Real Pink

Metastatic breast cancer, also called Stage IV, is when breast cancer has spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and scared when you’re living with metastatic breast cancer. But you’re not alone. Thousands of people in the U.S. and around the world are living with metastatic breast cancer, and Susan G. Komen® offers many support resources to help you through its Patient Care Center, where patient navigators are available to help provide you with information about metastatic breast cancer, information about clinical trials, access to resources, emotional support and more. Joining us today is Toni Lee, Senior Manager of Patient Navigation. Toni is also a breast cancer survivor herself, so this work is very personal for her. Toni will help us understand how Komen’s Patient Care Center supports those currently living with metastatic breast cancer and their caregivers.

Sergio Andres Mendoza lost the love of his life, Sarah Fernandez Mendoza, to metastatic breast cancer in 2017. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to honor Sarah’s legacy while raising their two young children, giving back to Komen in multiple ways and providing inspiration for other breast cancer caregivers who are going through what he experienced. Sergio is here today to talk about caregiver support and how he supports Komen’s mission to end breast cancer.

When active treatment ends and the last appointment is over, you are feeling many emotions. Normal is nowhere on the list. This is a point upon which most everyone can agree – there has been a great deal written about the harsh reality patients face when treatment ends, and even that word – patient. You really are no longer a patient, and that in and of itself requires a mindset shift. For all these weeks and months of treatment, a patient is all you have been. And now you’re back to your Before Life. But nothing feels like Before. Today’s guest felt ill prepared for the abrupt end of treatment and the challenge of jumping back into the rhythm of what her life looked like before breast cancer. She thought about what she wanted her survivorship to look like and found a way to take something painful and turn into something purposeful. Rebecca Walden is here to share her story with us and how she now writes about her experience to help, inspire and heal others.

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.   

Ashley Fernandez and Brenda Nelson are also living with metastatic breast cancer, the most advanced stage of breast cancer that cannot be cured. They’ve both felt that making friends in a new community has been hard, as they didn’t want to overshare about their lives but also wanted to be genuine and form new friendships.

Continuously increasing treatment costs for patients with metastatic breast cancer can create financial hardship, which is known as financial toxicity. According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 50% of women delay or avoid breast cancer care because of the associated costs. Financial toxicity can lead to difficulty accessing nutritious food and paying bills, as well as keeping up with the cost of basic living expenses. There can be many other hidden costs that add up quickly, including the cost of childcare during medical appointments and gasoline for trips to the doctor. All these stressors negatively impact cancer care by affecting a patient’s health, medication adherence, quality of life and mental health. Here today to talk to us about these unexpected costs associated with an MBC Diagnosis are Komen Scholar and Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Director of the Breast Cancer Program of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Dawn Hershman, and an incredible woman who has been living with MBC for 18 years, Deborah Croskrey.

Widespread access to preventive screening mammography, without cost sharing, is available to millions of women as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Unfortunately, some individuals at a higher risk of breast cancer or those requiring follow-up imaging due to an abnormal mammogram result face hundreds to thousands of dollars in patient cost sharing. Susan G. Komen is committed to championing legislation that addresses this disparity in health insurance coverage to ensure all cancer patients have fair and equitable access to breast imaging that may save their lives. Here today to discuss Komen’s public policy efforts at the state level are California State Senator Anthony Portantino and Rebecca Birch, Komen’s Director of State Policy & Advocacy.

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.    

Today’s episode is part of a collaboration between Susan G. Komen and Young Survival Coalition on the ways breast cancer treatment affects a woman’s connection with her body. Depending on the treatment she needs, a woman can struggle physically with the way she looks and feels sexually due to hormonal and emotional changes. These are shared experiences across ages and races. Today, I’m excited to welcome Dr. Kristin Rojas, Shanae Ollison and Kyneitres Good to talk about the intimate changes women experience from their breast cancer treatment and getting comfortable with a different version of themselves.

Dr. Rojas is a breast surgical oncologist and a national leader in treating sexual dysfunction in women receiving cancer treatment. She even identifies herself on Instagram as a #sexaftercancer expert. I love that. We’re honored to have you with us today.

And welcome Kyneitres and Shanae. Shanae was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer last year at age 34. She became involved with Young Survival Coalition during her search for a supportive group of women who could relate to what she was going through. And Kyneitres, I know you’ve had trouble feeling feminine and sexy following your treatment and work hard at reconnecting with yourself.

Dr. Rojas, I’m going to ask you to start this conversation around Getting Sexy Back by explaining some of the changes women experience during their treatment that causes sexual dysfunction and how they feel about being intimate.

When someone has breast cancer it’s scary for them – and for you! What can you do to really help? What should you say? Friends and family often have good intentions but simply don’t know what to do. Today’s guest found herself being supported by an army of people immediately following her diagnosis, but not in a way that she found particularly helpful. After a friend asked her point blank what it was that she did want, she poured onto paper what and her family really needed from people and the response was powerful. Here today to tell us about this list and how she got to a place of not only being able to accept help, but being able to give loving direction that helped serve her family the most is Julie Hogan.

A breast cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Knowing which questions to ask can help you understand your diagnosis and advocate for yourself as you begin to assemble your healthcare team and develop your treatment plan with your doctors. Finding the right providers is perhaps one of the most important decisions a patient will make post diagnosis, as it is critical to find a doctor you are comfortable with and who is well suited to treat your cancer. Sometimes, barriers exist related to finding a provider, for example if insurance won’t cover certain providers or health systems. Joining us today on Real Pink is Miranda Zinn, a breast care helpline specialist who is going to share how Komen helps patients overcome some of the issues they experience, both through our navigation efforts, as well as our policy efforts.

A metastatic breast cancer diagnosis is difficult. You’re processing a lot of information and dealing with many emotions. You may feel overwhelmed and scared, but you are not alone. Today’s guest was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma 6 months after her mammogram came back clear. Before she could begin treatment, she learned her cancer had metastasized to her abdominal lining. It has been quite a road for Mary Randall over the past 2 years since her diagnosis and she is here today to share her tips for staying positive and adjusting to a new kind of normal in order to thrive.