Let's Talk About Your Breasts

Former TV anchor and breast health advocate Lyndsay Levingston joins Dorothy this week. After a battle with breast cancer, Lyndsay has dedicated her life to spreading awareness and advocating for women to take charge of their own health through SurviveHER .  We dive deep into Lyndsay’s journey, including the self-examination that changed her life and the family history of cancer she didn’t know ex...

Conventional wisdom suggests that breast cancer is exclusive to women. But men can get it, too. And Ronnie Pace has survived it TWICE. During this episode, we talk to Ronnie about the lump in his breast that led to a cancer diagnosis. And how and why he kept his diagnosis from his wife. Ronnie's story is inspiring and important for the men in our lives. And as a board member at The Rose, he contin...

Dr. Sarfaraz Sadruddin wasn't always a doctor.  After immigrating to the United States, he received a degree in bioelectrical engineering. It was then that he developed an affinity for volunteering. Fast forward to 2023 and he's the lead radiologist at The Rose. During this episode, you'll learn his origin story. And you'll learn how "Dr. Raz" is optimistic about the future of women's breast healt...

Jessica Duckworth is The Rose's Chief Operating Officer and mammographer. As the world began to shut down at the beginning of 2020, Jessica found a lump in her breast. In an effort to care for The Rose's patients, she put off screening and went full throttle, making sure they were cared for. As you might have predicted, this didn't bode well. Jessica was diagnosed with breast cancer. During this e...

Ashma Khanani-Moosa is a registered nurse and two-time cancer survivor. After completing treatment for her second bout, she made it her mission to advocate for women's breast health care in her community. Despite much resistance, she received approval to have The Rose bring a mobile mammography coach to her mosque. Today, Ashma continues to empower women by having candid conversations through supp...

Patricia Stapleton is The Rose's lead technologist. She's the person behind the mammogram machine. Literally. During this episode, you'll learn about what happens when you have a diagnostic mammogram and why it's important to have it done. She's served our community for over twenty years and always puts our women at ease. You'll also learn what it's like to give a mammogram to men. Learn about wha...

After receiving treatment at The Rose, Marian Sparks promised Dr. Melillo that she'd pay her back. And she did. To the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Marian founded Jump for the Rose and she skydives to raise money for our mission to provide breast healthcare for women, regardless of their ability to pay. In addition to running a business and her nonprofit, Marian also serves on our adv...

Chris Noble retired and embarked on every retiree's dream. She traveled the world and had a blast. But then she got bored. So she got involved with The Rose and formed lifelong friendships. All while advocating for breast health in the Black community. Learn more about what The Rose does throughout the Greater Houston area at therose.org . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lilia Avila works for The Rose as a mobile coach coordinator. During this episode, we dive into her breast cancer journey, and how every woman's journey is different.  Even though she's been an employee, she still felt hopeless, and relied on patient navigation to guide her. If you have any questions about The Rose's screening processes or recommendations for topics to discuss for future episodes,...

Dr. Lori Choi is a vascular surgeon and cofounder of  I’ll Have What She’s Having  (IHWSH). IHWSH unites women in medicine and the restaurant industry to draw attention to the need for improved access to affordable health care while creating networking opportunities and community amongst the talented women of Houston’s culinary scene. During this episode, Dorothy speaks with Dr. Choi about her ori...

Daniel Barron lost his sister to inflammatory breast cancer in 2005. There was no history of breast cancer in their family. And Ana was too young to die, only 30 years old. She had two small children and had her entire life ahead of her. The symptoms were not the typical you associate with breast cancer. Initially, the symptoms were passed off as mastitis. During this episode, Dorothy and Daniel s...

Dr. Claudia Cotes joins the podcast to speak with Dorothy about her journey to becoming a radiologist. She's an alum of The Rose and assistant professor at the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging at UTHealth Houston.  It's her job to tell women they have breast cancer. But the person she worries about the most is the caretaker .   Find out why during this wide ranging conversation,...

Her chances of dying from breast cancer is 50% higher than other women. She has a family history and she's Black.  But that's not stopping Kim Roxie from changing the odds. Kim is a staunch supporter of The Rose and founder of LAMIK Beauty , a makeup line for women of color made with vegan, natural and organic ingredients. During this conversation, Dorothy talks with Kim about her mother, who lost...

Have you ever faced a time when you were out of options? Sixteen years old, pregnant, and kicked out of high school, the future looked bleak for Dixie Melillo. But against all odds, she became a general surgeon and co-founder of a nonprofit serving the uninsured. Thousands of women are alive today because of Dr. Melillo. And she joins fellow cofounder of The Rose Dorothy Gibbons for episode one of...

Ever been without health insurance?  Then you know the horror of waking up sick and knowing there's no one who will see you. In Texas, over one million people go without healthcare.  Enter, Elena Marks. Elena founded the Episcopal Health Foundation in an effort to change the conversation around healthcare in the Lone Star State. During this conversation, you'll learn what you can do to make a chan...