One Village: Her Fight. Our Power.

The Story So Far

Melissa Avery is more than just a talented dancer; she is a heartbeat within the Pittsburgh and Ohio dance communities. Recently, Melissa was blindsided by a breast cancer diagnosis before the age of 40. Since then, she has navigated this journey with the grace and strength of a performer center-stage, recently completing a significant phase of her treatment.

While she has cleared a major hurdle, the finish line is still ahead. Melissa has a long road of recovery and further treatment before she can finally put this chapter behind her—and we aren't letting her walk that path alone.

From the Blizzard to the Web

In December, our community proved its resilience. Despite a literal blizzard, so many of you showed up to our benefit dance to wrap Melissa in love. The turnout was incredible, but the weather kept some of our supporters home and left us with a beautiful collection of silent auction items that still need a home!

Our Online Mission

We are turning awareness into action. We’ve moved our auction online to ensure our entire dance community—near and far—can participate in supporting Melissa’s medical journey.

How you can help:

Bid Generously: Browse our auction items. Every dollar raised goes directly to Melissa’s care and expenses.
Prioritize Your Health: We fight for Melissa because we know that early detection saves lives. The 5-year survival rate is 99% when breast cancer is found in its earliest stages. Please, encourage every woman in your life to prioritize their screenings.
Share the Floor: Even if you can't bid, sharing this page with your network helps us reach our $5,000 goal.

Melissa has spent her life moving us through dance. Now, it’s our turn to move for her.

Together we thrive. Together for Hope.

Together for Hope

By Team Melissa

Together for Hope

One Village: Her Fight. Our Power. Together we Thrive.

Team Members