FUNDRAISING PAGE
Miles of Hope Sonja's Walk for a Cure
68% funded
0% raised so far
$675 raised
of $1,000 goal​
of $1,000 goal​
7 donations made
since November 1st, 2025
since November 1st, 2025
Miles of Hope Sonja’s Walk for a Cure
$675 of $1,000 raised
Recent Donations
Kim Snyder
$25.00
August 20, 2026
Thank you for reaching out to offer words of support to me last summer upon my diagnosis! It meant a lot to me! 💗🎀💕
Kathi Zadak
$50.00
August 20, 2026
Miss you, Girlfriend. So glad you beat this.
Aurora Trnka
$50.00
August 20, 2026
Proud of you, my fellow nurse and pink sister. Xoxo
Julie Hinds
$100.00
August 19, 2026
Love you Sonja, always here for you!
Help Sonja by sharing this page on your social media:
My Story
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. I never saw it coming. I had no family history. I had been diligent. For ten years, I had regular diagnostic mammograms at Loyola, where I spent my entire nursing career. For a period of time, I even had tests every six months for an area of concern. I never missed an appointment.
When my primary care physician moved, I followed her to her new location. During a routine screening, they saw something suspicious. I still wasn’t worried — they didn’t know my history, and they didn’t have my previous images to compare. But when I went for my mammogram, everything changed.
The technician took a long time. She brought in a resident. She turned the monitor away when I asked questions. Then she called in the attending. In that moment, I knew. I had cancer.
I had three tumors and metastasis to my lymph nodes. I underwent a mastectomy, radiation, and reconstruction. None of it was easy. But today, I am cancer‑free. I take medication daily to stay that way, and I am deeply grateful — for my family, my friends, and the incredible care team at Northwestern in Chicago. I know how lucky I am.
This year, I will be walking with the names of six friends on my shirt — women who have also been affected. Their stories matter. Mine matters. And the stories of those we love matter.
We need more research. We need better testing. My cancer should not have progressed as far as it did before being detected.
This is my story. I walk so it doesn’t become anyone else’s.
When my primary care physician moved, I followed her to her new location. During a routine screening, they saw something suspicious. I still wasn’t worried — they didn’t know my history, and they didn’t have my previous images to compare. But when I went for my mammogram, everything changed.
The technician took a long time. She brought in a resident. She turned the monitor away when I asked questions. Then she called in the attending. In that moment, I knew. I had cancer.
I had three tumors and metastasis to my lymph nodes. I underwent a mastectomy, radiation, and reconstruction. None of it was easy. But today, I am cancer‑free. I take medication daily to stay that way, and I am deeply grateful — for my family, my friends, and the incredible care team at Northwestern in Chicago. I know how lucky I am.
This year, I will be walking with the names of six friends on my shirt — women who have also been affected. Their stories matter. Mine matters. And the stories of those we love matter.
We need more research. We need better testing. My cancer should not have progressed as far as it did before being detected.
This is my story. I walk so it doesn’t become anyone else’s.
68% funded
0% raised so far
$675 raised
of $1,000 goal​
of $1,000 goal​
7 donations made
since November 1st, 2025
since November 1st, 2025
Miles of Hope Sonja’s Walk for a Cure
$675 of $1,000 raised
Sonja Winkler
Location:
Bluffton, SC, United States
Bluffton, SC, United States
Page Created:
August 19, 2026
August 19, 2026
Page Short Link:
Recent Donations
Kim Snyder
$25.00
August 20, 2026
Thank you for reaching out to offer words of support to me last summer upon my diagnosis! It meant a lot to me! 💗🎀💕
Kathi Zadak
$50.00
August 20, 2026
Miss you, Girlfriend. So glad you beat this.
Aurora Trnka
$50.00
August 20, 2026
Proud of you, my fellow nurse and pink sister. Xoxo
Julie Hinds
$100.00
August 19, 2026
Love you Sonja, always here for you!