I don’t ever think I will forget the day I heard five years ago that Kelley Tuthill a TV reporter on WCVB in Boston was diagnosed with breast cancer. As a reporter Kelley was in my home all the time and now to hear Kelley, a young mother, wife and daughter was fighting breast cancer was a shock. But I am sure it was more of a shock to her and her family but it was a shock to the Boston Community as well.
What was more amazing to me was that Kelley chose to share your story as she was undergoing treatment. Cameras were with her to share Kelley’s Story every step of the way. This is only a part of what makes Kelley the amazing woman she is but an inspiration to so many. She helped more women than she could ever imagine by taking what many keep as private and make it as public as possible. Kelley indeed made a difference in the lives of many – those she knew and those she would never meet.
But after Kelley’s treatment was over, Kelley did not stop being a breast cancer advocate and supporter. Kelley never took a back seat to helping others. This is where I had the opportunity to meet Kelley and see Kelley every year before the start of Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer! Kelley visits the clinics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute with Tim Fonseca, Executive Pastry Chef from the Four Seasons Hotel Boston where they share Tim’s famous chocolate chip cookies before the start of our event. Kelley and Tim distribute cookies and talk with the patients, their families, the doctors, nurses and staff. It is one of my favorite things to do before Boston Bakes. It brings Boston Bakes back home to Dana-Farber and makes our mission on raising money for breast cancer research more important when you see the faces of those fighting breast cancers with all that they have. Sharing a cookie with Kelley and Tim for one day makes a difference.
I thought I was the lucky one for Kelley giving us her time each year to do this but this year I found out Kelley looks forward to this as much as I do! I must admit that was a wow moment for me something I surely was not expecting to hear! It is a very special day for us and Kelley talks to so many people when we are at the clinic. It never fails that she always meets someone she knows.
Kelley is also an author and her book You Can Do This!: Surviving Breast Cancer Without Losing Your Sanity or Your Style is a must read!
Kelley, here is to your health and happiness! Thank you for all you do for breast cancer. I look forward to seeing you next May when we once again visit the clinics at Dana-Farber with chocolate chip cookies in hand for our tradition of kicking off Boston Bakes for Breast Cancer.
On Monday, February 13th, watch News Center 5 at 11 PM to see an update on Kelley’s Story. Additional stories will continue during the week starting on Tuesday on News Center 5 at 5 PM.
