The Survivors Parade, now in its 17th year, has developed into one of the highlights of Kentucky Oaks day at Churchill Downs.

As part of the celebration of the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks, 150 survivors of breast and ovarian cancer will march triumphantly on the historic track Friday before the nation’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies. Their aim is to raise awareness of breast and ovarian cancer and to encourage fans to donate by visiting the websites of the Norton Cancer Institute Survivorship Program or the Horses and Hope Kentucky Cancer Program.

Here are the stories of four brave women among the 150 chosen to march:

ELIZABETH FLORENCE, 34

Florence was 27 years old when she received fertility treatments in 2017. Suddenly, her life took a wrenching turn.

Elizabeth Florence (Courtesy of Elizabeth Florence)

In the course of her treatment, doctors spotted an ovarian cyst that they deemed “suspicious.” A scan revealed two more areas of concern and a diagnosis she never expected at such a young age – Stage 3, low-grade ovarian cancer.

Florence eventually underwent six rounds of chemotherapy – three sessions equal one round – and a complete hysterectomy. Last March, she was declared to be in remission.

The ordeal took a physical toll on a woman who wanted so badly to deliver at least one child someday. An emotional one, too.

“I spent the last few years trying to figure out where I was in life,” said Florence, a contract administrator for Hinkle Construction in Paris, Ky. She will walk in the Survivors Parade with Hannah, her younger sister, who continues to be steadfast in her love and support.

Time helped Florence heal in every way. “As you get a little further out, it gets a little easier to stop looking over your shoulder,” she said. “Once I hit the five-year mark, things really turned around for me.”

In time, she came to terms with her reality. “Without losing my fertility,” she said, “I wouldn’t have kept life.”

She remains intent on fulfilling her desire to be a devoted parent. She eventually plans to adopt a child and provide a loving home.

MELANIE JACOBS, 55

As Jacobs left for a mammogram in July 2020, her husband, Shane Broyles, wished her luck. While she appreciated the gesture, she reminded him that she was going only as part of an annual checkup. There was no reason to expect an issue.

“You know this is just routine,” she said.

Melanie Jacobs (Courtesy of Melanie Jacobs)

Now, she is such a strong advocate for mammograms that she has become an ambassador to Horses for Hope. The organization works to make the test available to as many women as possible, including backstretch workers.

Jacobs’ mammogram ultimately led to the discovery of multiple tumors of mixed types. She was diagnosed with Stage 1 cancer in August. “I just remember hearing, ‘You have so much going on,’ ” she recalled.

She initially withheld the information from her son, J.B., then nine. She knew she had to tell him. But what to say? How to say it?

She was as straightforward with J.B. as possible and he was direct in his response. “Are you going to die?” he asked.

Tears flowed as she responded to his questions, still not knowing all the answers. She underwent a bilateral mastectomy one month after her diagnosis.

Due to early detection, there was no lymph node involvement, eliminating the need for chemotherapy or radiation. She takes tamoxifen, a hormone therapy drug, as a preventative measure. Her prognosis is excellent.

She will take time out from her heavy schedule as dean of the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law to march.

“It feels meaningful to be part of this and to know that I will be walking with other people who have confronted this particular challenge,” Jacobs said. “Our stories, of course, are going to be a bit different. Our journeys are going to be a bit different. But we all understand the fear that comes from, ‘You need to come back for a biopsy. You need to come back for an MRI. You have cancer.’ Hearing those words is just scary.”

Jacobs is back to living as fully as she can. That includes J.B.’s recent Bar Mitzvah, celebrating his move from a boy to manhood.

“I want to be around for a long time,” Jacobs said. “I want to celebrate Bar Mitzvahs. I want to celebrate graduations, all the good things.”

KAMALA KING, 59

King knew there was an issue stemming from a mammogram when she received a call from her doctor while she was working for United Parcel Service in Louisville.

“Are you sitting down?” the doctor asked.

Kamala King (Courtesy of Kamala King)

“No,” King responded. “But I can be.”

She found a chair and heard words no one wants to hear. She had breast cancer.

Fortunately, that was eight years ago and her story serves as another powerful reminder of the importance of self-examination and annual mammograms. Although her cancer was at stage zero, she opted for a mastectomy.

“They told me the chances of it coming back were high,” she said.

King called her mother, Doris, a breast cancer survivor. Doris provided her with contact information for her surgeon and was very much there for her daughter in her time of need.

“My mom was very inspirational and helpful to me,” said King.

So was King’s best friend, Kathe Williams. She drove from Atlanta to Louisville to check on her friend after the mastectomy “just to make sure I was OK.”

King took oral chemotherapy but did not need radiation. She believes early detection was critical. “I had options,” she said. “I had time to research what I wanted to do.”

King has endured her share of setbacks. She is widowed. She lost her mother four years ago due to causes not related to cancer. She does not allow anything to hold her back. She cannot wait to take her place in the parade.

“The opportunity is amazing to me,” she said. “It’s going to be a great day.”

Not surprisingly, the ever-loyal Williams will be at her side.

VERONICA VINEGAR, 63

Vinegar marked her 60th birthday in the best way possible. “I decided I was going to take my health in my hands,” she said.

She discovered a “pea-sized lump” in one of her breasts. She knew it needed to be checked, but never imagined it was malignant. “You think, ‘It ain’t going to happen to me,’ ” she said.

Veronica Vinegar (Courtesy of Veronica Vinegar)

Well, it did happen to her. That very small lump signaled the presence of a very aggressive form of cancer that resisted five months of chemotherapy. Instead of the treatments eradicating or at least shrinking the tumor, the opposite occurred.

That led to a bilateral double mastectomy in September 2022. After a seven-week recovery period from the operation, there were 14 more rounds of chemotherapy that did not end until November 2023.

Vinegar calls chemotherapy her “magic poison.” While it ultimately helped her, there were times when it wreaked havoc on her body. In two instances while it was being administered, her blood pressure and heart rate rose to alarming levels.

“They had to do the crash cart on me twice,” Vinegar noted, referring to emergency steps used to return her blood pressure and heart rate to acceptable levels.

“Your body goes crazy because it’s reacting to the chemo,” she explained, adding, “I got through it by the grace of God.”

She undergoes scans every six months, including one in April that showed no evidence of disease. Vinegar and her husband, Gary, have two children, Selena, 43, and Garrett, 31. She enjoys a wonderful relationship with Gary and describes him as “my best friend.” Yet she chose not to have anyone with her during treatment.

“You go through so many emotions. I had to do this myself,” she said.

Vinegar looks forward to having plenty of company as she makes her way around the Churchill Downs track. “It’s awesome. I can’t wrap my mind around it,” she said. “You just wouldn’t believe, with all I’ve been through, look at me now! I’ll be walking in the parade with other wonderful ladies who walked the same path I walked. It’s just amazing. I’ve got cold chills now.”

Best of all, her proud husband, her “best friend,” will be beside her every step of the way.