August 31, 2025 • 13 mins
Original Air Date: August 31, 2025
September 7th will be the 35th year for the Susan Komen breast cancer run/walk in Central Park. Lina Aguilon is the Development Director of Komen NYC. She says Komen’s fundraising over the years has led to huge developments in the fight against breast cancer, including genetic testing and targeted treatments for stage 4 breast cancer.
September 7th will be the 35th year for the Susan Komen breast cancer run/walk in Central Park. Lina Aguilon is the Development Director of Komen NYC. She says Komen’s fundraising over the years has led to huge developments in the fight against breast cancer, including genetic testing and targeted treatments for stage 4 breast cancer.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Sunstein Sessions on iHeartRadio, Conversations about issues that matter.
Here's your host, three time Grasie Award winner, Shelley Sunstein.
I would like to introduce you to Lena Aguilon. She
is Coleman's development director here in New York City. Coleman,
we of course know the Susan g Coman organization, which
(00:25):
is known for the Race for the Cure and the
cure of breast cancer. That is, and I don't know
if you're aware, Lena, but I am a survivor. This
coming Zeptember, I will be well. Now. We're days away
(00:45):
from me being six years cancer free. So in large part,
you know, I thank organizations like Susan g Coman because
we've come so far in terms of fighting breast cancer.
It's simply amazing how far we've come. And I can't
(01:06):
believe this is what the thirty fifth Race for the Cure.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yes, Hi, Shelle, good morning, Good morning me here. That
is great news. Congratulations on your six year anniversary. Looks
like you're doing well, and yeah, this is our thirty
fifth Race for the Cure in New York City.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Really excited to be hosting our events soon.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So tell me some of the things that we can
thank the Susan G. Coman Organization for because you know,
this race, the run Walk for the Cure, it's not
just an opportunity to get people together who have survived
or are fighting breast cancer, or friends and families of
(01:51):
but raising money to continue the phenomenal research that has
brought us so far along.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, I mean, Coman has been pivotal in the work
in the breast cancer space over the last forty years now,
I mean just in New York City, we have invested
in nearly fifty million in research over the last thirty
five years, and that has helped us, you know, creating therapies,
improve outcome for those living with breast cancer and improving
(02:23):
the quality of life for those after treatment. I mean,
one of the things that we take great pride in
is in our whole history there we have been a
part of the nineteen FDA approved drugs on the market
that are part of the treatments available. Apart from that,
we have been pioneers and have funded the research that
(02:45):
has led to genetic testing.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
We take for granted now.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
That we can go into the doctor and simple blood
tests that will determine if we have a predisposition for
genetic forms of breast cancer. And that was something that
Comann helped push forward. So we're incredibly.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah. Actually that was one of the first tests that
I took. I went to Mount Sinai for my treatment
and that was one of the first tests to see
if I had a genetic marker. Now that didn't mean
so much to me, It meant a lot for my
(03:27):
kids because I wanted to make sure that my you know,
that my daughter wouldn't have a genetic predisibi, you know,
that she could get my breast cancer or I was
told because I was negative with that. I was also
told that if I was predisposed genetically, that my son
(03:48):
was predisposed to prostate cancer, again, which was something I
didn't know. Thank goodness, you know that was not me
and that is not my family. But again that's thanks
to Susan G. Coleman that we have that cannot that
kind of test. And also I saw that your organization
(04:09):
is directly responsible for new treatments that have been developed
for stage four breast cancer. Stage four breast cancer is
not a death sentence. You can survive with stage four cancer.
I think when people here stage four, it has taken
on a whole new meaning in recent years.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, So Coman has actually funded research that has helped
us identify whether some patients can actually skip chemotherapy and
avoid the chemotherapy side effects that are involved with no
risk to their overall outcome for you know, folks with
stage four breast cancer, which is incredible and this was
funded at will turn out by Coman.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
What new sort of research is on the horizon that
we can look forward to. What are you working on now?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, I mean there's just so much I know, a
memorials Loan Cuttering.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
They are work is working.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
On two more markers and blood samples that can determine
if a blood excuse me, that can determine if a
specific drug will work for patients. All these targeted therapies
are making a huge difference in how we attack breast
cancer because there are so many types. It just helps
us find the treatment that will be that the body
(05:27):
will respond to in a greater fashion than other treatments.
So been working on that in New York alone. We've
invested over a million dollars in the last year for
research here in New York, So we're doing tons of
things we continue to push forth, you know, finding that
cure for all breast cancers.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Tell us about the event that's coming up a week
from Sunday, the thirty fifth Race for the Cure. Where
is it? How can people sign up?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So on Sunday, September seventh, we are going to Flood
Central Park and Pink. We meet at the non Burg Banshell.
