Let's Talk About Your Breasts

Deborah Wallace has shot photos of some of Houston’s most prominent women. But her success didn’t come without challenges. She was diagnosed with breast cancer three separate times and because she had to keep working, she didn’t share her diagnosis.  During this episode, you’ll learn why she did what she did, how she broke the news to her sons, and why she refuses to discuss with her doctors what’...

Ella Thomas has created quilts for The Rose for over twenty years. During this mini-episode, you’ll learn about her work, what she enjoys most about her creations, and how The Rose has personally impacted her life. Help us grow the show by leaving a review on your podcast platform and sharing with your family and friends. And please consider supporting our mission at therose.org . Your help could...

Mike Martin is an inventor whose latest creation is The Coolin’ Curve . As an ardent supporter of The Rose, he generously donates time on his yacht so members of our community can experience the peace and tranquility of the water. But Mike’s road to success as an inventor didn’t come without struggle. He battled addiction while his infant granddaughter Emma fought cancer. After a stint in rehab, h...

Meet Amanda Gujral. As the Nurse Practitioner-Manager of The Rose’s Mammogram to Medical Home Program , she’s seen firsthand what a difference it makes when it comes to helping the uninsured woman get access to healthcare. This program is only a couple of years old, yet has seen many success stories. You’ll hear them—including one involving a woman who immigrated on foot from Venezuela.  Dorothy a...

Shannon McNair is our Fundraising Manager. From bike rallies to bake sales, she and the fundraising team have seen it all and oftentimes all in a day’s work. During this episode, you’ll hear fundraising stories, as well as a personal story of how cancer impacted someone close to her. Indeed, every day at The Rose is rewarding, and Shannon summed it up with this quote: “I love what I’m doing. I lov...

Join Dorothy as she touts the benefits of podcasting. Since launching Let's Talk About Your Breasts , The Rose has expanded its reach to more people in more places. Which means more women served! If you like this or any of our other episodes, please consider sharing with your family and friends, and/or leaving a short review on your platform of choice. Learn more about The Rose HERE .  See omnystu...

LaTreace Price-Gistard didn't know about The Rose when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. She's convinced things would have ended up quite differently if she had. During this episode, we talk about her breast cancer journey, the effects of her battle as it relates to her children, and how she ended up serving as a volunteer for The Rose. Help us grow the show by leaving a review on your p...

Marcella Herrera from the Canopy Cancer Survivorship Center at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center joins the show to talk about the ways their all-volunteer staff helps survivors thrive after fighting the battle of their lives. During this episode, you'll learn about the wide array of programs offered, as well as the importance of having an empathetic shoulder to lean on (that's not a re...

Karen Campbell grew up in a small town where civic engagement came naturally. It was this civic-mindedness that eventually led her to a role as The Rose's first PR director.  During this episode, we'll talk about why Karen believes in the power of story and why she joined the Peace Corps at the age of fifty-three. We also take a trip down memory lane, reflecting on some of the memories we made in...

Ryan Levy is the founder of Nice Winery and a tireless advocate for The Rose's mission to serve uninsured women in Houston. But the road to owning a premiere winery wasn't always in the cards for Ryan. Prior to Nice Winery, he was a successful lawyer. During this episode, you'll hear about his career pivot, the journey to creating wines for a cause, and how they honor The Rose's mission in more wa...

Star Hand knows how to throw a party. Her fundraisers have raised many thousands of dollars for the women we support. And she pulls off these epic events with little to no expenses. During this episode, you'll hear about why it's important for Star to support her community, how she pulled off a fundraiser in ten days, and she offers advice for anyone who may want to start their own fundraiser. If...

This man wrote the book on how to be an advocate. James Gray influenced so many policy changes, and he's here today to tell us why our voice and our story is probably the most important weapon we have in the fight against breast cancer. During this episode he gives specific ways everyday people have used their voice to shape state policy, why using personal stories are critical in the fight agains...

