Real Pink Podcast Episodes

1 in 5 women who have had breast cancer surgery and treatment are at risk for developing a potentially detrimental side effect of breast cancer – breast cancer related lymphedema— a condition in which lymphatic fluid gets trapped in lymph vessels and causes chronic arm swelling leading to reduced quality of life for many. We are thrilled to be joined today by two guests to help educate us on this topic: Dr. Steven Chen, a practicing surgeon, Chief Medical Officer at Impedimed, and past president of American Society of Breast Surgeons and Kathy Lahr, a patient advocate who will be sharing her personal experience with breast cancer related lymphedema.

Starting treatment for breast cancer can be overwhelming and confusing and you might feel scared or alone. Often, hearing from people who have been diagnosed themselves can help provide a sense of safety and support. Amanda Butler was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer at the age of 32, while living a life dedicated to health and fitness as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor and on-camera trainer for large platforms like Amazon and POPSUGAR. Since her diagnosis, Amanda has been sharing details of her cancer journey online to help inspire, support and provide resources to others who are also going through cancer. She’s joining us today share some of her wisdom and tangible advice on things that have helped her get through treatment.

Tune into the latest episode of Real Pink to hear Anna Horvat do some myth busting around breast cancer risk to shed light on factors that ARE and ARE NOT scientifically proven to increase you breast cancer risk so you can feel empowered to make important breast care decisions and take charge of your health.

Sometimes on our show, we hear stories of women who make career changes after they receive a breast cancer diagnosis, some of them finding that they want to chase passions, give back to others, or perhaps simply realign their priorities. It is less often, however, that we are joined by women who have devoted their entire careers to the field of breast cancer and then suddenly find themselves as the patient. We are lucky enough to be joined today by Tammy Handley, National Senior Manager of Clinical Operations for Women’s Health at FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation, and breast cancer survivor, to hear her story and what it is like when your career passion turns personal.

In today’s episode, we’ll hear from two women whose lives have been changed by breast cancer, and the ways they are soaring to new heights as Black women.

Donna Dennis is a former track and field star and known as one of the greatest female sprinters in the nation. She qualified as an alternate for the 1984 Olympics in the 200. Donna was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 at the age of 53. Donna didn’t know Black women could get breast cancer because she didn’t know anyone who had it and she never saw women who looked like her at the cancer center where she was getting chemotherapy.

Donna’s diagnosis has inspired her to speak to young, Black female athletes and educate them on their health. As an athlete, her body was always different, and she didn’t know much about her breast health.

Nia Gilliam is a pilot for United Airlines and ambassador for Black women in flying. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2022 and opted for a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. Both expanders in her breasts leaked and caused infections, which meant additional surgeries for Nia. She was able to have new tissue expanders added and completed reconstruction surgery in November of 2023. But due to all the complications and a traumatic recovery, she has not yet returned to the air.

Nia is an avid advocate for Black women in aviation and started a nonprofit to encourage more young, Black women to pursue careers in flying.

Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age, at later stages and with more aggressive types of breast cancer than white women. This underscores the importance of learning about your personal risk of breast cancer. Dr. Kameelah Phillips joins us today to share her insights on the value of understanding breast cancer risk in the Black community, how to advocate for yourself as a younger patient and how lifestyle changes can contribute to lowering your risk of breast cancer.

This episode of “Real Pink” presents an intimate and powerful conversation with Lauren Velarde, whose life was deeply affected by breast cancer. Lauren, shares her compelling story, from the early diagnosis at the age of 26, following a BRCA gene test, to her courageous decision to undergo a bilateral mastectomy. The episode delves into the…

[00:00:00] Adam Walker: From Susan G Komen, this is Real Pink. A podcast exploring real stories, struggles, and triumphs related to breast cancer. We’re taking the conversation from the doctor’s office to your living room. This is Real Talk, a podcast conversation where we’re digging deep into breast cancer and the realities patients and survivors…

Once breast cancer treatment ends, you can hardly wait to get back to normal life again. But your body may not respond as fast as you expect it to, your relationships may feel different, and you soon learn that you will need to adjust to a whole new normal in your life. Things don’t necessarily go back to the way they were before. These realizations can all be challenging from an emotional and mental perspective and may take some time to accept. Lauren Tarpley is here today to discuss the reality of what survivorship can really look like after treatment and how she was able to move past the disappointment of trying to get her old self back and to create a plan for her future.

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. In today’s episode, we’ll hear from two women who were diagnosed with breast cancer during the holiday season. Shannon Schumacher was diagnosed on December 6, 2022 and had surgery the week after Christmas. She was hospitalized on New Year’s Eve with a collapsed lung. Shannon’s mom is a six-time breast cancer survivor and her grandmother passed away from metastatic breast cancer before Shannon was born. Shannon’s stepdad is living with Stage IV bladder cancer and her brother is currently fighting lymphoma. Patricia Fox found a lump in her breast just days before Thanksgiving in 2013. She had a needle biopsy the day after Thanksgiving and received her breast cancer diagnosis on December 5th that year. Their holidays were far from what they were expecting. They managed their diagnosis and had conversations with health care providers and family members about their treatment plan. It wasn’t exactly the “Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”