Honoring the constants that carry us

Celebrating Women 2025 honors the courage, faith and hope empowering care for those with breast cancer.

On October 31, more than 1,000 survivors and supporters gathered at the Hilton Anatole for the 26th annual Celebrating Women Luncheon, hosted by Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation. The program opened with the song Constant, setting the tone for a day that honored the faith, friendship and strength that carry patients and families through a breast cancer journey.

Surviving, thriving, bonding

Luncheon co-chairs Carolyn Brown and Lindsay Ballotta, longtime friends who embody the spirit behind Celebrating Women, welcomed the crowd. “I’m standing before you today as a wife, a mother, an advocate—and a breast cancer survivor,” Carolyn said. Diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2016, she recalled the caregivers and friends who sustained her. “Hope means everything after hearing those devastating words so many here have heard: ‘You have cancer.’”

Lindsay shared how their friendship, formed in their 20s as young lawyers, became a lifelong sisterhood.

“This movement saved Carolyn’s life. It allows us to stand in the gap for others, to be a bridge of hope.”
-Lindsay Ballotta, co-chair of Celebrating Women

Together, they celebrated the impact of more than $43 million raised over 26 years through Celebrating Women—funding cancer research, treatment and patient programs across Baylor Scott & White.

Faith in family

One of the afternoon’s most meaningful moments came when Carolyn introduced her son, Jack, to deliver the invocation. Once a kindergartner watching his mother face cancer, he now stood before the crowd wearing a bracelet engraved with his favorite verse: Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Carolyn shared that during her treatment, Jack was supported by Cinda McDonald, a child life specialist at BSW who helped him understand and cope with what his mom was going through. “When Mom asked if I’d do this, I said, ‘Can I pray about it?’” Jack smiled, adding that he didn’t mind missing a little school for the occasion. “I didn’t understand everything, but I knew one thing: God was in control.”

The program also featured the story of Amy Zicarelli, who began treatment under Dr. Joyce O’Shaughnessy at Baylor Scott & White after losing her mother to cancer. “Standard of care didn’t work for me,” Amy said. “There are patients at Baylor Scott & White in clinical trials, paving the way for other women.”

Her story reminded the audience that behind every breakthrough is a person—a patient, a parent, a family—finding hope through the care and innovation made possible here.

Power of purpose in community

Christina Goodman, president of the BSW Dallas Foundation, took the stage to recognize Dr. O’Shaughnessy as this year’s honorary chair. Dr. O’Shaughnessy’s four decades of work have transformed breast cancer research and care.

A surprise video from Dr. O’Shaughnessy’s daughter, who is a senior fellow in breast oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, captured her mother’s lifelong passion for discovery and devotion to patients.

Christina then announced the creation of the Dr. Joyce O’Shaughnessy Endowment for Innovation and Hope in Breast Cancer, a fund that will accelerate clinical trials for patients who have exhausted standard treatments.

The room rose in a standing ovation as Dr. O’Shaughnessy, visibly moved, shared her gratitude: “The generosity of this community fuels the work that makes these advances possible. Giving to research allows small, focused pilot trials—within 10 to 20 patients we know whether we’ve made progress. I thank all of you for believing in this mission and for standing with every woman whose life has been touched by breast cancer.”

Circle of care and a future of early detection

BSW recently launched its largest clinical trial to date—providing 50,000 multi-cancer early detection blood tests, a breakthrough that could redefine what it means to hear a cancer diagnosis. “Our goal is to add five more hopeful words to that sentence, ‘You’ve got cancer—but we caught it early.’”

Celebration of strength and sisterhood

The afternoon concluded with Pat Smith, founder of Treasure You, in conversation with Clea Shearer, co-founder of The Home Edit. A breast-cancer survivor, Clea shared her journey with candor and humor, explaining that strength often looks like simply showing up, again and again.

As the conversation closed, Clea reflected on how cancer reshaped her purpose: “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through, but it’s given me a new purpose. It’s a privilege to share my story and to have others share theirs with me. Not an easy gift, but a real gift, and I consider it an honor.”

Thank you to the 2025 Celebrating Women sponsors