Rhiannon

Rhiannon has been with her husband Eric for a decade and married for two years. They have a spoiled kitty named Cleo who loves her life as an only child. Rhiannon is a labor and delivery nurse at Aultman Hospital. When she’s not catching babies, she enjoys soaking up sunshine on her boat, fishing, and sharing dinner, drinks, and laughs with girlfriends.

On June 6, 2025, just 4 days before her 26th birthday, Rhiannon was diagnosed with Stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma after finding a lump in her left breast. She completed 6 rounds of intensive chemotherapy, followed by a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction by Dr. Shayda Mirhaidari.

Rhiannon says: “I wanted to hold onto my femininity. Being diagnosed so young and having so many changes to my physical identity, such as losing my hair to chemo, was very difficult. I wanted to feel like the confident young woman I was before cancer.”

Now on the other side of her journey, Rhiannon is even more confident. She says, “I didn’t lose anything. In fact, I gained so much and know that I am powerful.”

Dr. Mirhaidari was patient with her and her husband through every step. “From answering questions at my first consult to sending me home from the hospital with confidence, she made this transition in life easy,” Rhiannon says.

Walking the Pink Runway is a full-circle moment and a celebration of her cancer journey. It is also a celebration for others. She hopes to be an example to other young women to perform breast self-exams, schedule mammograms when appropriate, and to trust their gut and speak up when changes don’t seem right.

 “Cancer doesn’t discriminate when it comes to age,” she says.