Hometown Heroes: Patti Estrada

Patti Estrada is an eight year breast cancer survivor. She told me that if she could go back and change having breast cancer she would not. Patti says that disease forced her to grow, find strength she didn't know she had and help others in a brand new way.

Patti's health is good but she'll have a mastectomy in November to remove her right breast.

There's a newly discovered breast cancer gene called ATM and it is considered high risk. Patti's doctors discovered she has it and that raises her risk. She's decided to undergo the mastectomy in the fall to remove her breast cancer risk once and for all.

In the meantime, Patti's an active fund-raiser for Susan G. Komen Dallas County. 

Eight years ago, Patti started the Pink Ribbon Angels. Last year her team of walkers, runners and fund-raisers gave more than $18,000 to Komen Dallas County. Seventy-five percent of that money stayed in Dallas County to help women and men with screenings, tests and education. Twenty-five percent of the money goes to breast cancer research.

Patti was also the 2014 "30 Day Challenge Winner". In one month she raised $5,000 for Komen Dallas County and got to start the 5k race with Honorary Komen Race Chair, Dallas Cowboys Legend Drew Pearson.

This year, Patti's Pink Ribbon Angels hope to raise $20,000 for Komen Dallas to help women and men in the fight.

FOX4 is a proud sponsor of the Komen Dallas Race, Sat. Oct. 17 at NorthPark Center. You can join us by registering at Komen-Dallas.org