Niki Lovelace was 2 years old when she was first diagnosed with cancer. Nearly three decades later, after becoming a nurse practitioner and welcoming her second child, she faced another diagnosis: leiomyosarcoma.
Now living with stage IV cancer, the Knoxville-area mother of two is preparing for an evening dedicated to others affected by the disease. Stitching of the Ribbon, the nonprofit she founded earlier this year, will hold its first Night of Honor gala Friday, December 4, in Lenoir City.
The nonprofit’s work begins with a ribbon. The idea is to give patients a ribbon when they’re diagnosed, then add a stitch to mark milestones along the way. A stitch might represent a step in treatment, a moment of reaching out for mental health support or a milestone in survivorship.
That approach makes room for moments that can go unnoticed. Some milestones are marked on a medical calendar. Others, like asking for help, can matter just as much to the person going through them. Each stitch gives that moment a place on the ribbon.
Lovelace is planning the gala while continuing her own care. For her, recognizing those milestones is work that can happen even while the next scan or blood test is still ahead.
Tickets: Stitching of the Ribbon’s first Night of Honor gala is Friday, December 4, in Lenoir City. Get tickets and see event details.
Learn more about Stitching of the Ribbon.
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