Oct. 16--While breast cancer survivors were honored at Thursday's Women Who Care show, Muskogee city employees chose to honor a co-worker who had passed on earlier this year.
Sitting around their towering centerpiece, "Rusti's Rebels," wore matching bright pink T-shirts that bore the "We Can Do It" slogan from World War II. The table displayed their version of the muscle-flexing Rosie the Riveter picture, transposed with the face of their departed friend, Rusti Shields, who died in May from breast cancer.
"She made it longer than she thought she would," co-worker Janet Brown said of Shields, who was a secretary in the city water department. Other co-workers recalled Shields' spunk and fighting spirit.
The Women Who Care luncheon, held at Arrowhead Mall, celebrated fighters of all ages. Some who participated in the annual fashion show had survived breast cancer for more than 30 years.
Guest speaker LeAnne Taylor, co-host of the Six in the Morning show on KOTV, shared how she faced her breast cancer with a positive, defiant attitude. The TV reporter, who had done stories on breast cancer awareness, recalled finding a lump in her breast in 2003. She was 41.
"I always thought it happened to other people; I always thought it happened to older people," she said, recalling that losing her hair was hardest to take.
"When you start losing your hair, that's the first outward sign that people know you're sick," she said. "Cancer is not fun. There is nothing funny about it."
Taylor said she decided to deal with her hair loss by buying different wigs. She modeled some of the more colorful ones at the luncheon.
Getting through breast cancer depends on attitude, she said.
As 21 breast cancer survivors modeled clothes from Viva's and Dillard's, Taylor shared some of the brave ways the women confronted the disease. Several times, Taylor shared how family, friends and faith got the women through their battles.
Models Tracy Cox and Connie Dunlap shared the fashion stage to show how they lean on each other.
"Every day, we call each other in the morning and we call during surgery to see how we're doing," said Cox, 35, who is of a young age to get breast cancer.
Dunlap, 45, said she and Cox would go to some of their appointments together.
Women Who Care President Cassandra Gaines recalled her fear when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000. She called friend Wren Stratton, another survivor, who had a blunt reaction.
"She said, 'Shut up. Sorry it happened, but you're a leader in the community, you can work to raise awareness in the Muskogee community," Gaines said.
In the past nine years, the local breast cancer organization Women Who Care has helped 800 people, Gaines said.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email
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