- Hello and welcome to Living in the Lehigh Valley, where our focus is your health and wellness.

I'm your host, Brittany Sweeney.

Everyone knows someone who's been impacted by cancer.

Lehigh Valley Health Network is honoring a group of survivors and caregivers who have paved the way for others going through similar experiences.

- With a family history of cancer... - My mother passed away of breast cancer ten years prior to my initial diagnosis.

- Danielle Kane was diagnosed herself in 2017.

- So, it was scary.

- The Tamaqua first grade teacher was cancer-free for a year when it showed up again in her other breast.

But her friends and family turned the scary situations into ones of support.

For each round of radiation, her friends came up with themes - from Hawaiian to Minnie Mouse, to the '80s.

- My family set up a food train.

- I didn't have to worry about my kids and the food, and going home.

I worked straight through, only took off when I had my surgery.

When I did my 21 treatments of radiation, I worked every day.

My admin at school, because I teach first grade, they let me leave 45 minutes early each day.

Came down, had my treatment, went home.

Never skipped a beat.

Never missed a day of work.

- The mom of two finished her treatments in spring of 2019, and has been very vocal ever since about her experience with breast cancer.

Now, Kane is one of a dozen people being honored by Lehigh Valley Health Network.

- I don't feel as though I'm doing anything special.

I'm just here to help and share my story, and let people know everything is going to be okay.

Hi!

- Kane says she owes her positive treatment experiences to oncologist Dr. Lori Alfonse.

- Oh, she's my rock star.

I tell her all the time, she's my rock star.

She's wonderful.

- These are people that maybe got the worst, scariest news of their life.

And they kind of had a moment, put their hands together and said, "Let's go to work."

That's what champions do.

- Dr. Alfonse is the chief of LVHN's Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, and helps to choose which survivors are honored.

- And these champions are people who took the proverbial bull by the horns, kept a positive attitude, did what they needed to do.

And now, they're thriving, they're doing well, they're healthy, and they want to share that experience.

And we want to celebrate that experience with them.

- Kane is not Dr. Alfonse's only patient being recognized.

- Everything going okay?

- Everything's going great.

- Everything is going great.

Of course it is.

- Annette Filler delayed her annual checkup after getting a COVID vaccine.

- Typically, when I'd go for a mammogram in the past, it would be, like, in and out.

Like, "See you next year.

"Don't forget to schedule your appointment."

And they kept me.

So, I had to go for a second set of pictures.

- What she thought was a side effect of the shot turned out to be breast cancer.

Ever since, the Coopersburg woman has been outspoken about getting a yearly mammogram on time.

- Women and men cannot not go just because they just got their COVID vaccine.

And that's as important as having your mammogram or getting yourself checked.

- And, despite needing to go through chemotherapy, Filler stayed positive and continuously thanked Dr. Alfonse and her staff at LVHN.

- Because I think, so often in society today, we hear things when things aren't going well, but we don't often hear when things are going really well.

- These people have been through a very tough fight with the help of their providers here at the Topper Cancer Institute.

They're on the back end, and they're willing to share their journey, share their stories with people who may just be starting out.

More importantly, people who have been through similar journeys.

- LVHN honored a dozen advocates for cancer awareness at its Celebration of Champions Gala in May.

The annual event raises money that goes directly to a patient assistance fund.

That'll do it for this edition of Living in the Lehigh Valley.

I'm Brittany Sweeney, hoping you stay happy and healthy.