GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Savannah DeGraaf is knows how to appreciate a breath of fresh air.
It's been six years since the then-22-year-old lost her left lung to lung cancer.
That's why she organized the first annual Breathe Deep on the Blue Bridge Event.
"It's definitely been a journey," DeGraaf said. "It hasn't always been easy, but it feels really good to be on the other side and kind of just use my unfortunate situation and change it into a positive."
Dozens of community members came out Saturday to support her journey, as well as enjoy vendors, raffles, and even yoga flows.
DeGraaf has since healed, but she wants to use this event to spread awareness about the resources that helped her overcome lung cancer.
While friends and family supported her emotionally, the physical healing process can feel isolating.
"I had a great support system, but I felt like nobody else was going through something similar to me," DeGraaf said.
She found that sense of community in yoga, as it was the first activity she could do confidently following her cancer journey.
"That was really important for me to include that because that was the first exercise I really felt confident doing it after losing a lung," DeGraaf said. "I really hope to incorporate yoga every single year as well."
She also found it through researching resources provided by the American Lung Association, something she hopes others dealing with lung disease can have access to as well.
"The American Lung Association really gave me a sense of community, and then I wasn't alone in my journey," DeGraaf said.
You can find more information about the event, Savannah's journey, and how to donate on the American Lung Association website. According to the website, it raised over $2,000.