CINCINNATI — October marks Breast Cancer Awareness month and one local foundation is making sure women diagnosed with breast cancer are still living life to the fullest. 

Karen Wellington was just 30 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her daughter, Angeline, was just one. 

“She lived with cancer for ten years and she lived a very abundant life," said Angeline Wellington, Karen's daughter and the foundation's marketing and events manager. "She was fun and vivacious and giving and a lot of who she was is now embodied into the foundation.”

Karen Wellington with her husband, Kent, and her two kids, Robby and Angeline. (Photo Courtesy Angeline Wellington)

After her mom passed in 2007, Angeline Wellington and her family started the Karen Wellington Foundation, dubbing it an “anti-cancer, cancer foundation.” It all started when Karen Wellington shared what she wanted to do after beating cancer. 

“My mom always said when I beat this thing, when I beat cancer, I want to take a vacation every year, and in return, I also want to send another family living with breast cancer on a trip as well," Angeline said. "So when she passed in 2007, we started that day for her. And that first year we did just one gift and now approaching 15 years, we are at 2,000 gifts of fun.”

Now, Angeline, her dad, and her brother lead the effort to turn these dreams into reality. The foundation turns no one away, regardless of the type of cancer, age, or gender. And gifts things from vacations to spa days and just about everything in between.

Kent Wellington (left), Angeline Wellington (center) and Robby Wellington celebrate at a KWF event. (Photo Courtesy Angeline Wellington)

One of those recipients is Lori Falke. Her family traveled to a lake house in Georgia during her breast cancer diagnosis. They did everything from tubing, boating, and even trying the water jet pack.

“I was like, if I can do cancer, I can do this!" Falke said.

Falke remembers that time in her life as one of the most trying.

“Gosh wait till you see these pictures because I look so different! Of course, I lost my hair," she said.

Lori Falke (middle) along with her daughter and mom during their trip to Georgia (Photo Courtesy Lori Falke)

But she says that time away with her family meant everything, and even lead her to being involved with the foundation. Now she leads the recipient ambassador board.

“It did just a tremendous amount of good to me and my family, that I just wanted to pay it forward," Falke said. "I wanted every woman with breast cancer to be able to experience what I did through the foundation.”

For Angeline, she sees her day’s work as a continuation of her mom’s. She knows what these experiences mean to their recipients.

“I know how much going on vacation meant to my family," Angeline said. "It was a break from the cancer. We could just focus on family time, and living and lasting memories. And so each recipient is very special to me because I know that they now get to do the same that my family did and they are now living out my mom’s vision.”

While her mom is no longer here, Angeline knows she’s making her proud.

“I think she would be over the moon," she said. "She was a big giver.”