Featured Volunteer: Mike Abella, owner of 1000 Words Events

November 15, 2019
If you have ever attended the Fashion Show or the Golf Classic, you’ve seen our long-time friend and photographer Mike Abella, who has worked with us for over ten years. His first event with Cancer Pathways, which was Gilda’s Club at the time, was the 2008 Surviving with Style Fashion Show & Luncheon, doing both photography and the photo booth for the show. In 2009, Mike was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which led to his participation in the Fashion Show the following year as a model.
 
He was also photographing the event, so as his cue to step onstage approached, Mike made his way up toward the stage, taking photos along the way. Imagine the surprise and delight of the audience when the photographer suddenly became a model, and walked the catwalk taking photos as he went! 
 
When asked what his favorite memory is, after all this time, Mike says it was the emotional moment of seeing Anthony Tippins, our model choreographer, walk the runway as a survivor himself, and the photos he took of him are his favorites to this day. When he isn’t busy with his company 1000 Words Events, which is very busy indeed (over 200 events a year), he is on the mountain skiing the slopes. We are so grateful for Mike and all he’s done for Gilda’s Club Seattle/Cancer Pathways.  
 
To book an event with 1000 Words Events, visit https://1000wordsevents.com/