Runway for Hope: Changing How Cancer Survivors See Themselves

Women from across Maine gathered in Portland to rehearse for the first-ever Runway for Hope fashion show, transforming how breast cancer survivors view themselves after their battles with the disease.

"For so long we've just been patients, we've been in hospital gowns, it's nice to not be a patient for a day," said Cassie Leach. "It's nice to be with women who know what you're going through and see us all coming out on the other side."

The event creates what Shana Ackley calls "new breasties"—friendships forged through shared experience. Ackley, diagnosed in 2021 when she was too young for a mammogram, now sees purpose in her journey: "I feel now that maybe cancer did pick me for a reason to help others navigate this process."

Leach described the identity loss many survivors face: "Doing this journey, you lose your identity, you lose all your hair and not just on your head, your eyelashes, eyebrows, your face gets bigger, your body gets bigger." Through photoshoots, runway walking, and community building, Runway for Hope helps women reclaim that lost sense of self.

Founder Marisa Paraschak's motivation is deeply personal: "One of the biggest motivators was women I've met along the way that are no longer here."

The sold-out April 29th, 2023 event raised funds for breast cancer research.

Article by News Center Maine

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