Survivor Series

Ellen Orzel turned her breast cancer diagnosis into a life lived on her own terms   TBBCF Survivor Ellen & Daughter Caleigh For Ellen Orzel, breast cancer was never an abstract possibility. Her mother, Carol, was diagnosed at 47 and died at 52. So when Orzel herself was diagnosed at 47, on Sept. 28, 2006,

Checking In With Survivor Christine Toner      Christine Toner and her family at Enders Island Breast cancer survivor Christine Toner was 51 when her physician called to confirm her breast cancer diagnosis on the day of her 25th wedding anniversary. The news was devastating, but she had little time to process it before hosting

Suzanne Guillette has “always thought of myself as a survivor and a fighter.”   Suzanne, recovering from surgery with Blue, one of her favorite dogs. June 2025 A psychic told Suzanne Guillette that she’d “never die of breast cancer. Ever.” Was this a portent? She did not have breast cancer. Was she going to get

Survivor Jane Regan: Still on the journey, but grateful and happy where I am by ELLYN SANTIAGO   Survivor Jane Regan Jane Regan loves the outdoors, gardening, yoga, and reading. The 63-year-old married mother of two adult children and grandmother of one lives in Niantic. She’s an Old Lyme school district eighth-grade teacher.  Living a

Survivor Hannah Slocum, now 28, was just 24 when diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer    Hannah enjoying life at one of her favorite places; Disney! In January 2022, just seven months after her mother was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer the previous June, Hannah Slocum also faced a breast cancer diagnosis — an aggressive

Kerry Potts, now cancer-free, battled the disease during the early days of the pandemic     Kerry Potts   It’s been more than five years since Kerry Potts, now 54, was diagnosed in January 2020 with HER2-positive and estrogen and progesterone-positive, triple-positive, stage 1 breast cancer after a routine ultrasound. Only weeks later, everyone’s lives

She’s walked in honor of others before—but now, she walks for herself, too  Janis and her husband, Frank At 71 years old, Janis D’Andrea has always lived a life filled with purpose—whether it’s her career as a health care professional, cheering from the sidelines at one of her five grandchildren’s many sporting events, or volunteering

Survivor Christine Anastos knew it was time to prioritize her own healing   Christine Anastos A breast cancer survivor, Christine Anastos’ mission now is to help other women with her “groundbreaking, heart-centered social impact company, Connect & Thrive, Public Benefit Corporation (CAT), dedicated to uplifting cancer previvors, patients, thrivers, and caregivers.” An upbeat, generous, dedicated

Survivor Kim Buckley: What do I need to do to see my baby grow up? By ELLYN SANTIAGO Kim at her third half-marathon where she raised money for Alex’s Lemonade Stand to help fight children’s cancer. East Lyme High School English teacher Kim Buckley, now 55, was just 31 when she was diagnosed with breast

‘Anchored in a storm, refusing to give up’ By ELLYN SANTIAGO   Debbie and her brother, Larry   In 2022, at age 46, Debbie McGrath began her cancer “journey.” Unfathomably, she was diagnosed with three cancers. Suffering from a bad eye infection, which sent her to her primary care doctor, it was suggested she have