Photos: D & L Photography
Local shops and boutiques support breast cancer survivors and thrivers at May Firefly Sisterhood event.
The nonprofit Firefly Sisterhood connects women recently diagnosed with breast cancer with a mentor to help guide them through the difficult process. On May 7, 2023, the group celebrated sisterhood with a night of fashion, fun and camaraderie. We spoke with executive director Amy Gallagher to learn more about the event.
How long have you been the executive director of the Firefly Sisterhood?
I have been executive director of Firefly for two and a half years now.
This was the second annual Celebrate the Sisterhood event. How was it different from the first one?
This was the second year of Celebrate the Sisterhood, but we changed the overall event to an entirely different concept. This year, we moved from the Promenade in Wayzata to Rock Elm Tavern in Plymouth and created a fun and engaging community fashion show and shopping [opportunity] with local vendors. All models in our fashion show were women that are currently in the Firefly Sisterhood program, so it made it very special to them and their guests. Our attendance was incredible! We sold out our event in a matter of days and attracted many more sponsors. It was very fun to see our community come together and support this event. All of the vendors that participated did a fantastic job promoting our event and Firefly Sisterhood.
What’s the purpose of the Celebrate the Sisterhood event?
The purpose of this event is really to celebrate the women in the Firefly program. Some of the models are in active treatment, some in survivorship or thrivership (stage four), and it was amazing to see the support, love and compassion the entire venue had for the 20 women that walked the runway through the restaurant. As each person walked and modeled their outfit, our emcee, Kelli Hanson, shared the person’s story with breast cancer. There was not a dry eye in the room, and each person that walked the runway did such a wonderful job not only modeling the clothes, but letting their personality shine through. Sharing these stories was such a powerful way to show the importance of the work that is done at Firefly Sisterhood and how impactful it is to have a peer mentor guide to guide you in the breast cancer journey.
What was it like to have Kelli Hanson from Twin Cities Live (TCL) as the emcee?
Kelli Hanson from TCL was the perfect person for the role of emcee. She has such a gift of connecting with people in the audience and has such grace and kindness, as well. We were very fortunate to have her emcee this event, and all of the guests were so excited to meet her.
What was the overall “vibe” or atmosphere of the event?
The overall vibe of this event was “sisterhood.” It was amazing to see so many incredible women share their breast cancer journeys with a room of many strangers but also to see the guests be so incredibly supportive and welcoming to them. It felt intimate, but also it was a large event, so I think it had a great balance. We had great feedback and can’t wait to see what next year brings.
Thank you to all of the businesses that participated in this event:
- Athleta, Maple Grove
- Edge Bar + Boutique
- Goldfine Jewelry
- Jenson’s For Women
- Katie White Designs
- Kendra Scott, Mall of America
- LaRose & Co.
- Leela and Lavender, Maple Grove
- Mainstream Boutique, Maple Grove
- Underneath It All
