Former DJ's message still strong with A Woman Like You

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Even though a local radio host recently lost her battle with cancer, her fight is now stronger than ever.

Inside the studios of B96 and WLOU the energetic yet smooth voice of Asia Ludlow, a.k.a. Nikki Love won over countless Louisville listeners.

Her sister, Denita Arnold, said, "Somebody saw her and heard her and said 'hey, you would be great on the radio.'"

She was and with her infectious smile she was just as popular at public appearances. The love for Love grew.

Arnold, and Love's other biggest fan, her friend Virginia Bradford, still remember a doctors appointment in 2008 that changed all their lives.

Ludlow noticed a lump in her breast. The 38-year-old had stage 2 breast cancer. With chemotherapy and a double mastectomy she beat it.

She moved off the mic and into a slower retail job, but four years later the cancer moved to her lymph nodes.

Arnold said, "I would take her to radiation every day. Well you're exhausted and you're tired and you're sick and so eventually what happened was she needed to quit her job. Well when you quit your job, how do you pay your bills?"

The insured single mom with three daughters still had a mortgage and grocery bills. That's when the DJ starting talking for other women.

Bradford said, "What can we do? There's got to be more that we can do."

When heading to her own cancer treatments Ludlow was more concerned about encouraging other survivors.

"From the elevator to the treatment floor everyone hugged her kissed her. She would stop and pray with someone if they needed her to," said Bradford.

No matter how bad Ludlow felt, no one else would see it.

"Nikki actually showed me more compassion, love faith," Bradford said. "Her faith was very strong."

She rallied Arnold and Bradford to help her start a foundation so other women could find resources easier than she did.

This June Ludlow showed up in her wheelchair for the Praise Walk to kick off of her foundation: A Woman Like You.

Saving her strength for one last push.

Arnold said, "She's gonna say ok my work is done here."

Ludlow died in July, but the radio host is still talking, telling women educate themselves about the financial and emotional resources available, don't be afraid and never stop - just go. It comes by way of herself described messengers.

Arnold said, "That's why she's still a survivor, because here we are talking about her."

She's still inspiring and A Woman Like You Foundation is going strong. They had more than 300 people show up at their kickoff and people are getting help everyday on their website.

For more information about A Woman Like You Foundation, click here.

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