The Pink Tie Charity Ball

Saturday night I spent my Valentine's Day with George at the Pink Tie Charity Ball. This is the 2nd year in a row I attended and it was just as beautiful as last year.

We dropped off Mackenzie at my parents and checked into the Hilton where the ball was being held. Our room was HUGE! And the hotel was beautiful. 

We started the night in the Survivors VIP room which was a great place to meet or reconnect with other Bosom Buddies. 

Survivors in the VIP room (picture taken from Facebook)

The Ball is always beautifully put together. There were a couple speakers who gave their accounts of how cancer touched their lives. The III B's put together a very emotional video and after the video a man spoke about his aunt (who was featured in the video and had recently passed away). I wish I could rewatch the entire event because I loved everything he said. One thing he said that stuck with me was that cancer brings out who people really are- not just the person fighting it but everyone around them. He said a lot of beautiful things about his aunt. 

My Valentine and I

After dinner I knew that it would soon be time for the survivors to be called up on stage. I was mentally preparing myself when Karin and Carolyn got on stage and started talking about an award they were giving out and about how the woman they were giving the award to was a mom of a 5 year old little girl and how she has raised over $5,000 for The III B's Foundation. I looked around my table and I was like- "are they talking about me?!". And they were. I can't tell you anything else they said because I was so shocked that this was happening! I do remember at the end they said "and she went to RADFORD!" And everyone cheered! 

Carolyn, Karin & I

My award! 

If you know anything about me, then you know how much I hate to be the center of attention. So that's obviously not the reason that I do my Fund It Forward event every year. I do Fund It Forward because as I've been saying since I was diagnosed, I am the luckiest cancer patient survivor alive. I had so many people helping in so many ways I didn't even know I needed. That includes The III B's. Before I went into surgery, I received my beautiful basket. These women who put this basket together made it with so much love and they didn't even know me. They didn't know that particular basket was going to be going to me. But they still put everything they had into it.

I found this quote on Instagram this morning (below) and it really made me think of Carolyn. Carolyn and her girlfriends founded The III B's after Carolyn underwent a mastectomy and realized there were items that she needed after her surgery that she didn't know she would need. She could have just stopped there. She could have thought about how horrible it is for other women to go through surgery and not have those items and just moved on with her life. But she didn't. She kept going. She found a way to make The III B's happen so that no other woman would go home from surgery without all of the things they would need. But its so much more than just items in a basket. There is love in that basket. Going through surgery is so hard but to know that a stranger is thinking about you and cares for you is a great feeling. Especially at the start of your journey. 

 

One of the greatest gifts that Carolyn has given me beyond The III B's basket is getting to go to The Pink Tie ball and to continue to be involved with The III B's. After I received my award (I still cannot believe that happened), they started to call all of the survivors on stage. This part of the night is so magical to me. I hate that we were all touched by this stupid disease but I love that this year there were over FIFTY women that were called on stage. In the picture below we were all watching after Karin honored Carolyn because she is a survivor too! And she's the reason we are all at the ball together! There are women of all ages, some who just finished treatment, some who have been survivors for years. But we are all really strong women and it's overwhelming to be on the stage with all of these survivors while 400 people stand and cheer for you. I really hate that I had to have cancer but I always say that sometimes good things come from having cancer and being able to stand up with these women is one of them.  

(picture taken from Facebook)

After we were done on stage, we all went back stage to get ready for our FLASH MOB!! I was so excited because I've always wanted to be part of a flash mob! We danced to Beat It by Michael Jackson- because obviously- we beat it! It was so fun and I think everyone was really surprised! If someone adds a video to youtube I will add the link here. It was short but it was so awesome!

After that it was time for dancing and having a good night! We sat at the most fun table. I knew one couple because my mom and I saw with them last year- and actually Beth and I have talked a couple times before this years ball and I didn't even recognize her until I saw her with her husband! There were 8 of us total at our table and we all had such a fun night! George and I stayed until midnight!

I can't wait until next years Pink Tie Ball! And stay tuned for this years FUND IT FORWARD! Keep your calendars clear for July!!