Breast cancer survivor Agnes Judge brings donation, message of hope as she adds University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center to her 50-state tour
December 18, 2024

Breast cancer survivor Agnes Judge on Wednesday, December 11, made Hawaiʻi “stop number 49” in her personal tour of all 50 states. She came to the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center bearing a $1,000 donation and a message of hope and empowerment for fellow cancer patients.
Judge, who hails from Charleston, S.C., is a breast cancer survivor with a double mastectomy, a breast cancer model and patient advocate. Her donation fittingly kicked off the UH Cancer Center’s new Patient Care Fund, which will support upcoming initiatives for cancer patients and their caregivers and families, expected to launch in 2025.
“I am here to advocate for the importance of early detection, which saves lives,” said Judge, who goes by the nickname Angel. “I am here to inspire and encourage all women to get your yearly mammogram, get your annual examination. Don’t fear the doctors! The doctor can tell you what is wrong, and they can tackle it and fix it, and you can prolong your life.”
Following her double mastectomy in 2019, Judge said, she fell into a severe depression, a “deep, dark place.” But she says God told her that she had a powerful future ahead, and set her on a journey to visit and donate a $1,000 check to a leading cancer center in each of the 50 states. After she visits the final state, Vermont, she is planning to hold a celebration event, and hopes to expand her campaign globally.
Judge’s donation to the UH Cancer Center was received by Susan Hirano, a cancer “thriver” with stage-4 metastatic breast cancer, patient advocate and UH Cancer Center ambassador. Hirano is helping to lead the Patient Care initiative at the UH Cancer Center, which is one of only 72 cancer centers in the U.S. designated by the federal National Cancer Institute, a significant mark of excellence.
“About a week after we had said that we need to build the financial aspect of this Patient Care effort, here Agnes Judge came with $1,000 to lead us off,” Hirano said. “We are so grateful, and her story is so inspirational. She really is like an angel.”