Written by: Andrea Carneiro • October 5, 2015• The Philanthropist

Fighting Like a Girl

Name:
Beth Armstrong

Organization:
Race for the Cure
raceforthecure.org

Background:
For Armstrong, raising money for breast cancer research isn’t just a cause; it’s a personal mission. The 40-year-old mother of three boys was, herself, diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma at 36. “I worked full-time, was a wife, and mother,” says Armstrong. “I did not have time for cancer, cancer was not in my game plan.” Motivated by her husband, friends and, most importantly, her sons, Armstrong decided she had two options. “I learned I had two choices – I could fall down crying every day or I could get up, put my gloves on and ‘fight like a girl,’” In 2011 she underwent a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and never looked back. “I decided then in my ‘pink journey’ that my story would be an open book,” she says.

About Her work:
For the last four years, Armstrong has been Team Captain for FPL’s Turkey Point Power Plant (where she works as a Nuclear Plant Records Technician) at the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Race for The Cure. With her guidance, she and her colleagues have raised nearly $20,000 for the organization. Additionally, Armstrong plans and hosts an annual week-long Pink Passion Week at Turkey Point that includes fundraisers such as bake sales, safety fairs, ice cream socials, parking spot raffles and fishing tournaments.

Upcoming plans:
Seeing herself as “fortunate” to have had a friend who had been through treatment before her, Armstrong has dedicated herself to being that friend to others dealing with the disease. “I feel that if I can reach one person who would not have otherwise had a mammogram, if I can give one cancer patient hope, if my story reaches one person that can identify and know that they too can fight and win that Survivor title, then sharing my story has been worth it.”

For more information on Race for the Cure and upcoming events visit raceforthecure.org.

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