JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A powerhouse. A pioneer. A true “Bosom Buddy.”

First Coast News is honoring Bobbi de Cordova-Hanks with our Buddy Check Champ Award — recognizing the woman who led the way in organizing support for women battling breast cancer across the Jacksonville area.

Back in 1988, years before Buddy Check 12 began, Bobbi founded Bosom Buddies — the first local support group for breast cancer survivors. At the time, too many women were fighting the disease alone; Bobbi changed that.

“She was just a powerhouse, a dynamo,” recalled her friend, Elaine.

Bobbi’s drive came from personal experience. After her own diagnosis, she came back to work one Monday to find her office doors chained shut — a harsh reminder of how misunderstood breast cancer once was. Many women ran into e

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