Foundation's First Grant Helps Ashburn Woman

The Malea Renee Kanoho Foundation, established to help women battling breast cancer, provided a $4K grant to help pay medical expenses.

Just four days after the launch of the Malea Renee Kanoho Foundation, founder Jason Kanoho presented an Ashburn woman a $4,000 grant to help pay for her breast cancer treatments. “It was important to me to let people know that we are really here to support people, and that if we have funding, we’re going to give it,” Kanoho said. The Foundation presented the money to Nancy Betz, 38, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in August. The disease has spread to her liver and lymph nodes. Betz lost her full-time job and health insurance in 2010. She later was able to get some health coverage under the Affordable Health Care Act but was struggling to keep up with out-of- pocket costs, such as large co-pays and deductibles. Betz's siblings set up a…

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Ashburn Pub Fundraiser Honors Malea Kanoho

The annual Beach Party will kickoff the Malea Renee Kanoho Foundation, which aims to help young women battling breast cancer.

Ready for summer? Get an early taste during Ashburn Pub’s annual Beach Party and help a worthy local cause. The party – from 4 p.m. to close, Saturday, March 2 – will serve as the official launch party and fundraiser kickoff for the Malea Renee Kanoho Foundation. The Malea Renee Kanoho Foundation aims to provide financial and emotional support to women under 40 battling breast cancer. The Foundation – named to honor an Ashburn mother who lost her battle with the disease – plans to provide grants for out-of-pocket expenses and offer emotional support through a team of volunteers. “There are many expenses associated with the treatment of cancer that are not covered by insurance,” said Jason Kanoho, founder of the Malea Renee Kanoho …

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Breast Cancer Takes Life of Ashburn Woman

Malea Kanoho, mother of six, fought to raise greater awareness of the disease.

Pink is everywhere. Pink ribbons on cars and decorating stores, pink shirts and pink socks on spectators and even players at football fields, pink lights on the White House — all because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Ironically, sadly, just as the annual series of awareness events comes to a close, the terrible disease has struck one of our own in Ashburn, claiming the young, vibrant life of a breast cancer awareness advocate who inspired many in the community to join her fight. Malea Kanoho, a 38-year-old mother of six and Ashburn resident, died Oct. 21 after a courageous, three-and-a-half year battle with Metastatic Invasive Carcinoma Breast Cancer. Anyone that met Kanoho instantly felt close to her and couldn’t help but …

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Mother-Daughter Photo Shoot Helps Hamilton Woman

Photography studio donates proceeds to help defray costs of fight against cancer for young Loudoun resident.

  A mother-daughter photo shoot sponsored by Amy Berringer Photography has been planned in Purcellville to benefit a young Hamilton resident with terminal cancer. Jocelyn Rodearmel, 27, was diagnosed in November 2011 with late-stage breast cancer. By the time of diagnosis the cancer had already spread to her liver. The disease has not responded to treatment, but her family has not given up hope. They recently learned that the best treatment option for cancer is gene-targeted therapies, which are very expensive. The treatments would help extend her life and help provide a good quality of life. The testing and lab work required to determine the type of personalized treatment Rodearmel needs costs $13,500. The monthly costs for treatment are …

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Loudoun Chamber Fashion Show Tonight

The annual benefit for the Tigerlily Foundation to fight breast cancer takes place in Ashburn.

The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce’s 5th annual Fall Fashion Show, which benefits the Tigerlily Breast Cancer Foundation, runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, at the Belmont Country Club. This year’s theme: Through the Looking Glass: Reflecting the Right Image.  Organizers tapped Angie Goff, from NBC News Channel 4, and Annette Harris, a professional image consultant, to serve as hosts. Residents are invited by the Women In Business community to enjoy an evening of socializing, networking and the season’s hottest fashions. Runway models include local business leaders, donning clothing from Altar’d State and EBRADA Atelier. The Women In Business series is sponsored by Summit Community Bank. The Spotlight Sponsor for the show is …

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Brambleton's 5th Annual Ribbon Run/Walk April 14

The annual race and community event at the town center raises money for The Step Sisters, a nonprofit aimed at fighting breast cancer.

