Fashion on the Journey: Meet Our Survivor/Thriver Models!

Emma Mednikov is the producer of Immodest Opulence Burlesque, a performer, and an insurance specialist. She graduated from VCU with a degree in fashion merchandising, and soon after, at the age of 24, her gynecologist found a questionable lump during a routine checkup, and after a month of biopsies, an MRI, and a CT scan, she was diagnosed with stage 3 estrogen-positive breast cancer and carries the BRCA2 Gene. After a double mastectomy and reconstruction, burlesque lets her express herself artistically and has helped her relearn to embrace her body! This upcoming December, she will be 5 years in remission!

"Heather Marie Speaks...Speaks is not her last name, it's what she does! Former Miss Virginia 2021, Heather Marie Van Cleave is a sought after International Motivational Speaker, Author, TV Host and Influencer sharing motivation, encouragement and positive tips to help others reach their full potential and find balance in their mind, body and soul.  She is a Jane of all trades who has been singing, acting and modeling since she was a child.  In 2009 she began speaking globally as a survivor of domestic violence and mental health advocate.  She was a single mother of three before meeting the love of her life in 2021 and began battling aggressive breast cancer in 2022.  She has been inspiring a world wide audience through her transparency while overcoming obstacles in her own life.   In 2023 she was the keynote speaker for The Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation as well as the guest speaker and national anthem soloist for the American Cancer Society. Her story was featured on NBC12 & CBS6 which was shared across the world.  Heather Marie brings inspiration, motivation, encouragement and positive tips wherever she goes to help others overcome and reach their full potential.  From military veterans, business owners and employees to celebrity clients and CEO's of some of the top companies in the world, Heather Marie has continued to be a resource as a life coach and mental health advocate to help others overcome and help businesses thrive.  Her mission is to use her gifts and talents to make a difference in the world and give people hope by sharing her story and speaking about the importance of having balance in your mind, body & soul, taking care of your mental health and being an advocate for yourself. 

Delilah Ohrstrom is a musician, writer, and advocate diagnosed with stage 2B triple-positive breast cancer in 2024. While undergoing treatment, she and her bandmate launched musical project ‘Sweet Touch’: an electro bass-pop duo that celebrates beauty and power even through hard times. You can catch them playing regularly around Richmond in venues such as The Camel, Shockoe Sessions Live, and the Broadberry. She is also working on a fictional novel based on her experience going through cancer treatment as a young survivor navigating the dating scene. Delilah joined the Board of Directors for Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation in 2025 and will soon be a graduate of National Breast Cancer Coalition’s Project LEAD advocacy training. 

I am a corporate lawyer by training and a health equity advocate, a mother of two beautiful children, Rabbie (18) and Rachel (13), and I am honored to have been asked to participate in the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation’s Power of Pink Richmond Fashion Show. I proudly serve as Managing Partner of the Richmond Office of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, where I have practiced law for 26 years.  My breast cancer journey began back in November 2020 when I felt a pea-sized lump in my right breast while showering. With a family history of breast cancer in my family, I had been extra vigilant about my breast health for all of my life. I began getting yearly mammograms at the age of 35. I didn’t smoke or drink, and I rarely, if ever, ate beef, but at the end of the day, none of that mattered. That pea-sized lump changed my life in ways I never thought possible.  First, it made me realize that breast cancer is pervasive. When I was diagnosed, I learned of 6 different women in my same age demographic and profession who were in various stages of their breast cancer journeys.  Second, it made me realize that early detection is critical to survival. Dismissing a lump as something too insignificant to be concerned about could mean the difference between life and death.  Third, I realized that far too many women (particularly women of color) do not have access to the information or medical interventions needed to overcome this devastating and deadly disease. I know it sounds crazy, but being diagnosed with breast cancer is my superpower. It empowers me to advocate louder about eradicating health disparities, it empowers me to encourage others who are battling unanticipated health challenges in life, and it empowers me to do what I can to create a future without cancer. Please join me at the Power of Pink Fashion Show in raising awareness about breast cancer and in supporting others on their breast cancer journeys as they survive and thrive.  

I am Jeniffer Cox.  I was diagnosed with DCIS on March 30, 2022. I've taken the opportunity as a survivor to share my story through participation in several different types of advocacy. I participated in the Grace Project -Athena Division a photography project documenting the strength of and empowering women and men after mastectomies. I joined the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation as an advocate and board member, and participated in the 2024 National Breast Cancer  Coalition training and national advocacy event. I dealt, and continue to deal,  with my own fear and trauma by reaching out to other survivors and by sharing my story to help others before, during, and after diagnosis. 

