Braving Chemo by Beverly A. Zavaleta, MD

Melissa and TVC Program
Director, Lisa

Sharing with Toledo's cancer wellness center, The Victory Center, book sponsored copies of "Braving Chemo" by physician becoming patient, Beverly A. Zavaleta, MD, who is also a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor.

Through "Braving Chemo", Dr. Zavaleta, a Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor gives her personal insights on her cancer chemotherapy journey on: 

• What to Expect?
• How to Prepare?
• How to get through it?

For more information about "Braving Chemo" and ordering your own copy at: BRAVING CHEMO

THE VICTORY CENTER

National Cancer Survivors Day 2019

The Victory gals celebrating life at our annual National Cancer Survivors Day Picnic, June 2019.

The Victory Center Over the Edge Rappel Challenge 2018

The 2nd annual Over the Edge for Victory was held on September 7, 2018 at the old Toledo Edison Building, one of downtown's tallest buildings.
Over $155,000 was raised for The Victory Center to provide their free support services and programs to cancer survivors and their caregivers in our local community.  Thank you Toledo and surrounding area for supporting this event and making it successful for us survivors. And a very special thank you to Devorah and Kelsey for rappelling down 16 stories and to those who donated money on their behalf.

Rappelling down the Toledo Edison
Building
breast cancer survivor,
Kelsey Smith on the left

Breast cancer survivor Kelsey Smith
She's got this!

Kelsey Smith
I'm walking on sunshine!

Kelsey Smith
And don't it feel good!

Kelsey Smith
I feel the love, I feel the love,
I feel the love that's really real!

Melissa
Chickens don't rappel, just support!

Devorah on the left
16 stories high!

Devorah on left

Gorgeous view, Devorah?

Devorah personally raised $2391!

Karen, Devorah and Penny
So proud of Devorah!

Victory Center's National Cancer Survivors Day Picnic 2018

Celebrating "Living Life" with my victory gals survivors at a beautiful picnic and magic show hosted by The Victory Center for National Survivors Day on June 3, 2018.

Breast cancer survivors:
 Melissa, Kim and Kelsey

Me and my husband, Phil

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

Victory Center Celebrity Wait Night 2018

On May 1, 2018,  I volunteered selling raffle tickets at this year baseball theme Celebrity Wait Night fundraiser for The Victory Center.  $45,000 was raised in support of The Victory Center Mission: "to provide hope and support to cancer patients, survivors and those closest to them."

Us Victory Center gals volunteers
Lori, Carol and Melissa

http://thevictorycenter.org
"Reaching out to
cancer patients and
their families"

We raised a record of $45,000!

Over the Edge for The Victory Center 2017

I, myself didn't really go over
the edge... but, I did make a
donation in support of Devorah
and The Victory Center

An once in a lifetime way to raise funds for 
The Victory Center, whomever registered and raised over $1000 in donations had the opportunity to rappel down from The Edison Building in downtown Toledo, OH. 
An amazing over $150,000 was raised from 
this event benefiting the services that The Victory Center provides to cancer patients.  
On September 8, 2017, Myself and a few other supporters of The Victory Center  gathered at downtown to cheer on our breast cancer support group facilitator Devorah, as she went "Over the Edge" of the Edison Building in honor of all of us cancer survivors and to those that we cherish in memory.  Devorah had personally raised over $2500 for this fundraiser.  So grateful for people like Devorah for making an impact in the lives of cancer patients and survivors.

Devorah, in her own words: "I have decided to add a spiritual component to this event.  I will read the names of loved ones whose lives have been touched by cancer as I descend the 16 stories.  You are welcome to give me several names to add to this list.  The purpose of doing this is to validate the lives of these individuals, and to honor them for going through their cancer journey and fighting to live one day at a time."

Devorah making her climb down

One brave lady!

Devorah reads list of cancer survivors
names as she descends down the
building

at about halfway point

Reached the Libbey Sign...
formally the Toledo Edison Building

Purple Warrior representing all of us survivors

So proud of Devorah for
her accomplishment

Melissa patiently waiting in a line of
Devorah's supporters to congratulate her

A Decade of Diamonds Fashion Show 2017

http://thevictorycenter.org

On February 17, 2017, The 10th Annual Victory Center's Luncheon and Fashion Show, A Decade of Diamonds raised over $55, 000 that will go towards supporting their services that are offered to cancer survivors and co-survivors.  I volunteered at this event with registration and gathering up the gift raffle items to be presented to the ticket winners.  I'm always happy to be able to help out the Victory Center where I can and this event surprised me with special guest taking stage, Calysta Bevier singing a couple of hit cover songs, Rachel Platten's "Fight Song" and Sia's "Alive" portraying her own fight, a ovarian cancer survivor in her early teens.

The Victory gals Carol,
TNBC sisters Melissa and Rita

Victory Center volunteers,
Melissa and Devorah

Calysta Bevier and Melissa
I'm a big supporter of our local arts and music!

Celebrity Wait Night 2016

So much fun at Celebrity Wait Night on September 20, 2016 with raising lots of cash benefiting the Victory Center.
I spent the night volunteering to sell 50/50 raffle tickets to our guests, and they were buying $5 to $20 worth at a time in addition to gift basket and wine pull raffles.  It was a western theme... tho, I didn't win best western costume, I was still a "rock star" in paying it forward.  The wait staff consisting of many local doctors and other well known people of our local community had also participated in raising tips that were also donated to the Victory Center, a cancer wellness center serving Northwest Ohio.
http://thevictorycenter.org

Not your typical rock star

Selling hundreds and hundreds of dollars 
worth of raffle tickets!

Our 50/50 raffle ticket winner!

Victory gals pink sisters
Sandy and Melissa

Melissa and one of our celebrity waiters,
Dr. Mabry, Breast Surgeon

20 Years Strong of The Victory Center

On May 31, 2016, I attended the  20 year celebration of transforming lives at The Victory Center where have been a breast cancer support member for 7 years.


Mission of The Victory Center:
"To support and educate cancer patients and those closest to them by providing individual and group services in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan."

http://thevictorycenter.org

Breast cancer survivors,
Melissa and Jeanette

Here's to 20 years of serving cancer survivors!
right side: Lori, Jyll and Karen

CHEERS!
Bottom right corner: Lynn

Mmmm CAKE!
(L) Laura  (R) Karen