When the lights dim inside Williamsburg’s historic Weylin on Oct. 22, the runway will come alive — not with professional models, but with women and men whose resilience and grace redefine beauty. Maimonides Health’s Pink Runway, now in its 14th year, celebrates the courage of breast cancer survivors through fashion, storytelling and community.
Dr. Patrick Borgen, chair of surgery at Maimonides Medical Center and head of the network’s Breast Center, told Brooklyn Paper the original concept was to “highlight our survivors, their beauty and success over breast cancer.”
“All of the models are breast cancer survivors,” he continued. “Some very recent, some a long time in the past — but they each have a unique story to tell.”
The evening, themed “A Journey of Strength & Hope,” will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 175 Broadway inside the iconic Williamsburg landmark once known as the Williamsburg Savings Bank. Styled by Saks Fifth Avenue and personal stylist James Palazzo, the event transforms the ornate rotunda into a celebration of survival, confidence and community spirit.
Each year, the Pink Runway honors the diverse stories that make the borough unique. Borgen said that eight to ten nationalities are typically represented annually, “which is very Brooklyn, he added.
But beyond the glamour, the evening represents a profound mission. What began as a small community gathering has evolved into one of the borough’s most impactful fundraisers, supporting cutting-edge breast cancer care for patients across New York City.
“Maimonides is one of the safety-net hospitals in New York, taking care of everyone. We turn no one away,” Dr. Borgen said.
He said they hope to raise $500,000, which will allow them to “expand breast cancer imaging infrastructure by 20%.”
That impact is personal for the thousands of patients whose lives have intersected with Maimonides’ Breast Cancer Center — the first and largest of its kind in Brooklyn. Next month, Dr. Borgen said they will treat their 8,000th breast cancer patient in the center.
What keeps the community coming back year after year is the authenticity of those stories. This year’s show will highlight survivors like a young single mother from Eastern Europe who faced breast cancer while caring for her toddler.
“Our team took care of this beautiful little baby through all her treatments, chemotherapy and radiation,” Dr. Borgen said.
Pink Runway 2025 introduces a new element —a second walk down the runway with each survivor’s caregiver.
“We’re doing a second walk down the runway with the caregiver or the person who helped them the most,” he said. “It might be a spouse, it might be a daughter, a doctor or a nurse. We’ve even gotten pink lab coats for the caregivers.”
Adding a touch of star power, actor Steve Schirripa, best known for “The Sopranos,” will co-host the evening with Dr. Borgen. The night will also feature live music performed by a band made up entirely of Maimonides cancer doctors.
This year’s honorees are Jodi Pollack and Marina Lisker, who will receive the Wings of Healing Award and Breast Cancer Champion Award, respectively.
For Dr. Borgen, Pink Runway represents the essence of why he entered medicine.
“It’s an emotional event. It’s the best of what humans can be, and the best of what the human heart can achieve.”
Visit gopinkrunway.org for more information.
