WAIMEA — Not once, not twice, but three times, Tammy Muranaka has fought breast cancer and won.
“I get up every day because I am thankful that I can get up. People ask me, ‘How can you be so positive after all that you’ve gone through?’ I say, ‘Other people have gone through worse,’” Muranaka said. “I try to be as positive as I can be. I smile every day because I’m happy to be here. It could have turned out much different if I had given up.”
She had chemotherapy the first time in 2011, before the Cancer Center existed at North Hawaii Community Hospital (NHCH). In 2013, Muranaka had her second bout with the disease and in early 2017 she had her final radiation treatment in her third battle against cancer.
Nowadays, Muranaka stays healthy participating in the hospital’s “Walk with a Doc” program each Saturday and walking miles around the Waimea Elementary School campus on work days. She also makes it a point to laugh every day.
“My best advice to patients currently battling cancer is to make a decision if you’re doing to fight or not,” Muranaka said. “If you have a negative outlook on your diagnosis, it tends to go downhill fast from there. If you have a more positive outlook, you can beat anything — cancer or whatever you put your mind to. I grew up in a home where my mom never let us quit anything.”
Muranaka will be one of 14 Big Island residents walking down the runway Dec. 7 at the third annual “Fashion For the Fight” charity event at the Kings’ Shops in Waikoloa Resort. Thirteen of the participants are cancer survivors treated at NHCH and the fourteenth is Dr. William Ryan, an oncologist at the Cancer Center.
“Some of the survivors are also staff members, physicians, nurses and other staff members,” Julia Ramos said, manager of NHCH’s fund development and volunteer program.
Hawaii News Now reporter Mileka Lincoln will emcee the event for the third year in a row. Ryan Brown, president of ADR modeling agency on Oahu, met with each survivor earlier this month to spark ideas for clothing that will best compliment their features in the show.
Sixteen Kings Shops merchants will provide apparel, jewelry and accessories for the models to wear. Lauren Halbritter, a cancer survivor and a previous “Fashion For The Fight” model, will be the makeup artist for the survivors the day of the show.
The master behind the event is Lynn Rostau, Kings’ Shops’ general manager.
“The idea for ‘Fashion for the Fight’ was born from a roundtable meeting with our Kings’ Shops merchants several years ago,” she said. “It made sense to combine the concept of a classic fashion show with an important way to give back to the community.”
For Rostau, there was also a personal connection. In a letter to participants this fall, she explained, “This event is near and dear to my heart as my mother battled breast cancer for over 20 years. She was my inspiration and at 73 years old and right after finishing her chemotherapy treatment, she completed the Honolulu Marathon by my side.”
Last year, when Rostau and her team started planning the event, her husband was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
“He has spent his career as a chiropractor helping people, often cancer patients to manage their pain, and suddenly he was on the other side of the battle,” she said. “We have all been affected either directly or indirectly by this disease.”
At past “Fashion for the Fight” shows, Rostau said she has witnessed pride, love, appreciation and “joy to be alive” among the survivors. Everyone from their family, friends and caretakers to visitors and passersby have attended the shows.
“Each model had a big cheering section,” she said. “This event is for everyone.”
The four Kings’ Shops restaurants — Roy’s, A Bay’s Island Grill, Fosters Kitchen and Island Fish and Chips — will provide food tastings at this year’s show.
“We love the opportunity to honor those who have or currently are battling cancer, as well as the silent heroes who spend their life caring for those who fight the battle,” Rostau said. “As I am reminded everyday by the strength of both my mother and my husband, cancer is not a death sentence, but rather a reminder to live life to your fullest.”
Last year, the show sold out. Passersby at the shopping center were also drawn to observe the event. More than $4,000 was raised and donated to NHCH’s Cancer Center.
“We hope to exceed that each year as the event grows larger,” Rostau said.
In addition to tickets, monetary donations have also been made the evening of the event. Money raised helps cover costs to run the Cancer Center, Ramos explained.
“Everyone’s been touched by cancer in one way or another,” she added.
VIP tickets are $40 per person, including reserved seating, pupus and beverages throughout the show. Ticket holders also have access to special holiday shopping incentives from select stores following the show.
“I had a revelation about life after the first time I had cancer,” Muranaka said. “I thought, I can’t just let it end like this. I decided to live life.”
For “Fashion For the Fight” tickets: Call Julia Ramos at NHCH at 881-4420