Real Pink Podcast Episodes

Whether you’re healthy, have just been diagnosed with breast cancer or are living with metastatic breast cancer, the connection between breast and bone health is vital. Some breast cancer treatments can affect bone health, putting women at higher risk for bone density loss. The bones are often the first site of metastases for almost half of women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, which can lead to bone complications including bone fractures and spinal cord compressions. Bone strengthening therapies may be added to treatment plans for these women to protect bones and reduce risk. Today’s guest is passionate about educating women on how to take control of their health by learning what to look for, what questions to ask and what they can do to lower their risks of recurrence. Here today to share her breast cancer experience and how she protects her bones while living with bone metastases is Kim Crist. Kim, welcome to the show!

Inflammatory Breast Cancer is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer that can often be mistaken for an infection or rash. Today’s guest went to the doctors thinking that she was simply having an allergic reaction. Luckily, her medical team was well versed in IBC and knew that what they were looking at was far more serious than a rash. Here today to share her story of living with Metastatic Inflammatory Breast Cancer and how she is fighting cancer every single day in order to live out her hopes, dreams and plans is Beth Porreca. Beth, welcome to the show!

ust as everyone’s individual breast cancer diagnosis is different, everyone’s life circumstances when they are diagnosed is also different. The emotional support of family, friends and others can be important to help you as you go through diagnosis, treatment and recovery. You might also have to lean on others to help with childcare or to help with daily chores. Costs related to breast cancer can also quickly become a financial burden. Even if you have insurance and your co-payment for a single bill is low, these costs can add up if you get may bills from just one procedure from multiple departments included in your treatments. It’s OK to ask for help and there are many resources available for people with breast cancer. Today’s guest is Shareka Allen. Shareka is a young, independent mother who advocated for herself when she knew that something just wasn’t quite right and had to learn to ask for help along the way. She’s here today to tell her story. Shareka, welcome to the show!

Fast-growing breast cancers can seem to come out of nowhere. That’s what it was like for today’s guest, Selena Smith-Albino [pronounced al-BEAN-oh], when she felt a lump in her left breast six months after getting a clean bill of health following a mammogram. The diagnosis of stage 3 invasive ductal carcinoma led to her decision to undergo genetic testing. Her test results would have repercussions for her entire family. Selena joins us today to share what she’s learned through her experiences that can help other women. Selena, thank you for being our guest!

After completing breast cancer treatment, many women want to leave the experience far behind them and not think about it again. That’s perfectly understandable. Others find that the experience changes their thinking about what they want to do with their life. Our guest today is one of those people. After two cancer diagnoses, she decided to devote her career to helping women navigate the challenges of breast cancer. She is a Community Programs Manager for Stand for H.E.R.—a Health Equity Revolution, a focused initiative to decrease breast cancer disparities in the Black community by 25 percent, beginning in the U.S. metropolitan areas where inequities are greatest. Joining us to walk us through her journey and talk about her work with Stand for H.E.R. is Kamesha Miles. Kamesha, welcome!

A range of factors can contribute to the development of breast cancer, a fact that Dr. Lauren McCullough, an Atlanta-based breast cancer epidemiologist, knows all too well. She studies a wide-range of contributing factors – from race and ethnicity, to genetics and other biomarkers. Black women are still diagnosed at later stages, with more aggressive tumors and are less likely to survive. But advances in research are leading to improvements in breast cancer care for Black women, and for all women. Here to tell us about her research and the advances we might see in the future is Dr. Lauren McCullough. Thank you for joining us; we’re so pleased to have you with us today!

Women don’t necessarily have to accept the first breast cancer diagnosis we receive; we can seek a second medical opinion. That’s what our next guest, Se’Nita Harris, did. And it proved to be a smart move. It turns out that her diagnosis of metaplastic breast cancer was inaccurate. She actually had triple negative breast cancer, which called for a different treatment. Se’Nita is here today to talk about the importance of women advocating for themselves. Thank you for joining us!

As with any major illness, breast cancer can have effects beyond the person that is diagnosed. When it happens family members and loved ones may feel many of the same emotions as the person with the diagnosis although they can never completely understand what it is like unless they have been there, and even then each diagnosis is almost like a snowflake – no two are exactly alike. Since the overall median age at diagnosis for women in the U.S. is 63, it is often a child dealing with the illness of their parent and not the other way around. Today we are lucky to be joined by a mother-daughter duo who are here to share their story of support from a perspective that we haven’t explored much on this show. In 2019, Adrienne Legault was diagnosed with breast cancer at the young age of 27 and her mom Debbie stepped into the role of caregiver. Here to share how they have navigated the myriad of emotions that the past few years has brought to their family are Debbie and Adrienne. Welcome to the show!

Screening tests are used to find breast cancer before it causes any warning signs or symptoms, when chances for survival are highest. Because of this commitment to screening, her own breast cancer was caught early. Here today to share her story with us and how her family has helped her through is Terri James. Terri, welcome to the show!

Every cell in your body has genes that contain the blueprints, or genetic code, for your body. Cancer develops when changes – or mutations — in some of these genes cause the cells to grow uncontrollably and take on new characteristics. Tumor profiling, also called molecular profiling or genomic testing, gives information about the specific changes in the genes of cancer cells.

Today we are joined by Dr. Christy Russell, Vice President of US Medical Affairs at Exact Sciences, who will talk with us about tumor profiling in breast cancer. Welcome to the show, Christy!