News

Pardee honors five Women of Hope

By Lightning Reports, Published: October 18, 2019

Three breast cancer survivors, a woman who had a serious heart issue and a teenager who had a heart transplant were honored as Women of Hope during the 22nd annual Women Helping Women Luncheon Friday at Blue Ridge Community College.

Four women were honored at this year's Pardee Foundation event, which raised more than $142,000 to help uninsured or under-insured women receive a mammogram or other important health services.

The keynote speaker was Tracey Conway, an Emmy award-winning actress, Oprah Winfrey guest, and Huffington Post blogger who survived a heart attack while on stage at an event.
“This year’s Women of Hope are an inspiration to us all," said Kimerly Hinkelman, executive director of Pardee Hospital Foundation. ‘We are so pleased to honor them as survivors and symbols of hope, as we know their stories will be helpful to others in similar situations."
Joni Mahaffey-Rauschenbach was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2018. As she told her son, he remained positive and told her he was there for her no matter what. Joni also kept a positive outlook and completed her treatment in June 2019 with has a clean bill of health. She says, “I thank God every day that I was sent to Pardee Cancer Center. I can’t imagine any better care anywhere else.”
Carolyn Collins was also diagnosed with breast cancer. She was brave throughout treatment, going to doctor appointments, radiation treatment while working full time throughout the whole process. She was very determined to beat cancer. As Carolyn noted, “When you hear the word “cancer” your world changes. You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. There was no choice for me but to fight this battle. I needed to do it for myself and my family.”
Tangie Justice, an RN herself, was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive carcinoma. She vowed to treat herself like she did her patients, remaining positive at all times. After a successful lumpectomy and radiation, she credits her faith in God as well as the staff at Pardee Cancer Center saying, “ The physicians are excellent and know their specialty like no others. The staff go above and beyond every day with their patients, from the front desk to check out.”
Sally Boyd was living an active life when she started having concerning symptoms. Her physician ordered a battery of tests and she was then diagnosed with a cardiac issue. She received treatment but became critically ill when she later was on a trip in Jerusalem. When stable and back safely at home, Sally’s follow-up care from Pardee has critical in her recovery. She is thankful for her team at Pardee and remarked, “A healthy heart keeps a woman strong so she can fill her life with compassion, spirit and adventure. Believe in your heart and believe in yourself- always!”

Megan Edney suffered from a variety of stomach ailments, fatigue and other problems for more than a year before she was diagnosed last May with a rare condition that required a heart transplant. Physicians at Pardee started a diagnostic process that ended with a heart transplant at Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte.

"My doctors told me that they don't do heart transplants for people to live in a bubble," Megan, who was honored as a Young Woman of Hope, told the packed conference hall. "We want you to live a normal life. And I'm going to live a normal life."

The foundation also honored oncologist Jim Radford, of Pardee Comprehensive Cancer Center, for his four decades of treating cancer patients and running clinical research.

Pardee Chief Medical Officer David Ellis praised Radford as a doctor "who has truly changed the delivery of health care in Henderson County."
Women Helping Women is an initiative of the Pardee Hospital Foundation to provide financial support to women who are uninsured or under-insured to obtain healthcare services without concern for financial barriers. To inquire about assistance from this fund, please call 828-233-2700.