Real Pink

Caregiving can be a very personal role on many levels - assisting a loved one through their cancer diagnosis, helping with daily activities, providing support and helping to make treatment decisions may all be a part of their responsibilities. When young adults are the caregiver taking care of a parent, they face many unique challenges, such as having more duties to juggle and managing their own g...

Laurel Pointer always knew that breast cancer was a possibility, with a strong family history and a confirmed CHEK2 gene mutation. In July 2024, Laurel was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive lobular carcinoma and immediately knew that she wanted a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. Shannon Michaelson has been Laurel’s co-worker and close friend for the past 6 years. As soon as Laurel got the n...

Today’s guest is Mallory Tucker, a mother of four and breast cancer survivor from Georgia. She shares her experience with her diagnosis, how she approached the conversation with her children, and the role therapy played in helping her navigate treatment.

What if one call could help change not just your future, but your family’s too? In this episode of Real Pink, we're joined by Fanny Jackson, a compassionate and experienced Komen Patient Navigator, who walks us through how she helps callers to the Komen Patient Care Center understand and access genetic counseling and testing. Fanny shares how knowing your genetic risk for breast cancer—especially...

If you’re struggling with issues affecting your sexuality, you’re not alone. Sex and intimacy can be difficult for many women after a breast cancer diagnosis. Joining us today is Amy Rowan, a Certified Clinical Sexologist and Intimacy Coach. She’s known as the Suburban Sexologist because she is just like so many of you – a busy, working mom and breast cancer survivor who just gets it. She makes ta...

Brett Heins went through breast cancer in her late 30s. Kristin Goodman was in her early 40s when she was diagnosed. Both women are well below the average age at diagnosis – 62 – leading them to wonder what caused their cancer to develop. A growing body of research shows lifestyle choices – everything from drinking alcohol to following a healthy diet – influences one’s risk of breast cancer.

Everyone is at risk of breast cancer. Some are more at risk than others due to hereditary factors – such as a family history of cancers – and lifestyle choices that affect our overall health. Knowing your risk of breast cancer can help you decide what steps to take to lower your risk. Joining me today is Dr. Jennifer Ligibel, a Susan G. Komen Scholar and Komen grantee, Professor of Medicine at Har...

Just before her 38th birthday, Lauren Yerkes learned she had breast cancer. Genetic testing would reveal she had the BRCA2 inherited gene mutation that made her at higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers. Her experience made her want to educate people about inherited genetic mutations because she had no idea at the time that she was at risk. Lauren is here today to share her story, th...

Today, we’re honored to share the story of Nancy Pickett, a woman whose breast cancer journey is not just her own — it’s part of a long family history. Nancy is the ninth person in her family to be diagnosed with breast cancer, making her path one of both personal resilience and advocacy. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we recognize that every woman’s breast cancer journey is unique. That’s...

Breast cancer risk looks different for everyone. Our guests today have an inherited genetic mutation that increased their risk of breast cancer. Without knowing it, they may have passed this gene onto their children. Genetic mutations can increase risk of breast and ovarian cancers in women, and prostate cancer in men. About 10% of breast cancers are genetic – knowing if you have a gene mutation c...

Welcome to the Real Pink Podcast by Susan G. Komen. I’m Adam Walker, and each week we take a look at the stories of real people affected by breast cancer. Today, I’m thrilled to introduce our special guest host, three-time Emmy Award winner, author and breast cancer survivor Gaby Natale! Gaby is a proud Komen Ambassador, using her voice to educate, empower and uplift communities—especially the Lat...

It is Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day – an annual opportunity to bring more awareness to this aggressive type of breast cancer that is difficult to treat because it lacks an estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptor. It primarily affects younger women and Black women and can spread quickly and be deadly if left untreated for too long. Treatment for TNBC used to include the toughest forms of chemo...

Welcome to the Komen Health Equity Revolution podcast series. Each month, we invite in patients, community organizations, health care providers, researchers and policy advocates to discuss strategies and solutions that drive the health equity revolution forward for multiple populations experiencing breast health inequities. In honor of Black History Month, this Komen Health Equity Revolution episo...