Evelina Johnson Buendia is a breast cancer surviva, author, and inspirational speaker whose journey reflects grit, grace, and God's glory. After enduring cancer and recovering from a setback that left her in a wheelchair and walker, Evelina rose again—through prayer, physical therapy, and fierce determination. Earlier this year, Evelina began casually making fashion reels, telling herself it was time to “up” her look. What felt like fun, spirit-lifting content turned out to be a divine setup. “God always gives glimpses,” she says. “Those reels were little previews of a bigger purpose—this very moment.” She is the author of Healed: From Cancer to Surviva, a memoir birthed from blog entries on Cancer Support Community’s MyLifeLine platform. “No blog, no book,” she says. That platform helped her find her voice—now she uses it to uplift others from the Virginia House of Delegates to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer stages. Evelina believes confidence isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. “Even with one breast, I choose to feel whole, sexy, and victorious. My scar isn’t shame—it’s survival.” Every step she takes down the runway is a reminder that God’s not done, and the comeback is always stronger.

I was diagnosed at the age of 43 with stage one Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, HER2 positive. I was 18 years old when I had my first lumpectomy. I had a lump that grew when my breasts started developing as a young teenager. I did not tell my mother until I was in college. I had another lumpectomy at the age of 20, and that’s when the doctors told me I had fibrocystic breast disease. I was also advised that the chances of my getting breast cancer were slim to none. Imagine the shock I got on June 6, 2012! I had a biopsy in June 2011 on that same cyst and was told it was benign. Well, I monitored myself and knew when the cyst started to grow. Fast forward to June 2012, when I told my gynecologist the cyst was growing, she sent me for my mammogram. I was always used to going for a mammogram, they find something, next step ultrasound, next step biopsy. Then I got the call that I was fine. This had become a part of my life since I was 18 years old. Never in a million years did I ever think I would hear “you have cancer”.  My whole young adult life, I have been advocating for myself to get mammograms. I am a strong advocate for self-breast exams. You know your body better than anyone ever could. If something does not feel right, let your doctor know immediately; it can save your life! It’s why I am here today! 

My name is Jessica Bourne…and yes, Jason is my brother!  As 2020 was a hard year for anyone, at 26 years old, I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer. With no family history or warning, I dove straight into a fight mood. I was no longer Jason’s sister, but I was Bourne Strong!  I graduated with a Master’s in Forensic Science, focused on crime scene investigations. I grew that passion into my career as a Forensic Investigator at the Richmond Police Department. I also assist in courses and practicals at VCU. I have spoken on the “Danny and Parks Novels” podcast about my cancer journey while juggling parenting two teens and working full-time.  As I’ve learned in this community, we are all fighters! We learn, cry, but most importantly laugh together.  I have processed this journey through talking with others and fighters going through the same diagnosis, including close friends. I have had the opportunity to speak on NBC12 news about my journey after getting a tattoo to cover my port scar by Amy Black, a local artist in Richmond who specializes in mastectomy tattoos. I am fortunate to have a loving and supportive family. My husband and I were lucky to get a positive outcome using the fertility process. We have a happy, healthy, and sometimes a handful baby girl. Her brother now proudly serves the US Army, and her sister is steamrolling her way through college with ease.  This year, I celebrate 5 years cancer-free, and added a new tattoo to the collection; flowers that represent strength, good fortune, and resilience. BOURNE STRONG is what got me through this chapter in my life. It represents all the beautiful people supporting me.

Rhonda is a 10^th-generation Virginian, has been married for 48 years, has two grown children and one grandchild. Rhonda is an entrepreneur, inventor, and author. She holds a B.A. from Trinity College and an A.P.R. from the Public Relations Society of America.  She received executive leadership certification from Harvard Business School and is certified in non-profit management from Indiana University’s School of Philanthropy. Rhonda has worked as an assistant Fashion buyer, lobbyist, and book editor. She is one of the original staff that opened and established a living history museum called the Frontier Culture Museum. She was called to serve in the non-profit world after working for the Frontier Culture Museum for 16 years. She joined the SAW Habitat for Humanity organization in 2002 as their Executive Director and retired in 2016 after partnering with over 50 families to build and repair homes. She serves her community and has held leadership roles on charity boards and commissions, including a Regional Free Clinic, Chair on the Governor’s Human Rights Commission, President at the Middlebrook Ruritan Club, and advisor with Ride with Pride.  She was called to start a charity to help teens attend Prom without cost over 22 years ago. To date, this non-profit she started has served more than 2,500 clients and given back to the community more than $2 million. Rhonda is the President of CrownClips – a company she began after inventing a device that keeps a bridal tiara or crown secure on your head.  She is also the 2025 Ms. Senior World VA and will be representing Virginia women over seventy at an international pageant in November.  