That's where our main events that takes place. Our event
opens at eight am. Folks can come in, register, look around,
chat with our sponsors, engage with the entire community that
(06:18):
comes out. The program begins at nine to fifteen in
the morning and our walkers and runners take off at
nine point thirty.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
It is called a Race for.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
The Cure, but I promise you that ninety five percent
of our participants do walk. You can choose to do
one loop or two loops and do a full five k.
If you do the one loop, it's one point seventy
five miles. You can register forthy event at Coleman dot org,
Forward Slash Greater and yc Race.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
We welcome everyone.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
We welcome mothers, we welcome the men, We welcome the
kiddos and even the as long as they're on a leash.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
But I don't think the cats would enjoy being leashed.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
I don't think so, maybe a little backpack for them.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So I'm talking with Lena Agilon. She is Coleman's development
director here in New York City and the thirty fifth
race for the Cure is coming up exactly a week
from today. Lena, how did you get involved with Coleman?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah, so I actually have a personal connection. I am
one of my cousins. His wife was diagnosed with breast
cancer when she was pregnant with her twins, and unfortunately
it was a very aggressive cancer and she passed two
weeks after their second birthday. So this cause and cancer
causes in general, are it speaks to me? So I
(07:43):
believe in paying it forward and I landed at Coman
and it's been very rewarding.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Is it true that if you are diagnosed at a
young age that you're more likely to have an aggressive form?
See I did not have any rest of form, and
and you know I was not diagnosed at a young age.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
You know, I think it varies, and there's there's not
a writer wrong answer to that. I think it just
it runs the gamut of what you can get get
I've seen younger women with like a triple negative, which
is very aggressive, and I've seen younger women, you know,
diagnosed with a stage zero, which is one of the
most treatable curable cancer.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
So it just kind of runs the gamut.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
We are seeing younger women being diagnosed at higher rates
than we were in prior years. So it's just something
to keep in mind. You know, know what's normal, know
your family history. So if you do have that predisposition
or it runs in your family, just be a little
bit more aware that you need to be screened earlier.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
And it's something you should speak to your physician about.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
You know, something just dawned on me because you know,
I wouldn't have had that test except that I was
diagnosed with breast cancer. Do you think there may come
a day that all women are given that test before
they get a breast cancer diagnosis, in other words, that
(09:11):
that becomes a routine test. Or can that not happen
because of the expense. What are your thoughts?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
So, I think just a personal opinion, I think insurance
does play a big part, but I do think people
will are going to be more likely to be screened
for genetic mutations that will lead to all types of cancers.
I think that's a conversation when you have your physician
(09:40):
about family history, and that is what will trigger that
genetic testing, to be quite honest, and then depending on insurance,
they may or may not be covered. But as long
as you are knowledgeable about what's in your family and
if there are certain cancers that are prevalent to your physician,
I do think genetic testing will be something that's offered
(10:02):
more widely.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
One of the guidelines now for your first mammogram, what
age should women get their first mammogram?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
So insurance will start covering at forty but in New
York State, and I asked that you double check with
Deer ensure you can get baseline testing. Between the ages
of thirty five and thirty nine. You are allowed to
be covered for one mamogram. And that baseline testing is
just that imaging that doctors can then compare to down
(10:31):
the line if it is benign that there's nothing showing.
It's something that they can keep comparing two in years
to come, which is really important.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
I have dense bress, something I wouldn't have known had
I not had my first mammogram, and I don't think
women know if they have dense breast tissue, but sometimes
that makes the breast cancer harder to detect. Eye I
have to have a backup sonogram after I have a
(11:03):
mammogram each time. How is a woman supposed to know
if she has dense breast tissue.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Yeah, so they actually pass legislation that now after a mammogram,
if a woman has dense breast, she is supposed to
be notified about the fact that she has dense breast.
And dense breass show up as white, which is similar
on a mammogram, similar to what cancer would show up as.
(11:30):
So that is why they ask for additional screening, and
that's the ultrasound, and that sometimes is not covered by insurance.
So women wants to get the notification that they have
dense breast, then it is up to them to consult
with their physician to see if they need further testing,
and then with their insurance to see they will be covered.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
But again, you're not going to get that first notification
until you have your first mammogram.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
And with the age being forty, it's likely that women
that are younger that have breast cancer will go undetective
for a while unless they're looking for signs. And it's
not just feeling for a lump, it's knowing what your
normal is and then seeing that something has changed.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So what do you mean by that? What do you mean?
What changes should we look for?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Yeah, so you should look for your nipples and birting.
Is the skin puckering, is it red? Is it inflamed?