Death isn't an easy thing to talk about, but Genevieve Keeney-Vazquez has made it her life work.  Funeral Director and CEO of the National Museum of Funeral History , she shares today what happens when someone dies and how important the right type of service can be to loved ones. During her service to our country, she's handled fallen soldiers, caring for them in ways that will touch your heart. D...

Tony Levine left a high profile career as a college football coach. You no doubt remember his time as head coach of the University of Houston's program. But it was time for a change. So he pivoted from coaching football to leading a different kind of team. At Chick-Fil-A.  During this episode, Coach Tony sits down with Dorothy to talk about his career pivot, how leading a football team isn't all t...

Claudia Farinola is a thirteen year breast cancer survivor and sits on the board of the Emma Jacobs Breast Cancer Foundation. As you know, the foundation is one of The Rose's key fundraising partners and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through its third party events. During this episode, you'll hear about Claudia's breast cancer journey, her unique relationship with her doctors, and wh...

What started in 1986 with one paid employee, two volunteers, a donated mammography machine, and used furniture from garage sales, has blossomed into an organization that serves over forty thousand Texans across forty-three counties. On August 1st, The Rose celebrated her 37th birthday. Yes, her birthday. Not "its 37th anniversary." During this episode, you'll learn why The Rose is viewed as a woma...

This next guest says women have to be their best advocates. During her breast cancer journey, she fired her doctor, fought with insurance companies (and won). And most importantly, she beat breast cancer. But not before throwing a party for herself while in the hospital. Since then, Emma Jacobs has gone on to raise thousands of dollars for different breast cancer organizations through the Emma Jac...

Lisa Helfman had it all. She was a successful attorney and rising star in her company. She had an addiction that threatened to cut her life short. Lisa was addicted to being busy. Nevertheless, she beat the addition and is now the Community Affairs Director at HEB. During this episode, you'll learn Lisa balances her career and personal life, what Lisa does to take care of herself, and how she's tr...

When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, many questions instantly run through her mind – what does this all mean? What do I do next? Will I survive? But when that patient is uninsured, her first question is how am I going to pay for this? Laura Tovar and Sally Reyes are two Patient Navigators at The Rose who are dedicated to helping women steer through the confusing and frightening maze of br...

Ashley Dedmon is a women's health advocate. This week, she shares her compelling story to ensuring she never experiences breast cancer. As a BRCA2 positive patient and having lost her mother to breast cancer, Ashley made the difficult decision to have a double mastectomy. She also speaks about the impact of her father's cancer diagnosis and how it strengthened her resolve. During this episode, you...

What happens when a financially stable and well-connected family experiences issues within the American healthcare system? Saul Valentin’s wife nearly lost her life due to red tape. Their family had questions and oftentimes felt alone during their journey to recovery.  But they persisted and she survived. Saul serves on the board of The Rose, and works as one of the most influential architects in...

Marisol Guerrero’s breast cancer journey began in her early twenties. It started with a lemon-sized tumor and since then, she’s been defying the odds. Marisol joins Dorothy to talk about her journey, her advocacy for The Rose, and why she feels imposter syndrome in the breast cancer community. She also opens up about the guilt she felt about her diagnosis as it pertains to the financial challenges...

“Bear” Hebert is a renowned auctioneer from the Houston area and a champion of The Rose for over thirty years. The episode starts with a sneak peek into Bear's early life, where he found his calling in auctioneering and has never looked back. Dorothy and Bear go down memory lane as they reflect on how they met and how he became one of The Rose’s best friends. You’ll also hear a side of Bear you’ve...

Helen Perry has supported The Rose's mission since the beginning. For more than thirty-seven years, she has seen our peaks and valleys and through it all, has remained one of our greatest advocates. During this episode, we reflect on past experiences and friendships made along the way. And we talk about how much things have changed since then. Especially when it comes to talking about self-examina...

If you had millions of dollars of wealth and could help your favorite nonprofit organization, would you want to remain anonymous? Some people do. And this week, Dorothy welcomes one of The Rose’s most ardent supporters, a lady who has wished to remain anonymous throughout the years but has become a great friend to the women of The Rose. Find out why she remains anonymous, how she finally let The R...