Little Rock Woman Fights Fancy Against Cancer, Starts Nonprofit
By: Jessica Dean, KARK 4 News
Updated: November 16, 2012
At 28 years old, Heather Owens, of Little Rock, was focused on growing her business as an interior designer and event planner.
But last spring, a lump in her breast turned out to be a very aggressive form of cancer.
Now she's not just fighting the disease, she's fighting "fancy."
Heather is hooked in, receiving her final round of chemotherapy, which could be considered a somber situation, but not for her.
"We have a good time up here in this chemo room," she says.
Nicknamed "Fancy" by her friends in college, Owens is now fighting back against stage three estrogen positive breast cancer in her very own way.
"I kind of feel normal, I still have my same job, same friends, some routine, but then it's like, 'I'm bald!'" she says.
She's continued to plan weddings and design homes from her chemo room.
She's also posed for the cover of a local magazine, and she and her husband started a blog with honest and candid posts about her cancer and treatment.
In one, she writes about the changes chemo brings, as some of her favorites like sushi and smoothies are now repulsive to her, but has found new love for Matt Lauer.
Owens says most importantly she started Fighting Fancy, a nonprofit to provide cancer bags to young women ages 15 to 39 blindsided by the disease.
"I just thought it would be so cool to have like a bag to give women, young women, that has stuff that they'd want in it," she says.
Put together by Owens and her loyal army of friends, the bags contain items like lip gloss, lemon drops, scarves, a specially-designed Fighting Fancy tank and encouragement from children across the nation.
"Every single day I talk to another person who has cancer, another young person," she says.
On her blog, Heather features young women she calls cancer girls, creating a community where they can all feel normal.
And the love she's putting out is coming back to her, as people she doesn't even know line up to help her help others in their battle with cancer.
"Like that girl who just gave me a check holding her chemo bag," she says. "It's amazing who you can reach."
Yes, cancer put her in the chemo chair, but Owens says it also put her on a path to what she was meant to do.
"I feel it's a chance for you to rise to the occasion and for you to make something of it," she says. "It's a gift you're given almost."
While cancer will mark her body, Owens remains focused on the way it will mark her heart and the other young women who now have a place there.
Heather underwent a double mastectomy earlier in November, and will take a chemo pill for the next five years.
Her doctors are very optimistic.
Click here for the Fighting Fancy blog.
But last spring, a lump in her breast turned out to be a very aggressive form of cancer.
Now she's not just fighting the disease, she's fighting "fancy."
Heather is hooked in, receiving her final round of chemotherapy, which could be considered a somber situation, but not for her.
"We have a good time up here in this chemo room," she says.
Nicknamed "Fancy" by her friends in college, Owens is now fighting back against stage three estrogen positive breast cancer in her very own way.
"I kind of feel normal, I still have my same job, same friends, some routine, but then it's like, 'I'm bald!'" she says.
She's continued to plan weddings and design homes from her chemo room.
She's also posed for the cover of a local magazine, and she and her husband started a blog with honest and candid posts about her cancer and treatment.
In one, she writes about the changes chemo brings, as some of her favorites like sushi and smoothies are now repulsive to her, but has found new love for Matt Lauer.
Owens says most importantly she started Fighting Fancy, a nonprofit to provide cancer bags to young women ages 15 to 39 blindsided by the disease.
"I just thought it would be so cool to have like a bag to give women, young women, that has stuff that they'd want in it," she says.
Put together by Owens and her loyal army of friends, the bags contain items like lip gloss, lemon drops, scarves, a specially-designed Fighting Fancy tank and encouragement from children across the nation.
"Every single day I talk to another person who has cancer, another young person," she says.
On her blog, Heather features young women she calls cancer girls, creating a community where they can all feel normal.
And the love she's putting out is coming back to her, as people she doesn't even know line up to help her help others in their battle with cancer.
"Like that girl who just gave me a check holding her chemo bag," she says. "It's amazing who you can reach."
Yes, cancer put her in the chemo chair, but Owens says it also put her on a path to what she was meant to do.
"I feel it's a chance for you to rise to the occasion and for you to make something of it," she says. "It's a gift you're given almost."
While cancer will mark her body, Owens remains focused on the way it will mark her heart and the other young women who now have a place there.
Heather underwent a double mastectomy earlier in November, and will take a chemo pill for the next five years.
Her doctors are very optimistic.
Click here for the Fighting Fancy blog.
