Real Talk About Breast Cancer

Real struggles.
Real help.
Real courage.

Real Pink is taking real conversations about breast cancer from the doctor's office to the living room. Hosted by Adam Walker, episodes feature candid conversations with survivors, researchers, physicians, and more. Find answers to your toughest questions and clear, actionable steps to live a better life, longer. At Real Pink, compassionate storytelling meets real inspiration, and real support.

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Breast Cancer Resources

Find the information you need.

Risk Factors

Understand the factors that may affect your risk of getting breast cancer.

Screening & Detection

Screening tests are used to find breast cancer before warning signs or symptoms.

Diagnosis

Learn about the process of diagnosis, follow-ups, and factors that affect prognosis and treatment.

Treatment

Learn about treatment for early and locally-advanced breast cancers (stages I, II and III).

Financial Assistance

Here you’ll find resources to help with financial concerns.

Tools and Resources

Here you'll find information about our helpline, as well as resources and interactive tools.

Recent Episodes

Family Ties

Breast cancer screening and early detection play an important role in your health. Screening tests can help detect breast cancer at an early stage when the chances of survival are highest. In this episode, we will dive into the importance of screening and how that can help with early detection. As part of this conversation, we will also discuss why genetic counseling and testing is so important, along with the importance of having discussions about family health history, especially in Black families. Joining us for this discussion is Sharon Anderson, who is living with metastatic inflammatory breast cancer.
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Knowing When to Get Screened for Breast Cancer

Dr. Elizabeth Morris, M.D., is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiology at the University of California Davis. She is a clinician and specializes in high-risk breast cancer screening. A pioneer in the field of breast imaging, she is at the cutting edge of research using advanced screening techniques like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) in conjunction with artificial intelligence to identify people at higher risk for breast cancer earlier, so they can receive more screening and catch breast cancer earlier. Her Komen work combines screening images, patient health information, genomics, and uses artificial intelligence to predict individuals at higher risk for breast cancer, in hopes of making a better model to identify those who would benefit from earlier or more frequent breast cancer screening. Dr. Morris is here today to talk to us about her passion for early detection and to help us understand when we should be getting screened for breast cancer.
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Recipes for Joyous Living

Finding and seeing joy in life can be a challenge. When you have been diagnosed with cancer four times and lost numerous family members to the disease, it can be even more of a challenge. However, Sulie Spencer has found ways to be victorious in body, mind and spirit and shines her light on every path she crosses. She is a great example of what faith in God, prayer and early detection can do. As a 46-year survivor, she is here today on our podcast alongside her daughter, Julie Washington, to share their family’s story, how to find joy in life despite life’s ups and downs, and how Julie was able to capture her mother’s spirit and passion for cooking in a book called Recipes for Joyous Living: A Story of Inspiration.
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Fighting while Expecting

In this episode of the Susan G. Komen "Real Talk" podcast series, Alison LoCoco and Kate Ratajczak share their personal journeys of being diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant. As guests on the show, they candidly discuss the challenges they faced during this difficult time and offer insight into how they navigated the complex and emotional decisions that came with their diagnoses. Hear firsthand how these two women balanced pregnancy and breast cancer treatment, while also taking care of themselves and their families. With this episode, the series aims to provide a platform for honest and raw conversations about breast cancer, with a focus on underrepresented experiences such as pregnancy and motherhood. Tune in to gain valuable insight and a new perspective on breast cancer, from two brave women who have been there.
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Reframing the Discussion for Surgical Options After Breast Cancer

After undergoing a mastectomy, women can either proceed with a reconstruction or “go flat”, but today’s guest says that the correct decision is what’s best for the patient. As an oncoplastic breast surgeon at City of Hope Chicago, Dr. Carolyn Bhakta performs surgical procedures for patients with breast malignancies, ranging from the earliest to advanced stages of disease. Dr. Bhakta works closely with her patients to understand their cancer needs and goals to identify the most appropriate surgical options and to heal her patients both physically and emotionally. When it comes to breast cancer surgery, there are no wrong decisions – only personal decisions.
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Connecting Black Cancer Patients to Financial Coverage

In an effort to drive systemic change, Komen partnered with ASCO and a group of health care institutions to develop and test interventions that address breast health inequities in the Black community. Here’s a peek into a success story at Parkland Hospital & Health System in Dallas, where the intervention helped connect Black cancer patients to financial coverage and ultimately improved their access to care. We are excited to speak to Maripat Hodges, Cancer Program Manager at Parkland Hospital, to learn more about this success story.
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Survivorship as a Black Woman

Survivorship as a Black Woman

As part of our Stand for H.E.R. series, we talk about how the breast cancer experience impacts the Black community. In this episode, we are taking a deep dive into Kay Shaw’s experience as a breast cancer survivor and the challenges women – and especially Black women – may continue to face post treatment. Welcome to the show, Kay!

