Twirling to stop cancer
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on September 22, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Joy Williams and her partner, Jimmie Ford, Judges' Choice winners, perform a swing number during the Cures for the Colors fundraiser on Saturday night at Acme Theatre.
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
From left, Micah Sherard and Brandi Steinhilber perform during the Cures for the Colors event.
Before July 4, 2010, Olivia Haveri was just an ordinary little girl.
She loved singing -- and horses.
She didn't have a trouble in the world.
But when doctors diagnosed her with Stage III Burkitt's lymphoma, everything changed.
So when, more than four years later, the 11-year-old danced in front of the crowd that converged on the Acme Theatre -- and did so "cancer-free" -- her mother, Emmy, got emotional.
"You can't quite describe it," Ms. Haveri said. "It's just a miracle. There's no better feeling."
Olivia was one of 19 local residents who participated in Cures for the Colors Saturday in downtown Goldsboro -- an event created as a way for cancer survivors, those who have lost loved ones to the disease and those currently battling it, to take a stand.
Brandi Steinhilber, 16, and Micah Sherard, 15, performed a duo.
Both sang and danced -- Ms. Steinhilber in honor of her grandfather, who has been battling leukemia for five years, and Sherard in honor of his uncle, who died of lung cancer.
"It's really good," Ms. Steinhilber said of the event. "And every dollar donated goes straight to the cause it's donated to."
Their performance reflected their love for those they took to the stage for -- earning them scores of eights and nines from the guest panel of judges.
At the end of the evening, two categories of winners were named -- one selected by the judges, and the other, based on donations made in their name.
The winning box contained $280 and belonged to Courtney and Teague Horton.
The judges' choice went to Jimmie Ford and Joy Williams.
Ms. Steinhilber and Sherard were runners-up for the People's Choice Award, with their box receiving $270.