The voice that rang throughout the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, singing with the passion and pain that accompanies opera, told a story. However, this story was not one about young love or tragic death but one of survival.
Barbara Padilla, a world-traveled soloist and Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor, performed as part of UF's Chords of Color for a Cause Festival on Friday.
The festival, which was created last year by UF Performing Arts in collaboration with UF&Shands and the Colleges of Medicine and Nursing, seeks to showcase the healing power of the arts while bringing awareness to and raising funds for cancer-related causes.
Funds raised by the performance will directly benefit UF&Shands oncology programs and P.K. Yonge Performing Arts.
According to Linda Michalisin, vice president of public relations for Frankel Media Group, the amount raised Friday was not available at press time.
Padilla's performance was the last of four events. She said it was an honor to be involved.
"As a survivor, I need to share my story," Padilla told the crowd. "I need to be a witness. I am very excited to be a part of this."
Padilla, who won second place on the TV show "America's Got Talent" in 2009, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma while in college and was told her vocal chords could be permanently damaged by radiation treatments.
But she never gave up, and she never stopped singing.
Padilla said she believes her cancer diagnosis was part of God's design for her life.
"Everything that I have now is because I had cancer," Padilla said. "It's like you plan your life, and then something happens that makes you lose control of everything."
Padilla was invited to perform by Ron and Dianne Farb, whose organization, the Climb for Cancer Foundation, sponsored the final event of the series.
Ron Farb, the co-founder of the organization,
climbed mountains to raise funds for
cancer research with his sister, who battled
breast cancer for two decades until she passed
away in October 2010.
Farb said he is always looking for ways to raise
money, and after seeing Padilla on TV, he
contacted her.
Padilla accepted the offer and performed with a group of students and alumni from P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School's performing arts program.
She sang songs from her soon-to-be-released album "Viviendo" as well as a duet with Felipe Bombonato, a 2007 P.K. Yonge graduate and member of the "Cats" national tour.
Throughout the performance, Padilla inserted stories about her battle for life.
Pablo Lomangcolob, a Gainesville local whose granddaughter performed with the P.K. Yonge ensemble, said he was impressed by Padilla's triumph over the disease.
"She almost gave up, but she was inspired by her friends and family, and she continued to fight," Lomangcolob said. "And now she has reached her summit. She is cancer-free."
Barbara Padilla, cancer survivor and "America's Got Talent" 2009 second-place winner, performs at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Friday night.