Is it itching? Is there discharge from the nipples? Something
that just looks off. You should totally advocate for yourself
and speak to your physician about the changes in your body.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Okay, thank you so much, Lena Aguilon, Coleman's development director
here in New York City. You still have time to
sign up for the thirty fifth Race for the Cure
coming up a week from Sunday in Central Park, gathering
in the morning, and you don't have to run. Most
people will be walking. And it's such a great cause,
(12:59):
as I know personally, and I'm sure everybody who's listening
knows somebody who had breast cancer, because now it's one
in seven or one in eight in a lifetime. Who
Welcome to Sunstein Sessions on iHeartRadio, Conversations about issues that matter.
Here's your host, three time Grasie Award winner, Shelley Sunstein.
I would like to introduce you to Lena Aguilon. She
is Coleman's development director here in New York City. Coleman,
we of course know the Susan g Coman organization, which
(00:25):
is known for the Race for the Cure and the
cure of breast cancer. That is, and I don't know
if you're aware, Lena, but I am a survivor. This
coming Zeptember, I will be well. Now. We're days away
(00:45):
from me being six years cancer free. So in large part,
you know, I thank organizations like Susan g Coman because
we've come so far in terms of fighting breast cancer.
It's simply amazing how far we've come. And I can't
(01:06):
believe this is what the thirty fifth Race for the Cure.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yes, Hi, Shelle, good morning, Good morning me here. That
is great news. Congratulations on your six year anniversary. Looks
like you're doing well, and yeah, this is our thirty
fifth Race for the Cure in New York City.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Really excited to be hosting our events soon.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So tell me some of the things that we can
thank the Susan G. Coman Organization for because you know,
this race, the run Walk for the Cure, it's not
just an opportunity to get people together who have survived
or are fighting breast cancer, or friends and families of
(01:51):
but raising money to continue the phenomenal research that has
brought us so far along.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yeah, I mean, Coman has been pivotal in the work
in the breast cancer space over the last forty years now,
I mean just in New York City, we have invested
in nearly fifty million in research over the last thirty
five years, and that has helped us, you know, creating therapies,
improve outcome for those living with breast cancer and improving
(02:23):
the quality of life for those after treatment. I mean,
one of the things that we take great pride in
is in our whole history there we have been a
part of the nineteen FDA approved drugs on the market
that are part of the treatments available. Apart from that,
we have been pioneers and have funded the research that
(02:45):
has led to genetic testing.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
We take for granted now.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
That we can go into the doctor and simple blood
tests that will determine if we have a predisposition for
genetic forms of breast cancer. And that was something that
Comann helped push forward. So we're incredibly.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Yeah. Actually that was one of the first tests that
I took. I went to Mount Sinai for my treatment
and that was one of the first tests to see
if I had a genetic marker. Now that didn't mean
so much to me, It meant a lot for my
(03:27):
kids because I wanted to make sure that my you know,
that my daughter wouldn't have a genetic predisibi, you know,
that she could get my breast cancer or I was
told because I was negative with that. I was also
told that if I was predisposed genetically, that my son
(03:48):
was predisposed to prostate cancer, again, which was something I
didn't know. Thank goodness, you know that was not me
and that is not my family. But again that's thanks
to Susan G. Coleman that we have that cannot that
kind of test. And also I saw that your organization
(04:09):
is directly responsible for new treatments that have been developed
for stage four breast cancer. Stage four breast cancer is
not a death sentence. You can survive with stage four cancer.
I think when people here stage four, it has taken
on a whole new meaning in recent years.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, So Coman has actually funded research that has helped
us identify whether some patients can actually skip chemotherapy and
avoid the chemotherapy side effects that are involved with no
risk to their overall outcome for you know, folks with
stage four breast cancer, which is incredible and this was
funded at will turn out by Coman.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
What new sort of research is on the horizon that
we can look forward to. What are you working on now?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, I mean there's just so much I know, a
memorials Loan Cuttering.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
They are work is working.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
On two more markers and blood samples that can determine
if a blood excuse me, that can determine if a
specific drug will work for patients. All these targeted therapies
are making a huge difference in how we attack breast
cancer because there are so many types. It just helps
us find the treatment that will be that the body
(05:27):
will respond to in a greater fashion than other treatments.
So been working on that in New York alone. We've
invested over a million dollars in the last year for
research here in New York, So we're doing tons of
things we continue to push forth, you know, finding that
cure for all breast cancers.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Tell us about the event that's coming up a week
from Sunday, the thirty fifth Race for the Cure. Where
is it? How can people sign up?
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:57):
So on Sunday, September seventh, we are going to Flood
Central Park and Pink. We meet at the non Burg Banshell.
That's where our main events that takes place. Our event
opens at eight am. Folks can come in, register, look around,
chat with our sponsors, engage with the entire community that
(06:18):
comes out. The program begins at nine to fifteen in
the morning and our walkers and runners take off at
nine point thirty.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
It is called a Race for.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
The Cure, but I promise you that ninety five percent
of our participants do walk. You can choose to do
one loop or two loops and do a full five k.
