BILLINGS — Before the sun rose over Billings, laughter, hugs, and bright pink decorations filled the Q2 studios as breast cancer survivors gathered for the station's annual Pink Breakfast.
For another year, the event brought together women connected by a breast cancer diagnosis but united through resilience, hope, and the understanding that no one walks the journey alone.
Watch the full recap of Pink Breakfast below:
As guests arrived, volunteer Louis Moffet greeted them with carnations, jokes, and a warm welcome.
The flowers may have seemed like a small gesture, but for Moffet, they represent something much bigger.
"I just thought this was a good way to pay back and pay forward," Moffet said Friday. "And it's the right thing to do."
Moffet's commitment to the event comes from personal experience. His wife, Kim, was diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago after a routine screening detected the disease earlier than expected.
"We probably wouldn't have caught it if we had waited until the original appointment two or three months later," Moffet said. "It was by the grace of God."
Years later, that close call still motivates him to support others facing cancer.
"If I can make somebody smile and forget all their problems for five or ten minutes, that's what it's all about," he said.
Among the survivors attending the breakfast was Gayle Ellis, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 30 years ago.
Even after three decades, she remembers the fear that came with hearing the diagnosis.
"It's scary when you first are told you have cancer," Ellis said.
Today, Ellis is thriving and uses her experience to encourage others who are newly diagnosed.
"I'm doing absolutely great," she said. "I walk six days a week and exercise at home. Just seeing everybody, I enjoy being around people and wanting to help people."
Rebecca Prescott said her cancer was discovered during her very first mammogram.
"They found cancer right away," Prescott said.
Her advice to others navigating the same journey is straightforward.
"Just trust in the process," she said. "Everything turned out great."
For Joan Brewer, the diagnosis came unexpectedly this summer.
Brewer said she felt healthy and had no signs that cancer was present.
"I do know that screening saves lives," Brewer said. "It absolutely saved mine. I would have never known. I didn't feel anything. I didn't feel any different."
A common message echoed throughout the room: screening matters.
Several survivors shared stories of cancers discovered through routine mammograms before symptoms appeared, reinforcing the lifesaving importance of early detection.
While the room was filled with flowers, pink decorations, and plenty of laughter, the morning's deeper purpose was clear.
Every woman in attendance understands how quickly life can change. They also understand the value of continuing to move forward and supporting one another along the way.
"I'm happy to celebrate that," Ellis said. "Because that's what we need to do."