The 5th annual Brambleton Ribbon Run/Walk takes place rain or shine Saturday, April 14, 2012. An estimated 2,000 runners and walkers from Ashburn and beyond plan to race to raise money for The Step Sisters to fight breast cancer.  A team of women and men in Loudoun County’s Brambleton community and beyond formed The Step Sisters, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, several years ago to take on the challenge of fighting breast cancer. The group includes breast cancer survivors, as well as mothers, sisters, daughters, brothers, sons and fathers, all who have been touched by the disease. During the past six years, the group has raised more than $500,000 for the breast cancer cause. The community event attracts participants of all age groups, including …

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Pink Martinis and Bikinis May Save a Life!

A March 3 Ashburn Pub fundraiser aims to aims to help an Ashburn mom battle cancer.

Drink a beer or a pink martini, listen to some great music and save a life! You can do all three of these March 3, at Ashburn Pub’s annual Beach Party, where a portion of the proceeds will help fund cancer treatments for a 37-year-old, Ashburn mother of four. Malea Kanoho has stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Her treatments cost between $1,800 and $2,700 a week, and her health insurance does not cover the cost. Kanoho was first diagnosed with breast cancer in April of 2009 and was declared to be in remission in November 2009. Unfortunately, the cancer came back and spread to her lungs. On New Year’s Eve 2011, Kanoho was told that there was nothing more the doctors could do to help her. But, Malea and her husband, Jason Kanoho, decided …

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Virginia General Assembly

Bills Intended to Improve Breast Cancer Detection

Women would receive more detailed information following mammograms, if enacted.

RICHMOND (Capital News Service)—Cathryn Tatusko’s yearly mammograms missed her cancer, which soon developed into stage three. Tatusko’s dense breast tissue had masked the large tumor on the yearly mammogram she had just five months before being diagnosed. Even a mammogram she received the day of her diagnosis failed to show the advanced-stage cancer. “I still so vividly recall the numbing fear I felt as I left my home one morning during that diagnosis week from hell, headed to the radiology facility. [I was] determined to pick up my old mammogram films to take as proof to the breast surgeon … that I could not possibly have breast cancer because the last films had been so recent,” said Tatusko, a 56-year-old nurse who lives in Fairfax …

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Brambleton Towne Center Transformed into Running Haven

Ribbon Run 5K/10K brought runners and walkers together to fight breast cancer

The streets of Brambleton were dense with runners and walkers Saturday morning as groups of people teamed up to fight breast cancer. The Ribbon Run, organized by the Step Sisters, was sold out before the event began. On race day, additional runners were able to participate to show their support even though they did not receive t-shirts or bibs. The event certainly made a statement with more than 1,200 people in attendance. The Step Sisters joined forces five years ago in an effect to fight breast cancer. All of the members have been touched by breast cancer in some way: some are survivors whereas others are friends or family members of people who have been diagnosed. The Step Sisters not only organize the Ribbon Run, they participate in …

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Dusty Smith

10:21 pm on Sunday, April 10, 2011

Great pictures! Thanks for adding them.   more ›

Brambleton's IIIB's Helps Women Cope with Breast Cancer

Gift baskets are filled with inspiring words and useful items for those in recovery.

At age 43, just one month after getting married, Carolyn Cole-Rodenburg was diagnosed with breast cancer following her first mammogram. The long journey to recovery began with a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.  Two year’s later, while visiting her mother’s gravestone, Cole-Rodenburg noticed the tombstone of a high school friend. “For some reason, I just knew it was breast cancer,” explained Cole-Rodenburg. That night, she had a dream of pink candles popping out of a white birthday cake. Cole-Rodenburg took the color pink, which is often associated with breast cancer, as a sign that she had to do something to comfort other women going through breast cancer surgery and treatment. What began as a simple idea to give away copies …

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