The 2025 Planning Committee for the Annual Women Helping Women Luncheon announces that Jamie Valvano will be the Keynote speaker at this year’s event on Friday, Oct. 24th at Blue Ridge Community College.
Women Helping Women is an annual tradition that brings together over 400 community members to raise essential funds for women in need of healthcare services that they cannot afford.
It was founded 26 years ago to help low- and moderate-income women receive critical medical care. Over the years, this program has become a hallmark of the Pardee Hospital Foundation and a significant force for good within our community.
Designed to provide supplementary support for women who require necessary medical treatment but cannot shoulder the costs, WHW steps forward to fill this financial gap in women’s moment of greatest need.
The WHW Fund supports:
- Diagnostic mammograms
- Lab tests, MRIs, CT scans, biopsies, ultrasounds, and endoscopies
- Financial assistance for breast cancer and other medical procedures including surgery, anesthesia, x-rays, implants and devices, therapeutics, and infusions
- Other critical women’s health needs
About this Year’s Speaker:
Jamie Valvano is an ordinary person who has been transformed by extraordinary circumstances. She witnessed the amazing victory when her beloved father, legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano, realized
his lifelong dream of winning the National Championship in 1983.
Years later, however, her family was devastated when Jim was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Jamie was in the audience during his famous ESPY speech in 1993 when he stated, “We are establishing The
V Foundation for Cancer Research. It may not save my life, it may save my children’s lives, it may save someone you love.”
After graduating from North Carolina State University, Jamie worked for The V Foundation for Cancer Research in its formative years and helped to establish the organization that has now awarded over $330
million to cancer facilities across the nation. In 2005, at the age of 33, Jamie was diagnosed with breast cancer. As a result of groundbreaking research, doctors were able to uncover the genetic mutation that she had inherited from her father and create a course of treatment that would increase her odds of survival. The prophetic words her father spoke took on an entirely different meaning now that she was facing her own battle.
Eighteen years after her diagnosis, Jamie continues to share private and personal insights with a variety of audiences in her role as a public speaker. She uses her voice as a cancer survivor, mother, and writer,
constantly pushing others to embrace their personal vision. Individuals cannot help but be inspired by the open, honest, and often heartbreaking lessons.
Learn about the various sponsorship opportunities for this year’s event:
