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EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR BREAST & OVARIAN HEALTH
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A Message from Lindsay…
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Dear Bright Pink Friends & Supporters,
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I am so pleased to write you, as we step into a beautiful spring and are once again welcomed by blossoming trees, sidewalk cafes and warm temperatures. Spring brings with it a feeling of renewal. It’s the once-a-year opportunity to start fresh and clean out your wardrobe, purchase a new pair of sandals, and most importantly, take note of the steps you are taking to be proactive with your health. It’s time to exercise more, eat more fruits and vegetables and schedule that visit to your doctor you have been putting off all winter.
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Bright Pink will be celebrating spring and summer in Chicago with two wonderful events! In May, we will host our first-ever Fit Fest 2010, an all-day fitness event that challenges participants to complete six classes over the course of a day. In
June, we invite you to attend our signature High Tea event for “The Women We Love” at the Drake Hotel. This uplifting and inspiring afternoon tea is the perfect outing for friends and family. You will find more information on both events in the Event Spotlight section of this newsletter. For those of you in or traveling through Chicago, we hope you will join us for one or both events!
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All the Best & Brightest!
Lindsay Avner
Founder and Executive Director, Bright Pink
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This year, Bright Pink embarks on a new event concept with our first-ever Fit Fest 2010! Are you
up for the Fit Fest Challenge? This event, centered
on healthy living, invites participants to join
Chicago’s leading fitness gurus for the ultimate
physical challenge of six consecutive classes
including: Yoga, Core Fusion, Cardio Hip Hop,
Pilates and more. When athletes are not working
out, they will be pampered with nutritional
consultations, massages and manicures.
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By participating, athletes will directly impact the
lives of high-risk young women around the US
through their commitment to raise at least $200
for Bright Pink, and for their efforts, will receive
several great prizes. Event sponsors include Zon
Fitness, Today’s Chicago Woman (TCW),
VitaminWater Zero, LuxGoddess.com, Park Hyatt
Chicago and Whole Foods.
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for bright pink’s signature event
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For The Women We Love: A High Tea For Ladies And Gentelmen Benefiting Bright Pink
will take place on June 27th, 2010 at the Drake
Hotel in Chicago. This high tea, silent auction and
fundraiser celebrates the bold and beautiful women
we love, whose lives have been touched by breast
and ovarian cancer. These women make Bright Pink
the strong, supportive organization it is today. Along
with sponsors VanKampen Investment Management,
VitaminWater, Cardtronics, Kehoe Designs, and
CS Magazine, we invite you to bring your mothers,
sisters, daughters, partners, wives and girlfriends
to this uplifting afternoon benefiting Bright Pink’s
educational and awareness programs! Tickets are
now on sale, and can be purchased here. You will
note that tickets bought in pairs before May 9th
(Mother’s Day) come at a discounted rate!
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bright now guest columnist
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Each Day Gets A Little Easier
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by rachel abeles
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You hear it every day, about people losing loved
ones, but you never really know how it feels until
you have gone through it yourself. Just two weeks
after my wedding on January 16th, 2010, I lost my
mom to a three-and-a-half year battle with stage four
ovarian cancer. Throughout the wedding, my mom
was so vibrant, it was hard to believe she was in a lot
of pain. You could tell that she pulled every ounce of
energy together for the occasion and
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enjoyed every
single minute. As much as you mentally prepare yourself for loss, you are never
fully equipped for the emotions that will occur. While I will never know the amount
of pain that my mom was in towards the end, what I did know after her passing,
was that her suffering had ended and she was finally at peace.
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I can’t say that the past few months have been easy. It hasn’t even been three
months and not a day goes by where I don’t think of her or even speak about her.
There are things that I’ve found myself doing, just because I know that it used to
bring a smile to her face and in turn brings one to mine. There are countless times
that I have picked up the phone wanting to call my mom, although I know she
won’t pick up. I have had to turn to others for help, which for anyone who knows
me understands how difficult this is for me to do.
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I am the youngest in my family and the only girl. My brothers and I have all dealt
with the experience of losing our mom in a different ways. I know that there are
moments when we all still break down and cry, and I know that it’s ok. I have
never been one to shy away from reality, but rather tell people what I am going
through. Something that I have learned throughout all of this is that there is no
right or wrong way to deal with your own emotions. Each person deals with losing
someone they love in a different way. My mom would not want any of us to sit
and feel sorry for ourselves, but instead continue to live our lives, while never
forgetting her.
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Ever since my mom’s diagnosis, Bright Pink has been a huge part of my life.
There are no words to describe the comfort I receive in knowing there is a
support system full of young women who have gone through what I am currently
experiencing. Without this organization, I know that I would not have this
unbelievable support system and family.
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In the past couple of months I have gone through life changing moments that
help define me as a person. I have become a wife and have lost my mom all
at the same time. If there is anything that I can tell people about the recovery
process it is this: Recovery is not easy, but each day does get a little easier.
Having the love and support of friends and family is really what allows you
to get through the day. Even though my mom is no longer here, she lives on
through my family, and I truly believe that she is watching over all of us.
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DEAR PINK… Our monthly Q&A
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q.
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Dear Pink, I am 32 with a history of breast
cancer on both my father and my mother’s side
of the family. My paternal Grandmother died
from breast cancer and there is a small history
of ovarian cancer on my Father’s side. I’ve
been avoiding going to the doctor because
I am scared of what they will say, and as a
newlywed I’m not sure I’m ready to do a
BRACAnalysis. However, my husband and I are
looking to start a family in the next year, and
my mother is concerned that the hormones
from pregnancy could increase my risk for
breast cancer, as we know several women
whom have been diagnosed in their 30’s soon
after having children. Is it statistically true that
a woman with a family history is at a greater risk
for developing breast cancer after pregnancy?
