On Tuesday, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo went pink to put a spotlight on breast cancer and raise money for a local nonprofit called the Careity Foundation, which helps patients with early detection and treatments.
"Because there's too many people, unfortunately, in all of our lives that have been affected by cancer," Victoria Gonzalez said. "I had breast cancer. I had invasive ductile carcinoma."
Gonzalez was a single mother without health insurance when she was diagnosed in October 2020. She said the Careity Foundation helped pay for her mammogram and treatments, helped her find a doctor, and give her support on her cancer journey.
"When you find that information out initially when you get your diagnosis, it's surreal," Gonzalez said. "I can honestly say I probably wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for them."
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Now Gonzalez works at the Careity Foundation, helping other cancer patients as a patient consultant.
"I started volunteering because I wanted to give back after everything that Careity did to help me through my journey," Gonzalez said. "So cancer is something. That's going to sound very odd, but I considered it a gift," Gonzalez said.
A gift because now, she gets to help Careity Foundation patients, knowing what they're going through as they battle cancer.
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"It's a journey that I can honestly say that I was proud to go through," Gonzalez said. "I'm glad I went through."
The Careity Foundation helps patients with all types of cancers.
