Tickled Pink: See the reveals of the 2023 Survivor Makeover winners

One of the highlights of WAKA Action 8’s Tickled Pink Women’s Expo is the final reveals of our Survivor Makeover winners!

For our 9th annual event, our Survivor Makeover winners were Bernadette Clay and Ellaine Lowry, who are both from Montgomery. They each were chosen for makeovers based on the personal stories about their breast cancer battles they shared on WAKA.com.

Here is what each of them said about their journey:

Bernadette Clay – Submitted Photo

Bernadette Clay

In December of 2006 I had my yearly mammogram. I was told my breasts were fine. In May of 2007 I noticed a dimple in my right breast. I had an MRI done in June and the results came back stage 3 breast cancer with lymph nodes involved. My cancer, I was told, didn’t show on the mammogram. I prayed and got through my chemotherapy and radiation. I had my right breast removed. As of November 2007 I was cancer free. In January 2020 during my visit with my oncologist, she noticed a thickness in my left breast. A MRI was conducted. The result was stage 2 breast cancer. No chemotherapy was needed, just radiation. Through prayer and the support of family and friends, I have remained positive. I’ve been cancer free since April of 2020. I can say eating healthy and being positive played a role.

Ellaine Lowry – Submitted Photo

Ellaine Lowry

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on January 30, 2007. This was a very rough diagnosis for me, as my mother passed away from breast cancer when I was only 15. During the year to follow, I went through chemotherapy, had a bilateral mastectomy, lymph nodes removed, and radiation therapy. It was a very tough year for me and my family. My cancer was a rare type of cancer, only 5% of the people who are diagnosed breast cancer have the type I had. A few years later, I tried reconstruction but I had problems with the area where I had radiation. After a few months of trying to get it to work, I had the expanders removed. In the years since, I found out that I am bracha 2 positive. I had a hysterectomy, shortly after finding this out. People with this gene mutation are more likely to get ovarian cancer. I have also had 3 different types of skin cancer removed. I wouldn’t have made it through it all without the support of my family and my God.

Over the past few weeks, they have enjoyed pampering with the help of local sponsors, which included Belk, Bryan Jewelry, Doug’s 2 Salon and River Region Dermatology and Laser.

Watch the video above to see their reveals and to get their reaction to their new look!