PHOTO/PAUL WILLIAMS III

Belva Greenage, breast cancer survivor and founder of The Belva Wallace Greenage Cancer Foundation, offers some words of encouragement during her annual Coffee & Conversation event at the Southern Women's Show, Sept. 20.

October is just days away. That means the Queen City will soon turn pink as Breast Cancer Awareness Month gets underway.

While the month-long campaign brings awareness to the somber statistics about breast cancer, which will affect one in eight women, the community events and fundraisers have a lighthearted, sometimes even entertaining, twist.

The festivities kicked off in Charlotte at the Southern Women’s Show, where Belva Greenage, a two-time breast cancer survivor currenlty living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, held her annual Coffee and Conversation event Sept. 20.

The topic of discussion was helping women claim their best lives. Greenage believes that in order to do that, women have to learn to put themselves first – a lesson that took her several years to learn.

Greenage, the former publisher of Today’s Charlotte Woman magazine, was first diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and said her doctor was constantly stressing the importance of her making time to focus on herself and her health. Instead, she continued to plow through life full speed ahead.

“I was so determined to keep living my life and keep moving,” she said.

Greenage beat her first bout with cancer, but it returned in 2008. Three years later, Greenage finally heeded her doctor’s advice to slow down. In 2011, she stepped down as publisher of Today’s Charlotte Woman and began making herself a priority.

“Finally, I realized that if I don’t take care of me, then I can’t do anything for anybody else,” she said. “So as much as I love my daughter, as much as I love my husband, if I’m not in a good place, then they can’t get what they need from a mother and a wife. It hit me like a ton of bricks one day… It just finally clicked.”

Although she no longer publishes the magazine, Greenage continues in her mission of empowering women through her nonprofit organization, the Belva Wallace Greenage Cancer Foundation.

“I’ve really been focused on growing the foundation,” she said. “We’re in our third year now, and we are about to start a program with Levine Cancer Institute to promote acupuncture for cancer patients. We want to provide scholarships so that patients with cancer can have access to acupuncture because we know that acupuncture works.”

Survivors sharing stories

In addition to raising money and awareness, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also about celebrating the lives of women who have been diagnosed with and beat the disease.

Often, they keep their diagnosis a secret, sometimes out of shame or fear they will find themselves on the receiving end of unwanted pity.

Greenage said sharing her story has been therapeutic.

“It’s a catharsis,” she said. “It’s hard to carry that burden by yourself, and you don’t want to walk that journey alone. Some people do that very well, but I don’t do that very well. I like support. And I want to laugh… and I want to have fun and I can only do that with other people… It’s hard to carry secrets.”

Moira Quinn, chief operating officer and senior vice president of communications for Charlotte Center City Partners, has also been outspoken about her diagnosis and was one of the panelists for Coffee & Conversation.

Lee McCracken, editor of Pride Magazine, was in the crowd to show her support. A cancer “surthriver,” as she calls it, McCracken was diagnosed in 2009 at age 47. Because her cancer was detected early and her lymph nodes were clear, McCracken did not have to undergo radiation or chemotherapy.

She shares her story in the hopes of encouraging women to understand the importance of early detection and having regular mammograms. McCracken read experts from her book “A Prayer and a Pink Pedicure” during the Southern Women’s Show.

The book is a Christian memoir for women in which McCracken not only opens up about her cancer, but reflects on overcoming other aspects of her life as a mother – including the death of two infants and a teenage daughter gone astray. 

Walk this way

PHOTO/COURTESY SUSAN G. KOMEN CHARLOTTE

Carolina Panther DeAngelo Williams has hand-signed a team of 600 to walk in this year's Race for the Cure on Oct. 5. Williams' mother is a two-time breast cancer survivor who lost four sisters to the disease.

Every October, Charlotte hosts one of the largest cancer walks in the nation. The Susan G. Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure will return this year to Marshall Park Oct. 5. Last year’s celebration attracted over 17,000 participants and organizers said registration remains strong this year.

Race for the Cure is a celebration of life where runners and walkers of all ages gather to honor survivors who are winning the battle against breast cancer and to remember those who have lost their lives to the disease.

Race for the Cure showcases a 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) timed race, a 5k non-competitive walk/run, one-mile route, a 50-yard kids’ dash, survivor’s tent, race expo and interactive exhibits. New this year is live entertainment, Food Truck Rodeo and ceremonies for competitive racers and survivors.

Seventy-five percent of every dollar raised during the race will go towards funding community health grants in the 13-county, greater Charlotte area. The remaining 25 percent is used to support national cancer research grants.

Registration is open through Oct. 3 at komencharlotte.org.

Carolina Panther DeAngelo Williams has thrown his support behind the walk, hand-signing a team of 600 of Williams Warriors to participate.

“Everyone knows someone who is affected by this disease,” said Williams. “I have a very personal connection to this cause. It runs deep in my family.”

Williams mother, Sandra Hill, whom he calls his “rock,” is a two-time breast cancer survivor. She survives her four sisters, who all lost their lives to the disease.

“People respond to the call because we all have a common goal of finding better detection methods, treatment options and a cure for this disease,” said Williams. “Don’t ever be afraid. If you have any questions concerning your body, go to your doctor and get checked. You know best.”

Related article:

• Charlotte events for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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