CINCINNATI — On Wednesday, Sherry Hughes' last day as a meteorologist at WCPO9, Ohio State Representatives Sedrick Denson, D-Cincinnati, and Rep. Catherine Ingram, D-Cincinnati, awarded Hughes with an official proclamation honoring her efforts in the fight against breast cancer.
"The moment we found out that you were leaving, we wanted to officially recognize you — not only for just being courageous enough to share your story, but actually coming out and encouraging others to share their story to help pass this bill," Denson said.
Throughout the past year, since triumphing in her own battle against breast cancer, Hughes has become an advocate for those living with the disease.
She traveled to Columbus, Ohio to speak at the statehouse on behalf of House Bill 371, which requires Medicaid and commercial insurance plans in Ohio to cover the cost of breast MRIs for women who have dense breast tissue or elevated risk of breast cancer.
"It's important to know that you still love this community and you're not really going to go anywhere," Ingram said. "I'm expecting to see you in many places, but we appreciate you, you are a ray of sunshine and, of course, through your battle, you've made others feel better and and that's the important piece of that."
Hughes was able to detect her own cancer in the earliest stages thanks to the breast MRI, after other tests failed to catch it.
"I'm gonna tell you, despite the fact that I'm not in charge of anything up there, I'm gonna declare it Sherry Hughes Day in Cincinnati today," Ingram said.
HB-371 has since passed in the Ohio House and is on to the Ohio Senate. Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, and Rep. Sedrick Denson, D-Cincinnati, were primary sponsors.
Hughes said she will continue to advocate for victims and survivors of breast cancer after leaving WCPO9.
“I want my life to be about something. I want it to mean something,” she said in an October interview about her breast cancer journey. “And now I know it does.”
