Belton Cancer "Thriver" Walks the Runway

March 13, 2025

By Lynette Sowell

The Belton Journal

Crystal Pomeroy of Belton is a retired Army veteran who recently underwent her own personal battle of fighting breast cancer.

On Saturday night, the 51-year-old took to the stage to celebrate hope at the 7th annual Runway of Hope, held by Pink Warrior Angels. 

The event was held at the Knoxville Ranch Wedding and Event Venue, located just north of Waco in West, TX. 

Pomeroy joined a lineup of 24 other cancer survivors who hail from all over the U.S. They participated in a three-day mini-retreat to heal through the emotional trauma that comes with a cancer diagnosis.

The retreat ended with a day of pampering and glam to walk the runway Saturday evening.

Pomeroy has undergone six months of chemotherapy and 30 rounds of radiation therapy to treat her triple-negative breast cancer. This February she celebrated her one-year of treatment and rang the bell. She is now cancer-free and undergoing immunotherapy.

For Pomeroy, the retreat was an opportunity for her to connect with and bond with others who have traveled a similar road, but in different ways. She called the retreat “overwhelming, but in a good way.”

“I got to meet, talk to other cancer survivors about their journey and just be around people who understand the journey that you’re going through. I’m not saying I didn’t have a good support group, but nobody fully understands unless they have walked that journey," she said. “And I felt at the retreat, I was able to communicate with people who understood the journey I was on.”

She said the fellow cancer “thriver” who had the biggest impact on her was 20-year-old Libby Kimbel, who was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma at the age of 14 and had a below-the-knee amputation as well as many months of chemotherapy.

“I’m about to be 52 and I couldn’t imagine going through cancer as a teenager, as a child, and for her to be so positive and so full of energy and just bringing energy to everybody was just so touching.”

Pomeroy, retired from the United States Army, fills her time with informally helping others at the gym as a fitness coach, teaching them how to use equipment properly. She said the gym is a safe space for her and it helps her anxiety and PTSD, as she helps others. 

The 25 models were selected through an application process and live across the U.S. Sixteen women, three men, and three children walked in recognition of a variety of cancers including kidney, ovarian, colon, head and neck, brain, metastatic breast, and pediatric cancer.

The event included dinner, silent and live auctions, as well as 25 cancer survivors to include men, women, and children who walked the runway to showcase their individual stories. The event raised more than $50,000 and counting that will go toward financial grants for those in cancer treatment. 

A pair of Dallas Cowboys home game tickets went for $1,000, with a two-night stay in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite plus five admission tickets at the Kalahari Water Park Resort in Round Rock going for $1,100 and a Corpus Christi fishing trip going for $1,100. 

As a primary fundraising effort for PWA, The Runway of Hope provides funding for financial grants provided to cancer warriors who need help with monthly bills like their mortgage, car payment, utilities, or even groceries and gas cards. 

“We’re a small organization and one of the few that do not discriminate for helping with financial grants based on income levels. We get referrals from the big cancer non-profits all the time, and this past year we’ve been averaging over $25,000 in financial aid requests each month,” said Julie Moser, PWA Executive Director and 2-time breast cancer thriver.

“We don’t have a budget that allows that kind of assistance so we’re left to decide what we can offer that provides the most positive impact for our cancer warriors. Runway of Hope is crucial to helping us meet our mission.”

In 2024, PWA awarded $58,000 in grants and assistance to cancer patients.

Runway coach and former professional model Lolita Frazier of Strut Talk Runway Therapy Services was part of the retreat. She worked individually with each model to show them how to strut down the runway in a way that represents their personalities and stories. 

Robin and Butch Mogarvero, owners of Knoxville Ranch Wedding and Event Venue, hosted the event for the third year. 

“We are excited to host PWA again this year as the property allows for big events, that can accommodate their cancer survivors to help with the cost of putting on the show. Living with cancer is just not what anyone has ever planned for. Giving back to assist this wonderful nonprofit is key to community unity,” said Robin.