Real Talk: Early Menopause Due To Breast Cancer

Real Talk: Early Menopause Due To Breast Cancer

Today I’m joined by two survivors who experienced menopause at an early age due to breast cancer and treatment. At the time of their diagnoses, Deb Song and Elvira Velez could have carried children. The treatment for their cancer, and subsequent hysterectomies, however, changed their lives forever.

The Importance of Screening for Early Detection

The Importance of Screening for Early Detection

Breast cancer screening and early detection play an important role in your health. Screening tests can help detect breast cancer at an early stage when the chances of survival are the highest. Joining us on the show today to talk about the importance of screening, imaging tests for women for dense breasts and the role of innovation and technology in screening is Henry Izawa, President and CEO of FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation.

Taking Charge of My Breast Cancer Risk

Taking Charge of My Breast Cancer Risk

Learning about your breast cancer risk can empower you to make important breast care decisions to take charge of your health. If you are at higher risk of breast cancer, talk with your doctor about a screening plan that’s best for you. You may need to be screened earlier and more often than other women. If genetic test results show that you have an inherited gene mutation, you may also consider risk-lowering options, such as risk-lowering drugs, prophylactic surgeries, or clinical trials. Today’s guest has an extensive family history of both breast and ovarian cancers and tested positive for a BRCA1 mutation at a young age. Here today to tell us her story and how she’s worked with her doctors to create a screening schedule to keep a close eye on things while allowing her to fulfill her life dreams is Amy Hunter.

How Komen’s Racism & Bias Training Breaks Down Barriers

How Komen’s Racism & Bias Training Breaks Down Barriers

Komen’s free, virtual 10-week patient navigation training program provides specific training for patient navigators to ensure they can help Black patients overcome barriers to receiving high-quality care and treatment. The patient navigation training program takes a multifaceted approach to addressing inequities and barriers in the health care system, first and foremost by connecting patients to resources and support at every step of their breast care journey. We are excited to discuss how Komen trains patient navigators to be culturally responsive with Kelley Moultry, Komen’s Patient Navigation and Outreach Coordinator.

Making History: Increasing Representation in Cancer Research

Making History: Increasing Representation in Cancer Research

As we celebrate Black History Month, it is our honor to be joined today by a woman truly making history and one that I know we will be seeing much more from in the future. Dr. Zainab Shonibare, recently graduated from her PhD in 2022, is a reproductive cancer researcher at Yale University and the first Black postdoctoral researcher in her lab. Her story underscores why representation matters and diversity in research is so important, and Dr. Shonibare is here today to share her story and tell us about the focus of her research.

Real Talk: LOVE & Breast Cancer

Real Talk: LOVE & Breast Cancer 

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! But we’re kicking things off a day early with a conversation about LOVE and breast cancer. February 14th it isn’t red roses and champagne toasts for everyone, and today’s conversation about LOVE reminds us of that. Se’Nita Harris was diagnosed with aggressive, triple negative breast cancer at age 37, before she found love. LaToya Bolds-Johnson was diagnosed with stage 3C triple negative breast cancer at age 36. She is married with three young girls and struggling to love the skin she’s in after treatment for her breast cancer. Whether you’re in love or looking to find love breast cancer changes you – physically, emotionally, mentally, sexually. Ladies, thank you for being on today’s show to talk about your own personally struggles to love and be loved.

I’ve Seen the Advancements in Genetic Testing Firsthand

I’ve Seen the Advancements in Genetic Testing Firsthand

Genetic testing gives people the chance to learn if they’re at a higher risk of breast cancer, if their family history of breast cancer, or if their breast cancer is due to an inherited gene mutation. In the past, breast cancer genetic testing only checked for inherited gene mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. However, we’ve seen tremendous advancements and genetic discoveries in recent years, and it’s now common to be tested not only for BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutations, but also for mutations in multiple other high-risk genes. Today’s guest, Laurel Pointer, has felt the impact of these advancements first-hand in her family over the past two decades and is here to share her story with us. Laurel, welcome back to the show!

Breast Cancer - A Family Affair

Breast Cancer – A Family Affair

If you have a history of breast cancer in your family, learning about your risk can empower you to make important breast care decisions to take charge of your health. Today’s guest has a strong history of breast cancer in her family but was still not prepared to find a lump at the young age of 32. Here today to share her breast cancer story, how she learned to self-advocate, and the importance of educating her daughter about her breast cancer risk is Courtney Parker.

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