Real Pink

A time that is often joyous and celebratory may not be – and this episode will give strength to those who find themselves in a tough spot and help families and loved ones better understand how to support and uplift someone who may be struggling this time of year. In today’s episode, we’ll hear from two women who were diagnosed with breast cancer during the holiday season. Shannon Schumacher was di...

The goal of treating early breast cancer is to remove the cancer and keep it from coming back. When breast cancer returns after treatment, this is called a breast cancer recurrence. Most people diagnosed with breast cancer will never have a recurrence. However, everyone who’s had breast cancer is at risk of recurrence, though that risk varies greatly from person to person. Your health care provide...

If you’ve heard the words, “You have breast cancer,” you aren’t alone. There are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors and those living with breast cancer in the U.S – more than any other group of cancer survivors. You also likely face unique issues and concerns, such as the stress of living in a new normal and the fear of recurrence. You may still be trying to process everything that you ju...

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...

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 su...

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...

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...

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 knowledg...

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 Corinthi...

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 b...

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’...

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...

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 t...

Sergio Andres Mendoza lost the love of his life, Sarah Fernandez Mendoza, to metastatic breast cancer in 2017. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to honor Sarah’s legacy while raising their two young children, giving back to Komen in multiple ways and providing inspiration for other breast cancer caregivers who are going through what he experienced. Sergio is here today to talk about caregiver s...

When active treatment ends and the last appointment is over, you are feeling many emotions. Normal is nowhere on the list. This is a point upon which most everyone can agree – there has been a great deal written about the harsh reality patients face when treatment ends, and even that word – patient. You really are no longer a patient, and that in and of itself requires a mindset shift. For all the...

This is Real Talk, a new podcast series where we’re going to break down the stigmas and feelings of embarrassment and talk openly and honestly about just how difficult breast cancer can be – from diagnosis, to treatment, to living with metastatic breast cancer, to life after treatment ends.      September is Hispanic Heritage Month. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among Latinas and...

Continuously increasing treatment costs for patients with metastatic breast cancer can create financial hardship, which is known as financial toxicity. According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 50% of women delay or avoid breast cancer care because of the associated costs. Financial toxicity can lead to difficulty accessing nutritious food and paying bills, as well as keeping up with th...

Widespread access to preventive screening mammography, without cost sharing, is available to millions of women as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Unfortunately, some individuals at a higher risk of breast cancer or those requiring follow-up imaging due to an abnormal mammogram result face hundreds to thousands of dollars in patient cost sharing. Susan G. Komen is committed to championin...

This is Real Talk, a new podcast series where we’re going to break down the stigmas and feelings of embarrassment and talk openly and honestly about just how difficult breast cancer can be – from diagnosis, to treatment, to living with metastatic breast cancer, to life after treatment ends.     Today’s episode is part of a collaboration between Susan G. Komen and Young Survival Coalition on the wa...

When someone has breast cancer it’s scary for them – and for you! What can you do to really help? What should you say? Friends and family often have good intentions but simply don’t know what to do. Today’s guest found herself being supported by an army of people immediately following her diagnosis, but not in a way that she found particularly helpful. After a friend asked her point blank what it...

A breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Knowing which questions to ask can help you understand your diagnosis and advocate for yourself as you begin to assemble your healthcare team and develop your treatment plan with your doctors. Finding the right providers is perhaps one of the most important decisions a patient will make post diagnosis, as it is critical to find a doctor you are comfor...

A metastatic breast cancer diagnosis is difficult. You’re processing a lot of information and dealing with many emotions. You may feel overwhelmed and scared, but you are not alone. Today’s guest was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma 6 months after her mammogram came back clear. Before she could begin treatment, she learned her cancer had metastasized to her abdominal lining. It has been q...

Today we are excited to introduce ShareForCures, Komen’s groundbreaking research initiative that puts patients at the center of scientific breakthroughs. We’ll explore how ShareForCures is making waves by harnessing the power of data, empowering patients to share their health information to expedite the search for cures and better treatments for diseases like breast cancer that touch us all. Here...

Advances in diagnostic imaging have the potential to personalize care for the MBC community. This is because these more disease-specific or target-specific imaging agents can more precisely measure cancer activity and burden at multiple time points starting at the time the patient is diagnosed and is commonly used to determine whether a therapy has been effective. On today’s show we will be discus...

Self-advocacy is an important and ongoing part of a breast cancer journey. It can begin as soon as you have an inkling that something is wrong and should continue through follow-up care and treatment. It can be as simple as asking your healthcare team more questions and letting them know how you’re feeling, or finding support by connecting with other people going through a similar experience as yo...