Welcome to TBO.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Highlands Today > News

Celebration Of Life

Libby Coughlin

Published: March 13, 2009

On March 7, the Heartland Association of Realtors sponsored its third annual Celebration of Life for the American Cancer Association. What a beautiful, uplifting event it was.
Realtors and cancer survivors modeled clothes from Dress Barn and survivors modeled gowns from Dillard's in Lake Wales. Juan Pablo Alverade and his team of hair stylists and make-up artists worked on all the models and the women looked and felt beautiful.
There were over 90 volunteers involved in this fashion show behind the scenes. When you find out that you have cancer, many thoughts go through you mind, one of them is, "will I live through this?" What with chemo and other treatments, loss of hair, etc., on Saturday these survivors looked in the mirror and beautiful women looked back at them. I know this because I'm a two time cancer survivor and I'm a 29-year survivor.
For those who attended the fashion show at the Chateau Elan Four Points by Sheraton you had an opportunity to help a worthy cause and witness 12 survivors who have had cancer and came back better than before. Should this dreaded disease hit you or a friend or family member these women are an inspiration that you too can survive. We hope to see you at the 2010 fashion show.
Libby Coughlin
Sebring