Come December, Shannon
West will be a college
graduate.
A future alumnae of Northeastern
State University-Broken Arrow,
West will earn her bachelor’s
degree in psychology with a minor
in social work.
“I chose psychology because I
know I can make a difference in
the world,” said West, who also intends
to pursue a master’s degree.
“We all have a past and something
that we struggle with,” she
said. “I know I can make a difference
in the world and empower
people to look beyond their past
and toward their future.”
Helping ensure she’ll make that
difference was Oklahoma Project
Woman (OPW), an organization
that provides free mammograms,
diagnostic procedures and surgical
services for Oklahomans of any
age with no health insurance and
limited financial resources.
To continue that mission, OPW
will host its first Breast Cancer
Shoot Out, featuring a 12-station
sporting clays competitive round,
Sept. 24 at Red Castle Gun Club on
Zink Ranch.
“Helping people like Shannon
drives our mission,” said Scarlet
Henley, director of development for
OPW. Because of the organization’s
supporters, West has been able to
focus on finishing school, not how
she’ll pay for her breast health care.
The average cost per patient is
between $150 and $200, Henley
said. Since 1998, OPW has helped
more than 25,000 Oklahomans.
During a self breast exam, West
discovered a lump above her right
nipple.
“I was diagnosed pretty quick,”
said West, who had a mammogram
and ultrasound on a Tuesday,
biopsy that Wednesday. By Friday,
she was diagnosed.
With her age and no family
history of breast cancer, doctors
thought it would be a noncancerous
mass.
“When the doctor told me, I was
shocked,” West said. “I thought
they had the wrong person. I am
healthy. Never sick.”
She was angry. She had things
she was doing, things she wanted
to accomplish.
“I was not letting cancer deprive
me of my hard work,” she said.
“My hopes and dreams. I was continuing
with school.”
West first heard of OPW when
she went to her primary care physician,
who signed her up.
“My reply was, ‘Oh, Dr. Tate, I
don’t need them, I am fine,’ ” West
said. “She grabbed my arm and
said, ‘Shannon, you need them.’ ”
OPW offered unconditional love,
she said. “I knew I was going to be
OK because I had them.”
Someone at OPW comforted her,
told her they would be there every
step of West’s journey.
“ ‘We got your back,’ ” West quoted
her. “This woman had never met
me. I was overwhelmed and felt an
overwhelming love from her.”
West’s health is getting better,
she said. Soon, she’ll undergo chemotherapy,
and her reconstructive
surgery has gone well.
She credits amazing friends and
family — including her boyfriend,
Shaun, with whom she lives outside
of Glenpool with their four
kids — with her strength through
this battle.
Project Woman was her “rock.”
“I knew I could tackle breast
cancer because I knew they would
never leave me or give up on me,”
West said. “They knew exactly
how I felt and was not gonna let
me do it alone.”
For more, visit tulsaworld.com/projectwoman
BBB - Booker T, Books, BBQ
This event brings together high
school football fans, barbecue lovers,
Booker T. Washington (BTW) High
School boosters and supporters of
public education. Elmer’s will provide
the awesome dinner, which includes a
barbecue sandwich, chips, dessert and
a drink. About 40 student volunteers
will be lending a hand from organizations
such as Men of Power, Women
of Power, National Honor Society and
Key Club.
Proceeds benefit BTW Foundation
for Excellence, specifically to fund
grants for items like calculators for
classrooms, physical education equipment
and video projectors.
Event details: 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday,
Sept. 19, BTW, 1514 E. Zion St.
Attire: casual
Sponsors: Elmer’s BBQ, BTW Foundation
for Excellence
Tickets: $10 at door
For more: email
csilberg@cox.net
Gatesway Balloon Festival
A 140-foot-tall American bald
eagle, Annie the 425-pound lady bug
and Ham-let, who’s billed as “the
world’s largest flying pig,” will make
appearances along with about 30
aircraft at this 50th annual, two-day
event. Highlights for the first day
include a kids’ play area, arts and
crafts exhibits, tethered balloon rides
(5:30-7:30 p.m.), balloon glow (7:30
p.m.) and live entertainment (10 p.m.).
