Terry & Amy Stinehelfer

Mariah, Mark, Pamela & Bethany Tisza

Denise Kendust & Faye Toler

Vicki Tarro & Denise Baxter

I

t is always a battle when cancer threatens 
a person or a family’s stability. There are 
some who can say they stood up to cancer 
and won the battle. The event “Stand 

Up To Breast Cancer,” sponsored by the Fort 
Walton Beach Medical Center, Twin Cities 
Hospital, Fort Walton Beach Chamber, and 
NWF Daily News was held at the Emerald 
Coast Convention Center on October 23. The 
event showcased resilient individuals who 
were determined to win the fi ght against breast 
cancer.  Nineteen females and one male were 
among those that were called up that evening. 

The evening’s keynote speaker was Ms. Lori 

Allen from the hit TV show Say Yes To The 
Dress. Lori gave the audience an inside look on 

her life from the start of her career, opening her 
bridal parlor three weeks after she graduated 
from college, to beating cancer. Lori expressed 
how important women’s health and breast 
cancer awareness was to her as a survivor. “It 
was very diffi cult to wrap my head around 
cancer,” Ms. Allen said.  She didn’t want to 
tell anybody, not even her family.  She had to 
process it all. From being angry with the illness 
to getting scared and ultimately relying on her 
faith as a Christian was what helped her in her 
journey; and if sharing her story with others 
gives them strength, courage, and hope to stand 
up to breast cancer, she would gladly do it 
every time.

photos & story by

 

Zhalman Harris

Chelsea Sesody  & Jana Allen

   VIP Destin at the Emerald Coast Convention Center

STAND 

up

TO BREAST CANCER

90    |    VIPDestinMagazine.com

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11/27/18   10:19 AM