If you do the one loop, it's one point seventy
five miles. You can register forthy event at Coleman dot org,
Forward Slash Greater and yc Race.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
We welcome everyone.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
We welcome mothers, we welcome the men, We welcome the
kiddos and even the as long as they're on a leash.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
But I don't think the cats would enjoy being leashed.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
I don't think so, maybe a little backpack for them.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
So I'm talking with Lena Agilon. She is Coleman's development
director here in New York City and the thirty fifth
race for the Cure is coming up exactly a week
from today. Lena, how did you get involved with Coleman?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yeah, so I actually have a personal connection. I am
one of my cousins. His wife was diagnosed with breast
cancer when she was pregnant with her twins, and unfortunately
it was a very aggressive cancer and she passed two
weeks after their second birthday. So this cause and cancer
causes in general, are it speaks to me? So I
(07:43):
believe in paying it forward and I landed at Coman
and it's been very rewarding.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Is it true that if you are diagnosed at a
young age that you're more likely to have an aggressive form?
See I did not have any rest of form, and
and you know I was not diagnosed at a young age.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
You know, I think it varies, and there's there's not
a writer wrong answer to that. I think it just
it runs the gamut of what you can get get
I've seen younger women with like a triple negative, which
is very aggressive, and I've seen younger women, you know,
diagnosed with a stage zero, which is one of the
most treatable curable cancer.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
So it just kind of runs the gamut.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
We are seeing younger women being diagnosed at higher rates
than we were in prior years. So it's just something
to keep in mind. You know, know what's normal, know
your family history. So if you do have that predisposition
or it runs in your family, just be a little
bit more aware that you need to be screened earlier.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
And it's something you should speak to your physician about.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
You know, something just dawned on me because you know,
I wouldn't have had that test except that I was
diagnosed with breast cancer. Do you think there may come
a day that all women are given that test before
they get a breast cancer diagnosis, in other words, that
(09:11):
that becomes a routine test. Or can that not happen
because of the expense. What are your thoughts?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
So, I think just a personal opinion, I think insurance
does play a big part, but I do think people
will are going to be more likely to be screened
for genetic mutations that will lead to all types of cancers.
I think that's a conversation when you have your physician
(09:40):
about family history, and that is what will trigger that
genetic testing, to be quite honest, and then depending on insurance,
they may or may not be covered. But as long
as you are knowledgeable about what's in your family and
if there are certain cancers that are prevalent to your physician,
I do think genetic testing will be something that's offered
(10:02):
more widely.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
One of the guidelines now for your first mammogram, what
age should women get their first mammogram?
Speaker 2 (10:10):
So insurance will start covering at forty but in New
York State, and I asked that you double check with
Deer ensure you can get baseline testing. Between the ages
of thirty five and thirty nine. You are allowed to
be covered for one mamogram. And that baseline testing is
just that imaging that doctors can then compare to down
(10:31):
the line if it is benign that there's nothing showing.
It's something that they can keep comparing two in years
to come, which is really important.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
I have dense bress, something I wouldn't have known had
I not had my first mammogram, and I don't think
women know if they have dense breast tissue, but sometimes
that makes the breast cancer harder to detect. Eye I
have to have a backup sonogram after I have a
(11:03):
mammogram each time. How is a woman supposed to know
if she has dense breast tissue.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Yeah, so they actually pass legislation that now after a mammogram,
if a woman has dense breast, she is supposed to
be notified about the fact that she has dense breast.
And dense breass show up as white, which is similar
on a mammogram, similar to what cancer would show up as.
(11:30):
So that is why they ask for additional screening, and
that's the ultrasound, and that sometimes is not covered by insurance.
So women wants to get the notification that they have
dense breast, then it is up to them to consult
with their physician to see if they need further testing,
and then with their insurance to see they will be covered.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
But again, you're not going to get that first notification
until you have your first mammogram.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Yes, exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
And with the age being forty, it's likely that women
that are younger that have breast cancer will go undetective
for a while unless they're looking for signs. And it's
not just feeling for a lump, it's knowing what your
normal is and then seeing that something has changed.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So what do you mean by that? What do you mean?
What changes should we look for?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Yeah, so you should look for your nipples and birting.
Is the skin puckering, is it red? Is it inflamed?
Is it itching? Is there discharge from the nipples? Something
that just looks off. You should totally advocate for yourself
and speak to your physician about the changes in your body.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Okay, thank you so much, Lena Aguilon, Coleman's development director
here in New York City. You still have time to
sign up for the thirty fifth Race for the Cure
coming up a week from Sunday in Central Park, gathering
in the morning, and you don't have to run. Most
people will be walking. And it's such a great cause,
(12:59):
as I know personally, and I'm sure everybody who's listening
knows somebody who had breast cancer, because now it's one
in seven or one in eight in a lifetime. Who
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