Breast cancer treatment today is becoming more personalized and more precise. Precision medicine is rapidly expanding the options patients have for treating their cancer while helping them maintain a desired quality of life. A common mutation in breast cancer called PIK3CA affects more than 1 in 3 people with breast cancer, making it harder to treat. This mutation often leads to worse outcomes for...

This is Real Talk, a podcast conversation where we’re digging deep into breast cancer and the realities patients and survivors face every day. We’re talking openly and honestly about just how difficult breast cancer can be, from being diagnosed to selecting the right treatment plan, to living day to day with metastatic breast cancer, and life after treatment ends.   In today’s episode, we’re talki...

As we kick off Black History Month here on Real Pink, we’re excited to highlight guests who have been affected by breast cancer and are using their experiences to make an impact. Today’s guest advocated for herself to ensure that she was receiving the best, most personalized treatment for her after her diagnosis, and in the process learned the staggering fact that less than 10% of clinical trial p...

Tune into the latest episode of Real Pink for a vital conversation about the transformative impact of personalized care, its role in addressing disparities and how it can empower patients in their breast cancer journey. Dr. Ezinne Ihenachor, a diagnostic radiologist and passionate health equity advocate, helps us understand how personalized care can address systemic inequities and improve outcomes...

Tamoxifen is a medication used to block estrogen, which is needed for some breast tumors to grow. Many survivors are prescribed tamoxifen to lower the risk of having a recurrence of breast cancer, usually after breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Tamoxifen can also be used for breast cancer risk reduction in women who do not have breast cancer but who are at higher risk, which was t...

This is Real Talk, a podcast conversation where we’re digging deep into breast cancer and the realities patients and survivors face every day. We’re talking openly and honestly about just how difficult breast cancer can be, from being diagnosed to selecting the right treatment plan, to living day to day with metastatic breast cancer, and life after treatment ends. In today’s episode, we’re talking...

On today’s show, we are joined by two sisters, who are unfortunately no strangers to breast cancer. Their biological mother passed away from metastatic breast cancer when she was 52. While they were aware that their mother’s diagnosis put them at a higher risk, it still came as a shock when Tami Salawater was diagnosed at the age of 50. Two weeks later, her younger sister Jamie Boettcher received...

Understanding your family health history can help you take better care of your health by helping to figure out your risk and take action as needed. Joining us on the show today is Jerry Carnes, a former television journalist who spent 35 years with 11Alive in Atlanta. He has an extensive family history of cancer in his family, has lost multiple family members to both breast and prostate cancers an...

To advance health equity in breast cancer care, Komen believes that everyone should have a just opportunity to be as healthy as possible despite their cultural or demographic background. That is why Komen is committed to eliminating barriers to care for individuals and communities experiencing breast health inequities now and in the future. We are honored to be joined on today’s show by two member...

This is Real Talk, a podcast conversation where we’re digging deep into breast cancer and the realities patients and survivors face every day. We’re talking openly and honestly about just how difficult breast cancer can be, from being diagnosed to selecting the right treatment plan, to living day to day with metastatic breast cancer, and life after treatment ends. In today’s episode, we’re hearing...

We are lucky to be joined today by actress, mother, breast cancer survivor and the newest Komen Ambassador Nicole Eggert. Best known for her roles on Baywatch and Charles in Charge, Nicole was diagnosed with stage 2 cribiform carcinoma breast cancer in December 2023 and is still currently undergoing treatment. She has been courageously open about sharing her diagnosis and is here to talk to us tod...

Living with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) can mean facing complex emotions. For many dealing with stage 4 breast cancer, the weight of the diagnosis brings a range of feelings — from fear and uncertainty to moments of resilience and power. One of the most powerful among the spectrum of emotions is gratitude, and this holiday season, two members of Komen’s MBC Steering Committee, Julia Hughes and...