My Heart Sank

Kimberly Millhoan, Strongsville resident, married mother of two and daughter of a 4-year breast cancer survivor.

February 2009, Kimberly Millhoan was overjoyed about the recent news of being pregnant with her first child.  Her mother was so excited at the thought of becoming a grandmother and was giving Millhoan advice on motherhood.  "I was speechless when I answered a hysterical phone call from my mom, who I knew was getting a needle biopsy that day.  A dreaded 'It’s bad!' was all I heard from her on the other end and my heart sank," Millhoan recalls the moment she received the news of her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis.  With cancer in both breasts Millhoan thought "She is not going to be here to meet her first grandchild and I am going to lose my mom!"

Once the initial shock wore off, Millhoan came to terms with reality.  Breast Cancer was not going to be her mother’s death sentence, but is was going to be something that would change her family forever.  Millhoan’s mother always held the family together and now other family members needed to step up and support her.  Knowing this was going to be difficult even though Millhoan wasn’t the one diagnosed; she felt like she was falling apart inside watching her mother go through treatment and deal with her diagnosis.

Wanting to do something that offered support to survivors and families affected by breast cancer, Millhoan began volunteering for the Northeast Ohio Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

"When I am at the Race for the Cure, my emotions soar. I am angry that so many people have had to deal with breast cancer. I am sad when I see people that have lost their loved one to this disease. But most importantly, I am inspired when I see my mom celebrating her life with the other survivors." Millhoan says on why she participates in Race for the Cure.

The Northeast Ohio Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® will hold its 19th annual Cleveland Race for the Cure on Saturday, September 15, 2012, in partnership with University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and locally presented by Giant Eagle. The event will be held in Downtown Cleveland at the Wolstein Center.

Audra Avarello, the 2012 Cleveland Race Chair, has been involved with Komen for the past 15 years and is a two-time Race Chair. "The 2012 Race reinforces the story of celebration that Komen brings to the cause," explains Avarello. "We are here to celebrate the lives of survivors, the progress we are making toward finding a cure and the hope that our victory comes sooner rather than later."

The Cleveland Race will be the second Race in the Northeast Ohio area this year. In July, the inaugural Akron Race for the Cure was held celebrating the promise to end breast cancer. Up to 75% of the funds raised at Race for the Cure events stay in Northeast Ohio to help those most in need of breast health services in the community. In 2012, Komen Northeast Ohio granted $1.1 million to 17 organizations in Northeast Ohio. Thousands of women and men across Komen Northeast Ohio’s 22-county service area will receive life-saving screenings, breast cancer education, outreach, and survivor support services.

Every step we take is a step closer to a cure. Join Millhoan and thousands of others in the fight against breast cancer by visiting www.komenneohio.org to to register for the Race for the Cure.

You can help now by making a $10 donation to Komen Northeast Ohio by texting KOMEN to 50555. Your $10 donation will help fund live saving services right here in our community.