Eloise Caggiano

Eloise Caggiano is a breast cancer survivor who just celebrated her seven year "Cancervesary." As the Program Director for the Avon Walk she meets many survivors (and people who have been touched by breast cancer in some way) at the nine walks across the country. "We have hundreds of survivors at each of our walks, which is really inspiring to me personally. I am a seven-year survivor now, but I love meeting the 20-year survivors. It is so hopeful and inspiring—then I realize when I meet the one and two year survivors, they look at me like that."

Caggiano was diagnosed at 33 and was completely shocked, but luckily she had great health insurance and access to amazing doctors. She was working in PR at the time, but after five surgeries, four months of chemotherapy, and losing both her left breast and her hair, she realized she wanted something more out of her career.

"There are women without health insurance, or who are not going to doctor appointments because they cant afford childcare. A lot of the money that is raised by the Avon Walk goes to helping people get breast cancer care regardless of their ability to pay for it. So it brings it full circle for me. Everyone deserves the same chance at survival as I had—I was really fortunate and now I am able to help other people hopefully have just a good as outcome as I had."