Breast Cancer Survivor Agnes Judge Visits Fox Chase Cancer Center on an Epic Journey of Philanthropy and Awareness

Breast cancer survivor Agnes Judge (second from right) presented a check for $1,000 to breast cancer specialists at Fox Chase (from left) Rebecca Shulman, MD, Angela Jain, MD, and Penny Anderson, MD.

PHILADELPHIA (April 29, 2024) -Following her double mastectomy in October of 2019, Agnes Judge fell into a deep depression - experiencing what she recalls as a "deep, dark place where only prayer could get me out." Indeed, Judge credits her faith for lifting her up and setting her on a 50-state tour to raise awareness about breast cancer.

At a small ceremony in the Women's Cancer Center on April 11, 2024, Fox Chase Cancer Center became the 20th stop in her effort to visit and donate a $1,000 check to a leading cancer center in all 50 states. Judge is nearly midway through her journey, which began in May of 2023 with a visit to St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah, Ga.

"A breast cancer diagnosis is a terrible experience, and I want to encourage women to believe that there is hope," said Judge. "Of course, I want to inspire and encourage women to get their yearly mammograms and to spread the word of early intervention."

According to Judge, she experienced recurrences of numerous malignancies since the early 1990s, which required multiple surgeries. In 2019, she opted for a double mastectomy following the detection of another lump during her annual mammogram. The decision, Judge says, freed her from the ongoing burden of tests, biopsies, and surgeries, yet led to depression. She credits God for relieving her from that dark place and setting her on a path of advocacy and awareness.

"Achieving breast cancer awareness will always require the participation of health care professionals, but it is often patients who are most effective in encouraging women to seek appropriate screening and medical attention," said Rebecca Shulman, MD, a breast cancer specialist in the Department of Radiation Oncology who took part in the April ceremony. "As someone dedicated to improving the treatment of breast cancer, I am grateful for the voices of people like Agnes, who has survived her own encounter with serious illness and used it as an opportunity to build a patient community of advocacy and support."

While Judge had previously lived in Old City Philadelphia in 2016 while working on assignment from the U.S. General Services Administration, she confesses that she was unfamiliar with Fox Chase.

"I found Fox Chase in a list of the best cancer centers in Pennsylvania and that is really all there is to it," Judge said of the research she did in planning her visit. "I just ask that my donation goes to the care and comfort of patients."

This particular donation will go to the Friends of Fox Chase Cancer Center, an employee-led group that raises funds and awareness for Fox Chase. "There are a number of efforts that go directly to supporting patient wellbeing and comfort where we can direct these funds," noted Linda Hammell, Director of Community Cancer Screening and President of the Friends, who was on hand for Judge's visit.

Judge's journey and donations are entirely self-funded, and she believes she will have enough to get to every state in the U.S. After that, she dreams of world travel for cancer awareness, but realizes that she will need to raise the funds to do so.

In addition to her philanthropy, Judge has become a model survivor - literally - to demonstrate pride in body positivity and encourage women to appreciate their own beauty. Her social media is replete with glamorous shots of Judge in elegant outfits and daring shots of a bare-chested Judge staring at viewers as if challenging them to acknowledge her presence.

"I refuse to hide my scars," she explained. "So, I am now a model to show women how to find beauty in themselves following a mastectomy."

Judge is every bit the model. She embodies her own message of positivity and exudes a dignified glamour that demands notice. In fact, a passing patient in a wheelchair stopped to take Hammell aside for her to deliver a message to Judge.

"She said 'Could you please tell that lady how much I loved her outfit and just how beautiful she is,'" Hammell said. "She's right, of course, you can't deny that Agnes Judge is a beautiful woman in many ways."