In 2020, at the age of 36, I learned that I had breast cancer. It knocked my socks off. Everything I thought I knew to be certain—growing old with my husband, watching my two young kids grow up, nurturing my legal practice as a new shareholder—suddenly felt under siege. Those days of uncertainty for the future, before I learned about and settled on a treatment plan, were among the scariest. As I have journeyed through months of chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, radiation, and now the daily fear of recurrence, I have come to realize with gratitude and humility that I am one of the lucky ones. I never had concerns about affording my diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. I had the good fortune of a strong support system that bolstered me with love, the wherewithal to advocate for myself through the health system, a supportive employer, and—critically—good, affordable health insurance through my job. I was free to make decisions based on my needs, not what I could afford. No one should have to compromise their health and well-being just because they lack insurance. And I care deeply about eliminating the disparate impact of under-insurance on BIPOC women, especially. Every person facing a cancer diagnosis deserves the hope of a future that can only come with the full knowledge of what they must overcome. 

In 2023, at just 43 years old, I was diagnosed with Stage 2B Triple Negative breast cancer.  I was up to date on every routine screening and exams- yet I found the lump myself.  This experience reinforces the importance of self-advocacy and body awareness. What followed was a year filled with challenges. I completed six months of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and a double mastectomy with direct reconstruction. I continued immunotherapy after surgery to complete a full year of treatment. So much of this journey was hard and humbling. But, it was also a time that revealed just how strong I am.  My husband and our three kids were my greatest motivation in the toughest moments during treatment.  I’m happy to say that I have been able to return to work in the schools as a Physical Education Paraprofessional. I’m determined to use my cancer journey to raise awareness and encourage wellness. I want to empower others to trust their instincts, speak up for their health, advocate for early detection, and push for personalized care. I’m excited to continue to volunteer with the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.  
 

I was first diagnosed with Stage 2 Triple Negative Breast Cancer in 2008 after experiencing pain in my left breast. The ER doctor dismissed it as a cyst, but my GYN quickly referred me to a surgeon. Despite his reassurance that “cancer doesn’t cause pain,” I pushed for surgery. The biopsy had been negative, but the pathology from surgery revealed the mass was mostly cancerous. I chose a mastectomy with reconstruction but soon developed Toxic Shock Syndrome and a staph infection, requiring another surgery, a hospital stay, and IV antibiotics. It took multiple ER visits and calls before someone finally listened. After 16 rounds of chemo, I faced surgery again. In 2019, during a routine mammogram, I was diagnosed a second time—this time with ER+HER2- breast cancer in my right breast—leading to another mastectomy. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: trust yourself, speak up, and never stop fighting for your health. Your voice could be the difference between being dismissed and being saved.

Marylinn Minor’s journey with breast cancer began in 2014 when she was diagnosed—and it sparked a lifelong commitment to advocacy and change. A survivor with a powerful voice and a deep well of compassion, Marylinn turned her experience into purpose, dedicating herself to becoming a change maker for patients and survivors impacted by breast cancer. Following her treatment, Marylinn’s first advocacy trip to Capitol Hill for National Lobby Day ignited a deep and enduring passion for advocacy. She soon joined the board of directors for the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation. There, she became a driving force for community education and in pushing for better public policy, legislation, and resource funding—both in Virginia and on Capitol Hill. Today, Marylinn continues that mission representing VBCF as the Board Vice President and Virginia State Field Coordinator for the National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC). In this role, she leads efforts to advance bold policy and meaningful legislative initiatives to secure critical research funding aimed at ending breast cancer once and for all. Marylinn is also a proud graduate and mentor of NBCC’s Project LEAD® Institute, a prestigious and intensive science training program for advocates. Through this program and her work as a Consumer and Programmatic Reviewer for the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, she helps ensure that patient voices are heard—and that research stays focused on what truly matters. Driven by Purpose, shaped by Experience, and fueled by Hope, Marylinn Minor continues to inspire meaningful change and she tirelessly advocates for building a future where no one has to hear the words, "You have breast cancer."