Cancer survivors cut loose at You’re Beautiful Luncheon

Kenny Loggins’ Footloose played as Melissa Walker danced on the runway at the 20th annual You’re Beautiful Luncheon & Style Show.

The upbeat song and lyrics perfectly capture Melissa’s outlook on life as a cancer survivor. She had plenty of reasons to fight when she was diagnosed in 2010 – her daughter Morgan, born earlier that year, her husband and high school sweetheart Brent, her family and her extended family at CoServ.

Her cancer journey started with a sharp pain in her side and routine appendicitis. A biopsy found that a tumor on her appendix had already burst. A month later, she had another surgery to stop the spread.

“I was very fortunate not to have radiation or chemotherapy,” she said. “I do have cancer scans and screens, plus blood work every six months or so.”

This year, Melissa celebrates 13 years cancer-free and 25 years as a CoServ Employee.

The annual March luncheon is a major fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. They partner with local businesses such as CoServ, who sponsored Melissa, and several fashion retailers, who provide outfits for the models. Melissa showcased Dillard’s clothing and shoes. Over the last two decades, the event has raised more than $1 million toward local patient services, education and advocacy.

Melissa plays an important role as a Business Analyst on CoServ’s Enterprise Applications team, ensuring that CoServ’s internal and external software applications are working for our Customer Care and Payment Processing teams. She troubleshoots problems, tests new applications and communicates with CoServ’s third-party software vendors.

Cheering Melissa on were fellow CoServ Employees and cancer survivors, Cristal Hilliard, Information Technology Manager, and Christine Scammel, Finance Accountant.

All three appreciate the support and understanding from CoServ leadership and their co-workers throughout their battles with cancer. CoServ puts the health and safety of its Employees first while also ensuring everyone has a good work-life balance.

“CoServ isn’t just a place to work, it’s your extended family,” Melissa said. “They make sure you have everything you need. It makes everything so much less stressful.”