Pink Bag Event + Fashion Show

Join Firefly Sisterhood, United Breast Cancer Foundation, and Brookfield Properties for a special Pink Bag Event at Ridgedale Center on Saturday, October 17! We’ll distribute 175 thoughtfully curated Pink Bags to individuals with a breast cancer diagnosis and celebrate with a brand-new Fashion Show at 1 o’clock featuring local women and fashion expert Jodi Mayers. Enjoy an afternoon of fashion, community, special activities, and shopping throughout Ridgedale Center.

Reserve your Pink Bag HERE: signupgenius.com/go/pinkbag26
*Pink Bags are exclusively for those with a Breast Cancer Diagnosis. You must be present at the event to receive your bag.

United Breast Cancer Foundation (UBCF) is dedicated to providing financial support to breast cancer patients, survivors, and their families through various patient and family programs.

Ridgedale Center, owned and managed by Brookfield Properties, is about creating spaces that draw consumers in and inspire communities. And, more than anything, it’s about bringing people together.

2026 Pink Bag Event Models

Heather Amos

Heather joined the Firefly Sisterhood community as a Support Seeker and is currently a year and a half past her lumpectomy, navigating ongoing hormone therapy and Zometa infusions. A long-time fashion enthusiast with prior modeling experience, Heather has always treated style as a creative art form, favoring unique, unexpected looks over short-lived trends. Following her diagnosis, leaning into her personal style became an essential way to boost her confidence and reclaim joy. Today, she focuses on sourcing ultra-soft, cute pieces that accommodate post-radiation skin sensitivities and difficult post-surgery bra fits without sacrificing her distinct sartorial flair.

Carmen Berrios

Carmen is a dedicated Peer Mentor Guide and deeply beloved volunteer within the Firefly Sisterhood community. Currently facing a cancer recurrence with unwavering grace and optimism, Carmen is undergoing targeted treatment with absolute faith in her healing journey. For Carmen, fashion has played a therapeutic role in reclaiming her body image. Following reconstruction surgery, she embraced a bold shift in her wardrobe, moving toward lower-cut necklines and swimwear that highlight her figure, allowing her to feel radiant, beautiful, and completely at home in her skin.

Vanessa Berrueta

Vanessa is a professional model and dedicated Firefly Sisterhood Peer Mentor Guide who views every stage appearance as a celebration of life after cancer. After choosing no reconstruction following her surgery, Vanessa completely transformed her approach to fashion, adapting her wardrobe to flat-friendly cuts and sophisticated, high-fashion silhouettes. She uses her platform on the runway to show that beauty and grace exist far beyond traditional standards, turning every outfit into a powerful statement of self-love.

Molly Hottman

A dedicated Firefly Sisterhood Peer Mentor Guide and competitive bodybuilder, Molly was diagnosed with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer at age 34 in 2024. After enduring 16 intense rounds of chemotherapy and surgery, she is proudly coming up on two years cancer-free. For Molly, style post-treatment is an extension of physical and mental resilience. Having navigated hair loss by discovering a love for hats and head scarves, her fashion choices now focus on empowerment and self-expression. She seeks out stretchy, flexible fabrics that accommodate her muscular build and proudly chooses tops that show off her port scar, viewing it not as a mark of illness, but as a badge of honor and a reminder of her strength.

Ellie McCann

Ellie is a Firefly Sisterhood Peer Mentor Guide who navigated a Triple-Positive breast cancer diagnosis, lumpectomy, radiation, and active treatment six years ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Handling medical appointments during such an isolated time prompted Ellie to simplify her life and relax her aesthetic, both personally and professionally. Today, her style philosophy centers on timeless ease, prioritizing buttery-soft fabrics, effortless pull-on bottoms, and easy-access tops that make getting dressed a comforting, stress-free routine.

Shelby Reitz

Two years post-treatment, Shelby is a passionate Firefly Sisterhood Peer Mentor Guide who transformed her recovery into an opportunity for personal renewal. Feeling as though her body had been put through the wringer after two years of intense medical intervention, Shelby intentionally shifted her wardrobe toward distinctly softer, more feminine silhouettes. By surrounding herself with expressive, romantic clothing, she uses fashion to celebrate her renewed vitality and reconnect with her identity beyond diagnosis.

Rosemary (Rosie) Thostenson

Rosie is a 25-year breast cancer survivor and active Firefly Sisterhood Peer Mentor Guide whose warmth and physical vitality inspire everyone she meets. Staying active and fit into her late 70s, Rosie keeps her wardrobe aligned with her energetic lifestyle. Because she tends to run warm, she favors lightweight, airy garments that move effortlessly with her, proving that functional, comfortable fashion can be both chic and timeless.

Mary Wells

Mary is a long-time, deeply committed Firefly Sisterhood Peer Mentor Guide and lumpectomy survivor who views the ritual of dressing up, doing her hair, and stepping out as vital steps toward healing. Dealing with ongoing side effects like hot flashes and scar tenderness, Mary seeks out elegant dresses and lightweight, breathable layers that avoid restrictive waistbands or tight necklines. For Mary, participating in the show is about regaining style confidence and inspiring other women to feel polished and beautiful through every stage of recovery.

Jessica Woodward

Diagnosed with two distinct types of breast cancer in late 2024, Jessica is a Peer Mentor Guide who approaches her post-treatment path with infectious positivity. Facing sudden body transformations and intense hot flashes from medically induced menopause, Jessica has redefined her wardrobe to meet her body’s new needs. She gravitates toward vibrant colors, funky patterns, high-waisted denim, and breathable half- or three-quarter-sleeve cuts that manage temperature fluctuations while keeping her posture supported. For Jessica, dressing in bold, joyful fashion is a daily choice to celebrate life with her family.