Haughton teen to host cancer benefit pageant
Brittany Brumfield is a high school senior with big dreams.
Her life ambition is to one day work at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and to, ultimately, find a cure for cancer. This semester, she has challenged herself with a Senior Project that she hopes will bring out the beauty in cancer.
Brumfield, 17, has organized the Miss Hope of Haughton pageant on Saturday, Oct. 19. Contestants will take the stage at Haughton High School in their Sunday best for a walk that’s dedicated in honor or in memory of someone affected by cancer.
It’s also a chance for young girls battling cancer to show off what the disease can’t take away from them–their gorgeous smiles and beautiful hearts. Brumfield said the pageant will also honor her dear friend, Sarah; the person that showed her the real side of cancer.
The dream began two years ago while she was vacationing in Arkansas. Brumfield said she received a call from a friend that she never expected.
“She told me one of our friends at school had leukemia. It was very heartbreaking because we were so close.”
So close, in fact, that Brumfield said she used to braid the teenage girl’s hair in math class. But that would end as a result of extensive chemotherapy treatments.
“She’s not sad about it and it lifts my spirits,” Brumfield said. “It makes me think that the little things in life don’t really matter. I’m breathing and healthy while other kids are getting chemo.”
The pageant is free to enter and open to contestants ages 4 to 19. Walks can be dedicated to any type of cancer.
While she hopes to raise money for St. Jude, Brumfield said she just wants cancer patients to feel beautiful.
“Cancer takes away everything and gives you a whole new life, but you are still beautiful – inside and out,” she said.
Brumfield extended a special thank you to God, her parents, Tami and Kerry Phillips, and Vicki Caskey, senior project mentor, for their love and support during the challenges and triumphs with this project. Most importantly though, is a special thanks to her dear friend, Sarah.
“Thank you for being a good friend, for opening my eyes and showing me what cancer really is. You can survive.”
The Miss Hope of Haughton pageant will be Saturday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m. in the Haughton High School auditorium. Door admission is $5. There will also be a raffle for various door prizes. Raffle entries are an extra $1 to the admission price. Tickets will be sold at the door.
The deadline for pageant entries is Friday, Oct. 18, at 6:30 p.m. T-shirts with the anthem “You CAN-CER Vive!” are on sale. T-shirts are $15 and all sales benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
For more information, contact Brittany Brumfield at (318) 834-6959 or at brittany.nichelle45@yahoo.com.
