A Light Through the Shadows: A Survivor’s Story

Erica modeling in the 2025 Hope in Heels: A Fashion Gala Event for Sunshine Greenhouse. Photo by Allison Wall Photography

At 24 years old, Erica’s story is one of courage, resilience, and grace in the face of life’s darkest moments. Born in the Philippines and raised in Canada since she was eleven, Erica grew up with dreams like any other young woman. She built a quiet but fulfilling life for herself as a Medical Laboratory Assistant, and in her spare time, she found joy in simple pleasures—reading, filming, and editing short videos that captured the beauty of everyday moments.

But in 2023, life took a sudden turn. What began as common UTI symptoms wouldn’t go away, even after rounds of antibiotics. When scans were finally done, doctors found dermoid cysts on her ovaries. Surgery soon followed, and the news shattered her world—a 12 cm malignant cyst in her left ovary. Cancer. Stage 3A ovarian cancer. Her right ovary also had a cyst, but doctors left it in, hoping to preserve her future dreams. Despite everything, Erica holds onto one hope above all: that one day, she’ll have the blessing of building a family of her own.

Walking in a fashion show wasn’t something Erica ever imagined doing. But now, it’s become a symbol of her journey. What inspired her most was not just her own battle, but the stories carried within her family’s history. Cancer had touched them all too deeply. In 2015, she lost her grandfather to colon cancer. Then her other grandfather, taken by bile duct cancer. Just weeks before Erica finished her own treatments, a tumor was found in her grandmother’s brain. Of the four in her family who faced cancer, Erica is the only survivor. That knowledge is heavy. Survivors’ guilt is real—but she carries it with purpose, choosing to honor her loved ones by living fully and fearlessly.

For Erica, this fashion show isn’t about glamour. It’s about raising awareness, especially among young adults. She wants them to listen to their bodies, to speak up, to not dismiss symptoms that might be easy to overlook. Because sometimes what feels like a common infection might be the first whisper of something far more serious.

Her advice to those beginning their own cancer journey is simple, yet profound: take it day by day.
“Cancer already sucks as it is,” she says, “then chemo and radiation come in with even more side effects. I know it sounds cliché, but stressing over things you can’t control won’t help. Take care of your health—because at the end of the day, health is wealth.”

Cancer has changed Erica. It’s given her a deeper appreciation for life, a stronger sense of gratitude, and a new understanding that illness does not discriminate by age, gender, or race. She’s learned to treasure every single day, to love more fiercely, and to live more intentionally.

She is endlessly grateful—to God for guiding her through, to her parents, sister, and boyfriend who stood by her side, to her friends who lifted her spirits, and to the medical teams who helped her heal not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Erica’s story isn’t just about surviving cancer. It’s about transforming pain into purpose, grief into strength, and hope into action. And as she walks that runway, she carries with her the memories of those she’s lost, the dreams she still holds, and the unshakable spirit of a warrior who chose to fight—and live.