Real Pink

Latest Episodes:

Episode 254: How the Patient Care Center Addresses Breast Health Inequities Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

Multiple communities face unique barriers to breast health care, including lack of access to quality care, financial constraints and cultural differences. Susan G. Komen’s Patient Care Center works to address these barriers by providing a variety of services and resources, such as patient navigation, financial assistance and culturally sensitive care. Komen patient navigator Mariana Garza joins us today to discuss the specific breast health inequities these communities face in accessing breast health care, as well as the ways that the Patient Care Center is helping to break down these barriers.

Episode 253: Real Talk: Reconstruction or Not? Options After Breast Surgery Nov 20, 2023

Show notes

In today’s episode, we’ll hear from two women who both required surgery to treat their breast cancer but made different decisions about what happened after that surgery. Christy Burbidge had a mastectomy on her left side and decided not to have her breast reconstructed. Suzanne Fonseca opted for reconstruction after her breast surgery but experienced one complication after another, and multiple surgeries later, decided to have her implants removed for good. There’s no right (or wrong) decision when it comes to selecting the treatment that is right for you. And no choice is without risks or wondering after the fact if you made the right decision.

Episode 252: Your first conversation with a friend diagnosed with breast cancer Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

What do you say to a friend when you find out they have been diagnosed with breast cancer? How do you address them? Stacey Lucas is a close friend, mother, community member and cancer survivor. Through her journey, she has found strength in her close family, trust in her doctors and staying physically active. Tune in to hear from Stacey first hand on how to support newly diagnosed friends, family members and loved ones.

Episode 251: Knowing What to Say When Someone is Diagnosed with MBC Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

When someone has metastatic breast cancer, it is scary for them - and for you! What can you do to really help? What should you say? Is it better to just listen? Today’s guest received a de novo metastatic diagnosis in January 2021 and then elected to retire early from a 30-year technology sales career in order to slow life down and to focus on family, friends and thriving with MBC. Carlee Dixon’s surprise diagnosis also inspired her to learn as much as possible about breast cancer and take every opportunity to educate friends and acquaintances about breast cancer prevention and the day to day reality. Today, Carlee is here to shed some light on how to best support those who are living with metastatic breast cancer.

Episode 250: Working It Out: Cancer and Employment Rights Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

Breast cancer affects patients, survivors, families and health care professionals in many ways, one of them being the law. When someone receives a diagnosis, their job is often the first place that they may be legally impacted. Our jobs provide us with income and health insurance. Therefore, it is important to know your rights in the workplace so that you can protect yourself and have the knowledge of how to ask for what you are legally entitled to. Joining us today on the show is Shelly Rosenfeld, Director at the Cancer Legal Resource Center. She’ll help explain your rights to take time off work, the antidiscrimination laws that apply both to an employee and an interviewee, and what reasonable accommodations are under federal and state laws.

Episode 249: Faith and Breast Health Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

Susan G. Komen’s Worship in Pink is a volunteer-driven breast health educational program powered by local faith-based communities. The program empowers faith communities with knowledge and resources to take an active role in their breast health. Here today to discuss the Worship in Pink program and why it is so important for Black congregations are Desiree Elder, Associate Pastor at First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem, and Se’Nita Harris, an FCBC church member and Komen’s Multicultural Marketing Manager.

Episode 248: Living Boldly and Celebrating Being Beautiful After Cancer Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

Women newly diagnosed with breast cancer are often desperately seeking connection from others who have been through the journey before, looking for real women with real answers. Today’s guest, Krisdee Clark, is the author of the blog The Blonde Bombshell. This is a place where she shares her personal breast cancer journey and gives hope to women that life on the other side, though different, can be wonderful again. Krisdee is a 3-year breast cancer survivor, recently finished a reign as Mrs. American 2022 and was the 2023 keynote speaker at the Susan G. Komen Advocacy Days on Capitol Hill where she also met with Congress and the Senate to obtain more co-sponsors for bills that Komen is leading for women’s health. Krisdee is here today to share her story and how she truly believes that the real part of surviving is the thriving you can do after.

You can connect with Krisdee at www.theblondebombshell.net and on Instagram @theblondebombshell22

Episode 247: My Personal Breast Cancer Story - A Partnership Fueled by My Personal Story Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

Intro: In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, SusieCakes and Susan G. Komen are teaming up with limited edition desserts created to raise awareness and support their shared vision of a world without breast cancer. Susan Sarich, SusieCakes founder and CEO, leads a workforce that is 80 percent female and has been vocal about the fact that supporting Komen is more than a charitable endeavor – it’s a personal mission. She has not shared, however, how personal. Over the past 3 years, Susan has been on her own breast cancer journey – she’s been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer twice, undergoing multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation and has kept all this news private. She has now decided to share her breast cancer story to raise more awareness and is here today to tell us why this mission and partnership means so much to her. Folks, get ready because this woman is truly incredible. Susan, welcome to the show!

Episode 246: Real Talk: Young Women Get Breast Cancer Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

Real Talk was created to talk about real issues and although the average age at the time of a breast cancer diagnosis is 62, young women are being diagnosed every day. We’ll use this conversation to share the experiences of what it is like to go through breast cancer at a younger age, before many women even get married, have children or have an established career.

We’ll also use Maria and Jeanelle’s lived experiences to provide help (hope) and inspiration to others in this situation. Both women have been fierce advocates for themselves and the care they needed. Women who are struggling to be heard and believed can draw on their experiences to keep speaking up. This is also a great conversation to educate doctors and health care providers that no one is too young for breast cancer and should be taken seriously.

Episode 245: How Komen’s PCC Supports Those Living with MBC and Caregivers Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Metastatic breast cancer, also called Stage IV, is when breast cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and scared when you’re living with metastatic breast cancer. But you’re not alone. Thousands of people in the U.S. and around the world are living with metastatic breast cancer, and Susan G. Komen® offers many support resources to help you through its Patient Care Center, where patient navigators are available to help provide you with information about metastatic breast cancer, information about clinical trials, access to resources, emotional support and more. Joining us today is Toni Lee, Senior Manager of Patient Navigation. Toni is also a breast cancer survivor herself, so this work is very personal for her. Toni will help us understand how Komen’s Patient Care Center supports those currently living with metastatic breast cancer and their caregivers.

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