You’ll find those activities on the
second day, too, plus a pancake breakfast
(7-10 a.m.), balloon competition
flights (7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.), kids’
cupcake decorating contest (11 a.m.)
and lawnmower races (11 a.m.-1:30
p.m.).
Proceeds support Gatesway Foundation’s
residential and employment
programs for individuals with developmental
disabilities.
Event details: 4-11 p.m. Friday, Sept.
20; and 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Sept.
21, Cherokee Casino Will Rogers
Downs, 20900 S. 4200 Road, Claremore
Attire: casual
Sponsors: George Kaiser Family
Foundation, Fleming Building Co.,
International Insurance Brokers, Saint
Francis Hospital South, Neighbor
News, Zarrow Families Foundation,
Samson Energy, Butler BlueScope,
Schwickerwrath Dirt Sales, Western
Fire Protection, Don Carlton Honda,
Reasor’s
Admission: free; balloon rides, $10
For more: tulsaworld.com/gateswayballoon
Raisin' Cain - A Ballroom Bash
Presented by Crossroads
Hospice Charitable Foundation,
this boot-scootin’ good
time will offer up cocktails,
barbecue from Oklahoma
Joe’s and live Western swing
music by The Texas Playboys.
Participate in games and
raffles, with prizes including
round-trip airfare for two on
Southwest Airlines, jewelry
from Moody’s, and packages
involving OKC Thunder, Patriot
Golf and Tulsa Oilers. Wine
and beer pulls will be part of
the fun, too — and merely
attending guarantees guests
a shot at winning a pair of Old
Gringo or Justin boots.
Proceeds benefit Clarehouse,
which provides a loving
home and compassionate end-of-life care to dying people and their families.
Event details: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, Cain’s Ballroom, 423 N. Main St.
Attire: Western casual
Sponsors: Crossroads Hospice Charitable Foundation, Sandra and Rick Webb (in
memory of Joyce Webb), Jess L. and Miriam B. Stevens Foundation, Bank of Oklahoma
and Tulsa Community Foundation, The Oxley Foundation, The Albert and
Hete Barthelmes Foundation Inc., Robin Ballenger, Katherine Magrini, The William
K. Warren Foundation, Conner & Winters LLP, The Zarrow Families Foundation
Tickets: $100 (
tulsaworld.com/clarehouse; Stacy Haggard, 918-893-6150)
For more: tulsaworld.com/clarehouse
An Evening of Wine and Roses
One of our favorite signals that fall has arrived, this 19th
annual event is always an elegant night out, complete with
fabulous wines and gorgeous roses. One of the region’s
largest wine-tasting events, it features more than 150 different
wines from around the world, complemented by hors
d’oeuvres and desserts from more than 35 of Tulsa’s top
restaurants and caterers.
Proceeds benefit the Tulsa Garden Center.
Event details: 7-9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 — 6-7:30 p.m.
private sponsor tasting, 7-9:30 p.m. garden tasting — Tulsa Municipal Rose Garden, 2435 S. Peoria Ave.
Attire: cocktail
Sponsors: B&B Liquor Warehouse, Tulsa People Magazine,
Moody’s, MIX96, TES Productions
Tickets: $130 for sponsor tasting; $65 for Tulsa Garden
Center members, $80 nonmembers for garden tasting
(reserve by Sept. 20, 918-746-5125)
For more: tulsaworld.com/tulsagardencenter
Jason Ashley Wright
If I had kids, I'm afraid I'd be more than a helicopter parent. I'd be an AH-1W Super Cobra. Obviously, I had to Google that.
I don't eat barbecue. Along with my disdain for sweet tea and ignorance of football, this has made me more of an oddity among family and friends.
