About the Event

The Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation’s Power of Pink Luncheon in Roanoke is an elegant afternoon dedicated to dining, education, and celebrating our community of survivors, fighters, and thrivers.

This year, we are thrilled to introduce a mini fashion show honoring survivors and thrivers! Attendees can also look forward to our inspiring local guest speaker, Megan Jackson, our "Unlock the Cure" raffle, and a Silent Auction filled with items from our generous local supporters. 

We are so excited to debut our new fashion show while continuing the traditions that make this event a highlight of the year. Join us for an afternoon of community, hope, and celebration!

Event Details

Location: The Hotel Roanoke

Check-In and Reception: 11:00 AM – 11:50 AM

Lunch and Program: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Join Us

Whether you are walking the runway, bidding in the auction, or cheering from your table, your presence fuels our mission in Southwest Virginia.

Interested in Sponsorship or donating an Auction item? Please reach out to Antonia Arias, SWVA Events Manager, at antonia@vbcf.org for more information on how you or your business can get involved.

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You do not need to be present to win.  Unlock the Cure - Official Rules

Our Sponsors

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Sapphire

Pearl

Crystal

Special Supporters

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Meet our Local Speaker!

Megan Jackson is coming from planning events to speaking at one! She is coming to share her story of a 38-year-old single Mother recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. In addition to sharing her story as our local speaker, Megan will also be taking to the runway as a featured fashion model, celebrating the beauty of resilience. Her story is one of courage, resilience, strength, and unwavering faith in the face of life’s greatest challenges.


Professionally, Megan serves as an Event Planning Manager at The Hotel Roanoke, where she partners with clients to plan and execute meetings, conferences, and large-scale events. She also teaches as an adjunct instructor in Event Planning at Virginia Western Community College and contributes to the annual Exploration Career Camps, mentoring rising high-school students. She is also actively involved with the Hospitality and Tourism Management program at Virginia Tech, where she mentors students and provides shadowing opportunities to help them explore careers in meeting and event planning.


Megan is deeply committed to her community. She volunteers monthly with the Rescue Mission, serves on The Hotel Roanoke’s Care Committee, and dedicates time to Carilion’s “No One Dies Alone” program. She loves to dance in her free time and is incredibly grateful for her family, coworkers, and friends for their immense support over her journey within this diagnosis. 


While Megan may not be a seasoned keynote speaker, her story is authentic, powerful, and profoundly worth hearing.
 

Meet our Models!

Teresa Chewning

 

image001 (1).jpgTeresa is a lifelong Vinton local and a proud Hotel Roanoke team member. A survivor since her double mastectomy in 2021, Teresa walks the runway to honor the memory of her mother and brother, and to advocate for the next generation, including her own daughters. She is a dedicated supporter of the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation, fueled by a mission to find support and a cure for all those impacted by the Chek 2 mutation and breast cancer.

Michelle Lambert

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Michelle is a proud Filipino American and a single mother of two who describes herself as a Breast Cancer Warrior. Following a DCIS diagnosis and a double mastectomy last year, Michelle is joining the fashion show to celebrate her strength and build new self-confidence in her body. An avid cook who loves sharing her culture through food, she is eager to connect with her Pink Sisters, impact her community, and show others that there is vibrant life and beauty after surgery. 

Cindy Howell

 

Cindy is a testament to the life-saving importance of routine screenings. Just seven months after the passing of her husband, a routine mammogram led to a diagnosis of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma and Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS). Despite having no family history of breast cancer, Cindy found the strength to fight for her role as a mother, bolstered by the unwavering support of her family.  Throughout a journey that often left her feeling unrecognizable to herself, the love of her children and grandchildren kept her moving forward. For Cindy, walking the runway is a powerful celebration of life, healing, and self-confidence after one of the hardest chapters of her life. Today, she continues to rediscover her strength and treasures every shared moment of laughter and peace. She hopes her presence on the runway serves as a vital reminder to others: listen to your body and never skip a routine screening.

Kimberly Billings

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At 39 years old, Kimberly's world shifted with a breast cancer diagnosis in February 2024. What followed was a grueling season of chemotherapy, radiation, and four surgeries at Duke — all while raising two young daughters as a single mother. Throughout it all, she never stopped showing up, fueled by her faith in God and the resilience she discovered within herself. Kimberly walks the runway to prove that you can not only survive but thrive, emerging on the other side stronger than ever, standing as a beacon of hope for anyone still in the thick of their own fight.

