Two weeks after celebrating her fiftieth birthday, Kim Ruck heard the words no one ever wants to hear: she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now five years later and in remission, the veteran dance instructor decided to celebrate this milestone by hosting a fundraiser for BCRF in October.
Named “Pink on Parade” her students invited her Pennsylvania community to a carnival-like event filled with performances, contests and baked goods that raised over $3,000 for breast cancer research. The event was a culmination of everything Ruck learned from her personal experience with the disease.
“Having breast cancer taught me to take every moment you have and make the most of it – to not be so negative and always start with the glass half full,” Ruck said.
It was a lesson she decided to imbue on her students and greater community.
“Coaching mainly girls for so many years made me also realize just how important it was for me to take my experience and share the importance of early detection and to educate people as early as possible to prepare for anyone who is touched by breast cancer whether it’s you, a family member or friend.”
She decided to rally her students together and create a community-wide event to support breast cancer research.
“We didn’t set a goal as we wanted to focus on the event also being associated with educating people and we were proud of any profits that we could raise to pass forward for this most sensitive cause,” Ruck said. To her team’s amazement, their inaugural event raised thousands of dollars for BCRF.
“Breast cancer research is important to me because I certainly know firsthand having breast cancer can change your life,” Ruck said.
“It is comforting to know that while research is progressing with positive results, lives are being saved and it gives us the hope that maybe one day prevention will be stronger than treatment for all cancers. If even one life is saved, the research was a success.”
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