Rembering Holly...

Holly's family honors her every year painting the
ice rink pink at Toledo Walleye's Pink in the Rink

I met Holly Johnson Shiverdecker at our local breast cancer support group as she was just completing her treatments for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.  We quickly took her in as part of the Victory gals family.  Holly was young, a mother and a fighter, but like many of us, scared of the TNBC statistics.  
Often, the breast cancer surgeons and oncologists don't tell us what Triple Negative Breast Cancer means for us... The aggressive behavior of our subtype of breast cancer and the fact there is not yet a targeted therapy to cure it.  At our breast cancer support groups, we lean on each other for first hand knowledge and support to motivate our fight, advocacy and to tell each other that medical statistics does not apply to everyone... We all have different genetic makeups in our cells, and one may respond differently to treatment.  Holly is one of the reasons, I continue to fight for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Awareness, and funding needed to find our much needed targeted therapy.  My heart was broken when Holly's cancer had returned and her battle ended on August 26, 2015 at the young age of 41.  Always in my heart and remembering you.

This is how I remember Holly as she was
honored at Toledo Walleye's Pink in the Rink

Remembering Annie Goodman...

In her own words...

In September of 2014, I had the honor of meeting Triple Negative Breast Cancer stage 4 survivor, Annie Goodman, as we worked on a TNBC track together for TNBC Foundation at Living Beyond Breast Cancer Conference in Philadelphia. Annie spoke on a panel discussion during a TNBC session of her being diagnosed with a hereditary mutant gene BRCA1 after her Triple Negative Breast Cancer diagnosis.
Annie was a former Fox News producer but I knew her best as co-host of Stupid Cancer, a radio talk show for young cancer survivors.  Sadly, Annie's cancer had progressed and she passed at the young age of 33 on December 17, 2014, not even 3 months after meeting her.  I will always remember Annie for being a strong voice for young woman with breast cancer and bringing much awareness to hereditary breast cancer.

TNBC sisters, Melissa Paskvan and
Annie Goodman

Cancer Connection of Northwest Ohio Fundraiser 2018

http://www.cancerconnectionofnorthwestohio.com

Thank you ladies of the University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living for inviting me to be apart of your table in attendance on March 14, 2018, at the Stronger Together Breakfast Fundraiser hosted by and supporting Cancer Connection of Northwest Ohio.   My donation was made in memory of a breast cancer friend, Mary Wesolowski who had passed from complications as a result of a fall on ice earlier in 2018.

Jean Schoen, Founder and President
of Cancer Connection of Northwest
Ohio

Us survivors of The University of Toledo Center
for Health and Successful Living supports
Cancer Connection of Northwest Ohio. 

Relay for Life Festival 2018

Hanging out with some breast cancer survivor friends representing Team The Victory Center, as we support the Lucas County Relay for Life Festival held at Centennial Terrace in Sylvania, Ohio on September 8, 2018.  
$69, 972 has been raised for The American Cancer Society. Thank you to all for supporting Relay Fest in hope in finding a cure for all cancers. 
 -Melissa

Breast cancer survivors Melissa, Tammy and Carol

Cancer survivors representing The Victory Center

Team Victory Center

Relay for Life 2018 surviors

Komen Breakfast Recognizes 25 years of Race for the Cure in Toledo

On September 8, 2018 at the Komen annual breakfast, us Victory gals gathered to show our support of Komen of Northwest Ohio in helping us survivors in our local community.  For 25 years, Chrys Peterson has emceed hosted our local Komen Race for the Cure here in Toledo, and she is the best in getting us all motivated!  Though, I had to miss the Komen Race this year, for I had another out of town breast cancer event commitment, I do show my support attending the Komen Breakfast.  Thank you Komen of Northwest Ohio and Chrys Peterson for your continued commitment and support that you have shone us breast cancer survivors for the past 25 years, as we're getting even closer to a cure for breast cancer with all the research that Komen has funded.  
Truly yours, Melissa Paskvan

Representing the Victory Center well!

Komen of Northwest Ohio Executive Director,
Mary Westphal and Melissa Paskvan

Chrys Peterson and Melissa Paskvan