do before, and this broke me.

After suffering panic/anxiety attacks, racing thoughts, suicidal thoughts, anger & frustration, I marched to UC Health with no appointment to obtain answers.

My mind, body, and spirit will never be the same, and the beauty in this is that there is a miracle in every new beginning.

Withstand the howling winds and raging waves that come with a cancer diagnosis is my faith in God. I asked God to give me the strength to love my sons and to be able to get through and persevere whatever the outcome of my condition.

I hit a Cancer Grand Slam with my treatment team and am now in complete remission. My triple-negative breast cancer was a plot twist & I know more extraordinary things are to come. The hardest part of the journey felt that my breast had betrayed me.

Stepping To the Plate and Swinging for The Fences and learning to respect the Power of LOVE!!

U Gotta Love Yourself- U.G.L.Y. Garments is a Christian owned family business that is bringing people together through love. U.G.L.Y has no boundaries or restrictions to things such as race, religion, or gender. We believe that love must begin from within before it can be extended to others. 1 John 4:19 states “We love because he first loved us”.

The Bible states in Genesis 1:27 that we are all created in God’s image. Psalm 139:14 states that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. if we truly believed those 2 scriptures, imagine what the world would be like.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5 states that Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud and it does not dishonor. Love is the foundation of our brand and we’re so excited to bring this to you.

U.G.L.Y is also excited to inform you that we are partnering with the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Cancer, October 27th 2019 at 8am.

Please join our team, walk in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event in Denver on Sunday, October 27th. and help us make it a special, fundraising day. Team: UGLY Garments and Malcolm Willoughby is our captain. If you can’t join us, consider making a donation and help us reach our fundraising goal. http://main.acsevents.org/goto/uglygarments.

Visit us on our website at www.uglygarmentsunlimited.com, Facebook- UGLY by Malcolm Jamal Willoughby, Instagram- Chinup93

TONYA QUINN It feels odd to use the phrase “perfect timing” when talking about a cancer diagnosis, but that’s precisely how I described my experience being diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago.

After having a complete physical, I received a call about a week after my mammogram asking me to come in again. My doctor asked if I was experiencing any pain, and I said yes; I mentioned to the doctor an occasional sharp pain in her left breast. “It would come and go pretty quickly, and then I wouldn’t feel it again for a couple of days.

A few days after undergoing a series of imaging tests and a biopsy, I received another call. The doctor informed me that I had been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer.

My doctors offered me the option of a lumpectomy to remove just the tumor. However, I opted for the double mastectomy to decrease the chance of remission or developing cancer in her other breast.

I endured chemotherapy and radiation after her surgery. My entire course of treatment took approximately two years from start to finish, which meant I got to know my care team at the Cancer Center and UCHealth well. I have officially been in remission since February.

“My advice is to take it one day at a time. I took it one appointment at a time, one step at a time and one treatment at a time.”

DEBORAH REID At the end of August, I believed a spider bit me on the upper right side of my left breast. I overlooked the bite right away, but I had developed an itch on my back – parallel to where I thought a spider had bitten me. The doctor looked at the puncture wound and determined that I had gotten bitten by a spider but seemed sure that the venom was no longer in my system but ordered blood work.

In October, I began to experience sharp stabbing pains in my breast; it would hit, then go away, followed by itching. Sometimes it would feel like something was crawling underneath my skin. I could not detect a lump. However, the sharp pains started getting more intense, and I decided to schedule a mammogram. On November 11 of 2020, to October 2021, I was diagnosed with triple-negative stage IIIA breast cancer; I turned “65”.

I endured chemotherapy and radiation, which will end on October 15, 2021.

During this all, my faith in God, and the love and support of my family have seen me through. I won’t lie and say it has been easy; it wasn’t. I went through the “Why me God” and “what did I do to deserve this” moments. God has shown me once again, that I am stronger than I think I am, that I have a story to share with someone else who may be newly diagnosed or has a loved one in this exact situation. God used a spider because I did not feel a lump to get checked. After all, it was not time for my annual mammogram.

“I claim healing and victory in the name of Jesus. By His stripes, I am healed!”

ASHLEE SADDLER In November of 2016, I had my first mammogram and a ductogram, which, based on my presented symptoms, left me with a diagnosis of duct ectasia. The specialist reassured me that I did not have breast cancer. But on November 19, 2018, diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer.

I was angry that I trusted the doctors. The information I received was the tumor (which never showed up on any mammogram) was 8mm, and after a lumpectomy, they would do surgery to remove it, and then we’d talk about treatment options.

Following the diagnosis, I had three biopsies, ten mammograms, a host of ultrasounds, and a bilateral MRI. Everyone was confident in the removal of this 8mm tumor.Shortly before Christmas (2018), my general surgeon called me with the pathology results. She removed 9cm of breast tissue with the expectation that the margins would be clean.

Well, that wasn’t the case, there were no clean margins around the 9cm that was removed and there was micrometastasis in one of my lymph nodes. Without hesitation, I decided to move forward with a double mastectomy, and the second pathology report revealed the entire left breast, including up to the skin and the chest wall was impacted by ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

I completed a painful course of radiation in May of 2019, and as I continue to go through therapeutic hormone treatment, my family and friends have been a tremendous support. They have prayed with me, and for me, as God continues to show me the purpose of this journey.

GWEN SHAVER Hello, my name is Gwen Shaver, and I am a Cancer Survivor! Waking up this new ball game of a brand-new journey has opened my eyes to how awesome our God truly is. I’m so thankful to be here tonight with so many survivors that shall continue to pave the way for me.

I’m also honored to have my husband Alvin Shaver standing by my side through this journey that has taken our 38 years of marriage into an accurate picture of love & family. Our children Brian, Brandon, Brittany, Breeauna , & Aleah continue to keep my chest all puffed up and feeling godly proud that I’m their mother.

The time I’ve spent here at the University hospital allowed me to see myself as a remarkable breast cancer survivor and writing books about the fun times I spent in the ER. I feel blessed & highly favored that our Heavenly Father chose me GWIN to win this race and show the picture to all women far & wide of these fantastic steps of a warrior is when it comes to walking day by day, thinking it could be your last day on planet earth.

We, Fighting Together to Save Lives, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being here with us tonight. Your presence is appreciated.

We would like to thank the following: The Host | Quincy Shannon Board Members Jackie Wesley - Founder Theresa Levy II Vice President Caroline Price I Vice President Dionna Mingo Assistant to Founder Pam Davis Board Member Ashlee Saddler Board Member Pat Broxton Volunteer Coordinator Sanjenetta Grant Board Member Volunteers Nicolette Dixon | Antonette Boykins Becky Haddock | Cathy Hudson Beth Turner Graziano | Stephanie Hudson Tatia Smith | Debra Ervin Valerie Jenkins | Topaz McBride Tammy Davis | Kaycee Rhodes Bonita Donsereaux | Lisa Bailey Entertainers THE RATT PACKS | KINSLEY DARE TO DREAM Performers ZENERGY DANCESPORT | FTTSL SURVIVORS Sponsors Ridge Construction Inc | Gold Star Hotlinks RW Design and Build | Zengery Dance Sport | Nordstroms Photography by Marvin Kelly | Marvelous Images