Fayetteville cancer survivor still fundraising to help others

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Fayetteville woman is rising above her own cancer diagnosis and thriving with her annual fundraiser for the disease.

ABC11 spoke with Gladys Hill in 2019 when she was diagnosed with DCIS and leading her Light Up Fayetteville Pink Campaign. Now in her fifth year of the campaign, Hill sells pink light bulbs to raise money to help pay for breast cancer screenings at the Cape Fear Valley Health Cancer Center. She urges others to get their mammograms and ultrasounds and to take advantage of early detection.

"Every woman should have screening even if she doesn't have any money," Hill said. "Your screening is very important. And if you can, donate $5. That's helping someone else that's less fortunate."

Hill has already raised $6,000 through her campaign this month. She is trying to raise $10,000 before it's finished. Residents and local businesses all across Fayetteville have been donating to the cause, but she's also been receiving contributions from as far as New York and Pennsylvania.

"Somehow, everybody's been affected by breast cancer. Either a friend, a family member, cousin, aunt, uncle. Somebody's been affected by cancer. So people will willingly give because they know they're helping someone else," she said.

Hill knows the importance of screenings firsthand. Early detection helped protect her when she was diagnosed with DCIS. On Thursday, Hill said her health is doing much better now that she's been cancer free for three years.

"When they caught mine, it would stay zero. And I didn't have to do chemotherapy," she said. "I chose to do 16 days of radiation as a precaution."

Hill is asking donors to post pictures of their lightbulbs on her Facebook page. She has just 100 out of 800 lightbulbs left. If she reaches her $10,000 goal, she said she will get a tattoo of a small ribbon.

"I'm not a tattoo person but for breast cancer, I'll do it," she said. "Yes, I will do it for $10,000."

Anyone looking for more info can visit the Light up Fayetteville Pink Facebook page.