Woman's Journey Will Hopefully Inspire Others To Help Fight Cancer

BEL AIR, Md. (WJZ) -- Cancer is one of those diseases that at some point will touch most families.

As Mike Schuh reports, one woman's journey is inspiring others to help fight the battle.

Two years ago, Mike Schuh sat on a bench in the middle of a hospital courtyard and spoke with an amazing woman. She was dying of cancer---which has since taken her life---but she started a fundraiser that continues to this day.

"When you hear you have cancer, you don't hear anything else," said Amanda Hichkad.

When we talked, Hichkad had stopped treatment. During her battle, she and her framily were moved by the variety of free services offered by Cancer Lifenet, from yoga to meal prep to having their house cleaned. They started a fundraising walk to help offset the $800,000 cost.

"To help you live your life and focus on living with cancer, rather than dying from cancer," said Hichkad.

She was able to walk in that first fundraiser---but four months later, she was gone.

"In the meantime, I'm ready to help others," said Claudine Riportella.

On the beach today, cancer survivor Riportella, who recalls what happened right after she had a clean mammogram.

"And then in December of '11, I found a lump," she said.

A double mastectomy and a year of chemo followed---a time when she and her family were helped by Cancer Lifenet.

"I have three boys and the house might not always be perfect," she said. "I walked in and was like, wow, this is how the other half lives. [Now] my house is, like, sparkling clean."

For the first time, she met Amanda's husband, Tejan Hichkad. He's continuing the fundraising walk.

"People can support this incredible resource for people like us, for people like Claudine and others who are going to have to go down this road," Hichkad said.

That walk is two Saturdays from now on April 30 at Ripken Stadium. They are just over halfway to their fundraising goal of $150,000.