LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Survivors Parade on Kentucky Oaks Day this year is a victory lap for a Louisville woman who beat breast cancer. 

At 64, Dora McKnight had always known that cancer could be a part of her path. She lost a beloved aunt to breast cancer, and one of her older sisters was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022.

"For me, it was it was a no brainer," McKnight said.

She and her sisters have all had genetic testing, but there is no known genetic link. 

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All three sisters have had genetic testing because of the cancer that runs in their family. Cara Sabin (left), Bonita Logsdon (center) and Dora McKnight (right). Image courtesy of family. 

"My little sister and I have always told each other knowing that cancer was in our family, not always the same type, it was never about -- IF cancer touched us -- It was WHEN, and we would be prepared," McKnight said.

Mammograms have always been a part of her annual routine since she was in her 20s.  She credits that vigilance with saving her life.

"You have your mammogram, and you get your results and no big deal. Every now and again you get that second call... we want to do a repeat mammogram."

Months after her older sister's double mastectomy, doctors diagnosed her with stage 1 of an invasive breast cancer.

"I had to digest what were the possibilities. Where was I going with this, and where would it end?"

Diagnosis after loss of son to cancer

The diagnosis last August came just five years after she lost her 35-year-old son Matthew to glioblastoma, a very aggressive brain cancer. He was born during a Kentucky Derby week. She still calls Matthew her "Derby baby." This year's Survivor's Parade on Kentucky Oaks Day is on what would have been his 40th birthday. 

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Dora McKnight with her son Matthew, after his glioblastoma (brain cancer) diagnosis. (Image courtesy of family) 

McKnight and her husband Terry raised her son's children, Montana, 22, and Makaylee, 18. She felt her battle with cancer was an extension of her son's. 

"When you see the worst of the worst cancers living in your own home for 32 months, I had to show them (her grandchildren) that I was going to walk it the same way their dad did. And you know, he walked it with strength," McKnight said.

After the initial diagnosis, she delayed telling her grandchildren and her co-workers about the surgery, the worry and the radiation. She scheduled her six weeks of treatments at the Norton Cancer Institute Women's Cancer Center very early in the morning, so she could make it to work at 8 a.m.

Early detection saved her life

Now that she has endured the worst and beaten breast cancer, she wants to encourage others to be proactive. She credits her survival to early detection.

"Women have to take care of themselves. Mammograms is key and early detection, self examination, yearly appointments," McKnight said. "Don't skip because the year that you skip could have been the moment that you could have stepped in and made a difference."

One surgery and 30 rounds of radiation later, McKnight was happy to be chosen for this year's Oaks Survivor's Parade.

The tradition celebrates breast and ovarian cancer survivors at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day each May. She is one of 151 people that will walk before a crowd that dresses in pink each year to honor their cancer fight.

"They do call it remission. It was nice to hear out loud," McKnight said. "It's not even a parade. It's a march. It's a march against cancer."

For her, it's a proud moment where she can show her grandchildren, like MaKaylee, that cancer did not win. "She helped me shop for my dress and my shoes and everything. And she said if you're going to do this, own it, so I did. I got pink," McKnight said.

McKnight finished her final round of radiation on Halloween. "The timing was perfect. It was the month of October, which is breast cancer awareness month," McKnight said.

New friendships and the "power of pink"

McKnight said she met a lot of good people during her breast cancer battle especially Cindy Weber, a southern Indiana business woman she became friends with as they both waited each morning for treatment. 

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Dora McKnight (right) with Cindy Weber (left). The two met during cancer treatments and became close friends. (Image courtesy of family) 

For weeks, McKnight and Weber sat side-by-side and chatted about everything from their work to their symptoms. Together, they bonded over the power of pink.

"She's the new friend to the family," McKnight said. "She made going through treatment, something to look forward to even at 6 a.m. at the hospital."

Weber made her a friendship bracelet to symbolize their bond.  Pointing to the pink beads on her wrist, McKnight said, "I will be wearing this on Oaks Day for sure."

McKnight also cherishes the blankets and other gifts her other friends and co-workers have given her, since she shared her cancer diagnosis. Her office even threw her a party after she rang the bell in the hospital to signify the end of her treatment.

"I'm fortunate. This is a reminder of the path that I walked, and every hug that I got along the way, because every blanket is a hug, a warm hug," McKnight said.

McKnight now considers it her mission to preach prevention. Her nurse navigators, Danielle Casey and Sheryl Szub, from the Norton Cancer Institute helped her set up an event with a mobile mammogram unit at her office to help educate others. As a result, she was encouraged to see three coworkers get their first mammogram.  

"If I can be the person that tells them: 'Don't wait until you found out that you need one or needed one, where it's a little bit later stage;' if you can catch it at an earlier stage, survivorship is is monumental," she said. 

McKnight will remain on post-surgery, post-radiation medication for the next five years.  

The 16th Kentucky Oaks Survivors Parade will be presented on Friday, May 3, 2024.

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