Thank you,
Nicole S.
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a.
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Dear Nicole, Thanks for a great question! It has
been well documented in scientific literature, that
the risk of breast cancer is temporarily elevated
shortly after pregnancy in all women. This
occurs due to the increase or reemergence of
hormones after childbirth. Pregnancy itself and
breastfeeding actually confer a protective effect
against lifetime breast cancer risk. Unfortunately,
there is no unifying answer to your family history
question at this time. There are studies that
support an increase in breast cancer risk after
pregnancy in women with a positive family
history. On the other hand, a more recent study
conducted in Sweden (2008) found this increase
to be less than previous studies, concluding that
for women with a first degree relative (i.e. mother
or sister), pregnancy is not an additional risk
factor for women with a family history.
Case in point, we would absolutely support
your desire to start a family. Making the choice
to become a mother is an amazing one and we
encourage you to maintain the awareness of your
family history as it can help you to be proactive
about your risk. We would support your OB/
GYN’s recommendation to consult with a breast
specialist. This expert, with the knowledge of
your personal and family history may recommend
special screening options or more frequent
screening. In regard to your feelings about
BRACAnalysis’, your fears and reservations are
completely understandable! At some point, if
you feel ready, meeting with a genetic counselor
may be beneficial to talk further about your
family history. Many women take the information
from counseling and utilize it to be proactive
with their breast and ovarian health, in the
absence of testing.
Stay Bright,
Pink
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Do you have a question for Pink? Send an email
to brightpink@bebrightpink.org and your question
could be featured in the next newsletter. Questions
will be posted anonymously, if desired.
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How did you hear about PinkPal and what inspired you to participate?
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Betsy: I heard about the PinkPal program through Bright Pink’s website.
After sharing my BRCA story with friends and family, I really wanted to talk with
someone who had been through the process and understood my situation.
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Michelle: I became involved in Bright Pink when I lived in Chicago and
participated in the outreach group. Prior to my surgery I spoke with a few
different people who had the same procedure and it was very reassuring
to hear that my concerns were similar to theirs. It helped to calm my anxiety.
When I heard about PinkPal I wanted to sign-up and help others.
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Please briefly share your PinkPal story and the key elements of your particular partnership?
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Betsy: Michelle and I first talked via e-mail, sharing BRCA stories. We found
out that we live a short 15 minutes from each other. We met for coffee and
spent over an hour talking about our similarities. Michelle was like a friend I
had known for years-we talked so easily to one another. At that point, Michelle
had gone through surgery for a preventative mastectomy a few years prior and
I was anxiously awaiting my approaching scheduled surgery. Michelle had
the exact same procedure I was going to have and was able to tell me her
experience; what went right/wrong and what to expect. She followed up before
my surgery and gave me some last minute advice. Since my surgery 4 weeks ago,
we have e-mailed and even had a chance to meet up again. Michelle and I talked
about my upcoming second surgery and she once again calmed any anxiety I had.
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Michelle: After learning that I was matched with Betsy I was excited to be a
PinkPal again. We first shared our stories through email and realized we had
a lot in common. We ended up meeting for coffee a few months before her
surgery. I left our first meeting feeling inspired that someone a few miles away
from me was going through the same process and had the same concerns
and questions. Betsy is such a strong individual that I really admired how she
handled the situation with her family. The gene brought us together, but I
realized we had a lot more in common than just having the same surgery!
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What is special/unique about the relationship you have with your PinkPal?
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Betsy: Being able to talk directly with someone who has been in my shoes and
had the same concerns was so calming. Even though we just met, I feel that
Michelle has been by my side through this whole process. I not only received
support when I needed it-I have made a great new friend!
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Michelle: We live less than 10 minutes away and would have never met if it
were not for Liz matching us up. However, I feel like I have a new friend and hope
to stay in contact with Betsy over time and track her road to recovery.
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What words of wisdom would you share with others who might be curious
about the PinkPal program?
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Betsy: Meeting my PinkPal was the one piece of this journey that was seamless.
If you are at any point in this process, having someone to talk with who has
walked in your shoes is incredibly helpful. Liz Perri was amazingly easy to talk
to and did a fantastic job matching me up with Michelle.
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Michelle: I kept my story very private before my surgery, but afterwards I realized
that talking to others who had been in my shoes was helpful in the healing process.
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Please visit www.bebrightpink.org/for-high-risk-young-women/pinkpal to learn more about PinkPal, or sign up to become a PinkPal or participant by
clicking here.
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bright happinings
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upcoming 2010 events
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high risk outreach
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Bright Pink Outreach Groups are support groups, turned on their heads!
These events take place in the context of a fun activity, such as a yoga class,
wine and cheese tasting or pottery painting, and are followed by an organized
and facilitated discussion on a topic that is related to being young and
at high-risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
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volunteer spotlight
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A special “bright” thank you to volunteer, Carli
Lustig! Carli has exhibited incredible creativity,
dedication and leadership as the Chair of Bright Pink’s
Marketing and Communications Committee. She
was instrumental in the development of our national
ambassador program and currently, Carli is one of our
top fundraisers for Fit Fest 2010, with a final goal of
$1000-five times the minimum goal required for
participation! Thanks for being so wonderful, Carli!
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