Kristin Price

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A nurse with 20 years of experience, Kristin faced an unexpected journey when she was diagnosed with Stage 3C triple-negative breast cancer just months after a clear mammogram. Supported by her husband and her dedicated #KristinsKrew, she navigated a rigorous treatment plan fueled by her love for her two young children, Maddox and Lennox. Kristin is walking the runway to represent the reality and strength of those facing aggressive cancers, standing as a beautiful reminder that even in the hardest seasons, there is resilience, purpose, and hope.  

Diane Poehner

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Diane is a retired early childhood special education teacher who continues to provide early intervention services for youngsters in the Roanoke Valley.  She is a survivor of 13 years of triple-positive breast cancer. She faced fears and uncertainties, but soon realized the importance of strength and hope. With the support of her loving family and friends, she navigated the stages of treatment, including chemotherapy, double mastectomy and radiation. She is walking today as she embraces the power of resilience and appreciates every small victory. This journey has not only tested her physical endurance but also deepened her emotional and spiritual strength. It has inspired her to raise awareness about breast cancer and support others facing similar battles.

Today, she continues to focus on healing, self-care, and advocacy, grateful for each day and the opportunity to share her story.

Lindsay Gallaher

Gallaher.jpgAt 33 years old, Lindsay is a proud mom to a two-year-old and is celebrating 15 months of being cancer-free. She is stepping onto the runway this year to push herself out of her comfort zone and embrace new challenges. By sharing her journey, Lindsay hopes to build meaningful connections with others who have walked similar paths, proving that there is a vibrant community of support and strength waiting on the other side of a diagnosis.  

Carrie Sizemore

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A Vinton local and mental health therapist, Carrie was diagnosed with Triple Positive IDC in 2021 at just 34 years old, all while balancing life as a full-time college student. Having navigated her journey with the support of her husband, whom she calls her hero, and her two kids, Austin and Robbie, Carrie is now a passionate believer in the "Power of Pink." She takes to the runway to celebrate her resilience and her degree in Social Work, proving that you can face life’s toughest challenges and still come out on top.

Yolie Polakowski

 

Living in New Jersey for most of her life, Yolie was diagnosed with Triple Negative Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in 2019. Because of her extremely supportive family and friends during her grueling five months of chemo and a bilateral mastectomy, she always had a positive attitude, even through the worst of days. She saw the world through rose-colored glasses, which made people’s kindness shine and rainy days comforting. She is currently cancer-free for seven years. Yolie and her husband moved to Roanoke six years ago, enjoying life and being closer to their children and grandchildren. 

Kelly Wilson

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Diagnosed with Triple Positive Breast Cancer in 2022 with zero family history, Kelly faced her journey with fierce determination for the sake of her two young sons. After a rigorous two-year path involving five surgeries and over a year of treatment, she is here to prove there is a vibrant life after cancer. Kelly proudly embraces her scars and her "better-than-the-original" belly button as symbols of her strength. She walks the runway to share a laugh, celebrate her successful reconstruction, and show the community the beauty of a warrior’s resilience.  

Mary Wimmer

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Mary is a retired Chemistry teacher from Roanoke, VA, who brings a wealth of resilience and community spirit to this year's runway. This summer, Mary celebrates two incredible milestones: her 40th wedding anniversary and 15 years as a breast cancer survivor. After being diagnosed with ER+/Her2- breast cancer, she underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. She credits her family, her friends, and her school community for providing the strength and support that brought her through her journey. Today, she is the proud mother of two children and their spouses, and a doting grandmother to two grandchildren. She believes deeply that "The Power of Pink is real," and she walks today to inspire hope for more survivors and an eventual cure.

Where Your Money Goes

Annually in Virginia, 8,180 women and men are diagnosed with breast cancer, and 1,160 will lose their battle with breast cancer. The money raised through the Power of Pink Luncheon provides Virginians with support, resources, and ways to get involved and take action.

VBCF offers individualized resource coordination; breast health education; support kits for newly diagnosed patients, caregivers, and survivors; advocacy for improved health public policy and research dollars for the state; and funding for the Southwest Virginia Screening and Diagnostic Fund. This fund was established in 2022 and has provided more than 1,040 patients with almost 1,950 tests, resulting in 30 diagnoses treated in Southwest Virginia through partnerships with Augusta Health, Carilion Roanoke and Franklin, Centra Health, and Lewis Gale Pulaski Hospitals. 

VBCF is a 501(c) 3 organization as determined by the Internal Revenue Service with federal tax identification number 54-1633519. Gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.