Alison McCullough Crowns Magazine October 2025 Cover Girl

Warrior Alison McCullough Interview When The Crowns Meets The Unexpected."

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Feature

Let’s start at Miss Alaska USA. What happened that night? The reigning titleholder was on stage telling the story of a woman under 40 who was unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer. Sitting in the audience, I felt those words land in my chest. Pageantry isn’t just about crowns it’s about connection and family and in that moment, her story felt like it was meant for me. That same week, I found a lump. I was under 40, active, and otherwise healthy, but the timing was too clear to ignore. I knew immediately I couldn’t delay. Within days, I was sitting in a doctor’s office, and soon after, I learned I had invasive ductal carcinoma. That must have been overwhelming.

How did you process it? Honestly, it was surreal. You never think you’ll hear those words at my age. But at the same time, it was almost like God had prepared me by sending me to that pageant, to hear that story, so I wouldn’t brush it aside. How has the Alaska pageant community responded? Our pageant scene in Alaska is small but mighty. We may compete for titles, but at the end of the day, we’re family. I know that first hand and I had the honor of serving as Mrs. Alaska American, and the women I’ve shared the stage with have become lifelong sisters. When word spread about my diagnosis, my sash sisters wrapped me in love and support. They remind me every day that I don’t have to walk this runway alone. Outside of pageantry, you wear many hats author, food security advocate, business owner, wife, and mom. How does that shape your fight? I’ve always believed in using my platform for something bigger than myself. As Board President of the Upper Susitna Food Pantry, food security advocacy has been at the heart of my work. I’m also an author and a business owner, roles that demand creativity and discipline. But above all, I’m a wife and a mom and that’s where my deepest why comes from. Those identities don’t disappear because of cancer. If anything, they give me more fire. I’m not just fighting for myself—I’m fighting for my family, for my community, and for every woman who needs to see that resilience is possible.

Before this, you were preparing for New York Fashion Week. How does that connect with your journey now? For six months, I trained intensely to walk the runway for a swimwear company in New York. I thought I was preparing my body for fashion week—but in reality, God was preparing me for the fight of my life. Every rep, every mile, every disciplined choice it wasn’t just physical conditioning. It was building resilience, endurance, and a warrior’s mindset. What felt like runway bootcamp became battle training for chemotherapy and surgery. And during that same whirlwind, I had the chance to meet with Crowns Magazine at NYFW. That meeting reminded me that pageantry isn’t just about gowns and stages—it’s about the women behind the crowns, the stories we carry, and the causes we champion. Where are you now in your treatment? I’m just beginning. Ahead of me are months of chemotherapy, followed by surgery. It’s daunting, yes—but I’m not approaching it with fear. I’m approaching it like a warrior. I’ve been training for this fight without even realizing it, and now I intend to face it head-on. How do you hope your story will impact others? I want people—especially younger women—to know that breast cancer isn’t just something that happens later in life. Pay attention to your body. Don’t ignore signs. And remember that community and faith matter just as much as treatment. For me, the takeaway is clear: crowns fade, spotlights dim, but resilience—that’s the real crown.

“I thought I was preparing my body for the runway, but God was preparing me for the fight of my life.”

Lessons from the Runway to the Recovery Room

Discipline builds resilience
Runway prep demanded daily commitment. Every rep, every mile, every show up anyway moment built a strength I now lean on through treatment.

Community is everything
Pageant sisters become family. Now, as I face cancer, that same sisterhood reminds me I don’t walk this runway alone.

Faith reframes the fight
I thought I was preparing for fashion week—but God was preparing me for battle. Faith transforms fear into purpose.

Resilience is the real crown
Spotlights fade. What lasts is courage. The ability to keep moving forward is the greatest victory of all.

Alison hold the Mrs. Alaska American 2023 Title