Real Pink

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 for all. Thanks to Merck for supporting the Real Pink Podcast.

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 the case with today’s guest. Twenty years after her mother passed away from breast cancer, Colleen Boraca learned she had two conditions that increase her chances of developing breast cancer. At the recommendation of her oncologist, she began her five-year, daily journey with Tamoxifen and is here today to share about her experience, what helped her get through struggles and how she was able to work with her doctor along the way to get the personalized care that was right for her.

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 about getting a second opinion and why that’s so important when selecting your treatment plan. Our guests today, Shilo Goodman and Eve Laidacker, both had to speak up and tell their doctors they didn’t agree with their medical advice, and advocated for what they thought was best for themselves.

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 her own breast cancer diagnosis. Both women were diagnosed at an early stage, but with different types of cancer and they each faced unique challenges and side effects as they navigated their treatments. Jamie and Tami are here today to share their story of facing breast cancer together as a family and the personalized care that each of them 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 and is a prostate cancer survivor himself. Jerry is here to share his story and to spread education on the importance of knowing your family history and taking charge of your health by getting regular screenings and promoting early detection. His hope is that by that sharing his family’s experience, he can help to prevent other families from going through a similar situation.

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 members of Komen’s Community Health Outreach team, women who drive this important work every day. Natasha Mmeje and Theru Ross are here to share some details of Komen’s good work in breast health equity this year and what their hopes are for the future.

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 a surprising perspective from two breast cancer survivors. Janet Ruiz and Sue Henning both say, “Breast cancer made me grateful.” Ladies, I can’t wait to dig in with you because ‘grateful’ is not a word we hear very often on this podcast.

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 today about her breast care experience, the importance of continuing to live her life in the most positive way possible as she navigates her journey and what prompted her to join Komen’s ShareForCures research registry.

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 Phyllis Esposito, are here to talk about what gratitude looks like for them in the face of MBC.

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 about getting to “yes.” Yes looks different for everyone and there’s no right or wrong way to get there. But getting there is the goal of today’s conversation. I’m delighted to welcome Lisa Mannina and Jennifer Muniga to tell us more about the breast cancer experiences and how they’ve processed through the range of emotions, feelings and setbacks, to get to a place where they want to make the decisions that are best for them. They want to say “yes” to what’s important and “yes” to doing what’s best for them and their future.

On today’s episode, we are discussing a topic that affects most women with hormone receptor-positive, early-stage breast cancer after they finish their initial treatment and begin navigating survivorship. To lower the risk of recurrence, most women begin taking anti-estrogen therapy, also called hormone therapy or endocrine therapy, but these treatments do not come without the risk of side effects. When side effects become severe, survivors may be faced with the task of weighing the benefits of hormone therapy against the associated side effects. This can be challenging and may even lead them to wonder how much longer they need to continue on the medication. Joining us today to discuss how patients and providers can balance fear of recurrence against potential side effects of treatment and how genomic testing can help guide treatment decisions is a Nurse Practitioner at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Adriana Olivo. This podcast is sponsored by Biotheranostics Inc., a Hologic Company. The Breast Cancer Index test is the only test recognized by the NCCN guidelines and the ASCO Clinical Practice Guideline to predict which patients are likely to benefit from extension of adjuvant anti-estrogen therapy beyond 5 years.

People often talk about social determinants of health - the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age - and how they affect a person’s health, well-being and quality of life. However, there are political determinants of health that impact our health and longevity as well. Rebecca Birch, director of state policy and advocacy at Susan G. Komen, is here today to help us understand how political determinants of health ultimately determine and affect social determinants of health and how we can all get involved to create a healthier tomorrow.

Sunny, a mom, wife, and friend to many, opens up about what it's like to receive life-changing news and how she's chosen to embrace resilience, gratitude, and new perspectives. From her decision to make lifestyle changes with her husband’s support to finding strength in her community, Sunny shares the realities, challenges, and small victories of her journey.

Today we are joined by actress, activist and mother Olivia Munn for part two of our conversation about Olivia's journey through breast cancer.  Earlier this year, Olivia bravely shared her breast cancer diagnosis, urging women to advocate for early detection through the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment tool. Her heartfelt story resonated globally, prompting a surge in awareness and proactive health measures among women.

Today we are joined by actress, activist and mother Olivia Munn.  Earlier this year, Olivia bravely shared her breast cancer diagnosis, urging women to advocate for early detection through the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment tool. Her heartfelt story resonated globally, prompting a surge in awareness and proactive health measures among women.

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. Today, we’re getting to know the Titus family – Leo, Rosalie, Allison, Laura and Kelley. Leo lost his wife Jennifer to metastatic breast cancer in 2003. She was just 34 at the time and she and Leo had three young daughters – Allison, Laura and Kelley. Kelley was just 8 months old when her mother died. The Titus family has committed themselves to doing everything they can to save lives from breast cancer in the hopes that nobody would ever have to go through what they went through, losing a wife and mother. To date, the family has raised more than $350,000 for Susan G. Komen and participated in Washington, DC-area races, walks and other fundraisers. This year, everyone is all in – doing their part to raise as much as they can for the cause.

Today, we are celebrating the 300th episode of this podcast. Over the past half decade, we have heard from survivors and thrivers, those in treatment, those living with metastatic disease, as well as family and friends of those passed and medical professionals.We are so grateful to everyone who has come on this podcast and shared their story, helping those who need to hear it most and supporting this community. Today, we will revisit some of the lessons we hope you have taken away from this series, 300 episodes in.

We know that 1 in 8 women will be being diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. which means that most people know someone that either has been or is currently touched by breast cancer. On top of that, there have been an increasing number of celebrities in the media speaking about their breast cancer diagnoses, which can sometimes make it feel like people are being diagnosed constantly. When family members, friends, loved ones, coworkers, friends of friends – anyone around us is diagnosed – it can bring up feelings of fear and concern for our own health. Today we’ve been blessed with the perfect person on the show. Licensed professional oncology counselor and breast cancer survivor Dr. Chalice Rhodes is here to empower us to take charge of our health, to give us tools to cope with these feelings and not let anxiety stop us in our tracks and to let us know that we are capable of handling whatever comes our way!

A breast cancer diagnosis is shocking for young women. At a time in life most often focused on family and career, issues of treatment, recovery and survivorship suddenly take top priority, and this can bring with it a wide range of emotions. Today’s guest was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 34. By taking things one day at time, she was able to mentally keep it together through diagnosis and treatment, but when her treatment was complete and she was faced with navigating life with her new normal, that is when the weight of what she had been through caught up to her and she found herself struggling. Cecilia Salvans is here today to share what she’s learned through her experience and how sharing her story to be able to help others has been the best medicine.

On today’s episode, we have two special guests, Kristina Guerrero, journalist, TV host, lifestyle expert and author along with three-time Emmy award-winning journalist, TV host, author and speaker, Gaby Natale. Both are Latinas in the public eye who were diagnosed at young ages with breast cancer. We’ll talk with them about navigating their breast cancer diagnosis as a Latina, how it changed them as storytellers and what they want to share with the Latino community having gone through this experience.