FAYETTEVILLE, NC (WTVD) – A Fayetteville woman is rising above her own cancer diagnosis and growing with her annual fundraiser for the disease.
ABC11 spoke to Gladys Hill in 2019 when she was diagnosed with DCIS and led her Light Up Fayetteville Pink Campaign. Now in the campaign’s fifth year, Hill is selling pink light bulbs to raise money to help pay for breast cancer screenings at the Cape Fear Valley Health Cancer Center. She urges others to go for mammograms and ultrasounds and take advantage of early detection.
“Every woman should get screened even if she has no money,” says Hill. “Your screening is important. And if you can, donate $5. It’s about helping others less fortunate.”
Hill raised $6,000 through his campaign this month. She’s trying to raise $10,000 before it’s done. Residents and local businesses throughout Fayetteville have donated to the cause, but she is also receiving donations from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania.
“Somehow, everyone is affected by breast cancer. Friends, family members, cousins, aunts, uncles. Someone is affected by cancer. So everyone will be willing to go. give because they know they are helping others,” she said.
Hill knows the importance of an autopsy. Early detection helped protect her when she was diagnosed with DCIS. On Thursday, Hill said her health is getting much better as she has been cancer-free for three years.
“When they catch mine, it’ll be at zero. And I don’t have chemotherapy,” she said. “I chose to do 16 days of radiation as a precaution.”
Hill is asking donors to post pictures of their bulbs on her Facebook page. She only has 100 of the 800 light bulbs left. If she hits her $10,000 goal, she says she’ll get a tattoo of a little ribbon.
“I’m not a tattooist but for breast cancer I would do it,” she said. “Yes, I’ll do it for $10,000.”
Anyone who wants more information can visit the Light up Fayetteville Pink Facebook page.
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