September 10, 2025 • 30 mins
WASH-FM's Jenni Chase talks with ladies from Susan G. Komen about the latest in the fight against breast cancer, along with the upcoming DMV Tri-State More Than Pink Walk on October 1th at National Harbor. Guests include Komen State Executive Director Adrienne Johnson and Survivor Brenn Chrystal.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, good morning, and thank you for listening to this
iHeartRadio station. I'm washing M's Jenny Chase, and we're going
to talk this morning about breast cancer as we approach
October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I'm joined by Adrian Johnson.
She is the state executive director for Susan G.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Comyen.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Adrian, Hi, good morning, Jenny, and today we also have
breast cancer survivor Brenn with us.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Brinn.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
I'm sure you have just a very impactful story to share,
so thank you as well.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
For being here.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Okay, I know we've all heard the name Comyan. Adrian.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
For those listeners who may not know a whole lot
about Susan G. Comyn, can you share the organization's mission
and talk about your work here in the DMV.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Sure many people now com in the pink running ribbon.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
A lot of people aren't aware of our mission other
than it's all about awareness, which awareness, of course is
crucial for women in particular to be aware about their bodies,
about checking for breast cancer, et cetera.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
But Comen does a lot more than that at a
national level. Our two big priorities our research, breakthrough research,
and helping people in real time.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
So I sort of look at it as the present
and the future. So the future is the breakthrough research.
And to date COMEN has funded one point one billion
that's with a B research throughout the country. That's not
just here, that is national level, and we fund outside
of the federal government. We fund more breast cancer research
(01:24):
than any other organization locally. We have funded over one
hundred and fifty research grants to institutions like Georgetown University,
Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, University of Virginia, and many,
many more. Those researchers have done some fantastic work and
major breakthroughs, and out of the nineteen FDA approved drugs
(01:50):
for breast cancer in the last ten years, Cohen's research
has been a part of every single one of those.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
The other big part of Comen's.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Mission is to help women and men in real time,
meaning our patient care center services, which include things like
direct financial assistance to those who qualified.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
We also have a helpline that's great.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
It's staffed by bilingual trained professionals who anybody can call.
It's not just a breast cancer survivor family member, an
interested person, an educator.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Anybody can call.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
And ask for information resources patient navigation, So someone can
call from anywhere in the country. If you're in Ohio
and you call, you could say I'm in x y
Z City and I've just been diagnosed and I'm overwhelmed
and I don't know what to do and who to
turn to.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
We will help through our large databases find a patient
navigator in your area who then can help walk you
through every single step. We also can help people get
into clinical trials. We will help you.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Talked about men, talked about women. Breast cancer affects so
many families. Do you happen to have a number in
terms of overall impact on American families right now? How
many people have this diagnosis?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
The diagnosis is still the same, unfortunately, one in eight.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
Well about what for women? One in eight women in
the United States we'll get breast cancer.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
The good news is that the.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Mortality rate has gone down dramatically for most ethnic groups,
with the exception of the African American community. Yeah, okay,
which is another focus of Commons research.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
What about the challenges that folks who are living with
breast cancer are facing right now in this day and age.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Can you share some of those with.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Us without getting political.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
The NIH cuts obviously are huge, and not just for
breast cancer or cancer in general, but for breast cancer
it is huge, and so that puts even more pressure
onus on COMEN and Breast Cancer Research Foundation, American Cancer Society,
all breast cancer organizations who have the mission to try
(03:57):
and end breast cancer in a lifetimes, but none of
us can, like have the reach of the NIH. So
there's that, And there's also some bills in Congress that
are due if they pass, will severely cut assistance to
medically underserved women or uninsured women to get screenings and
(04:19):
something Coman's advocacy and public policy team is working very
hard to see that that doesn't happen, because again, now'll.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Just be catastrophic.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
COMEN and other organizations can't absorb that lift.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, well, fingers crossed.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
We see some good things in that area as the
time progresses. Do you have some recent initiatives or programs
you can talk about that you feel are making a
measurable impact here in the DMV.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
The research in general is great, and it's a breakthrough.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
Research doesn't happen quickly, so I know there's a lot
of exciting things on the horizon, certainly with technology an
AI as most of us have read about like fantastic things.
And you know, one of our researchers, not here, but
who we have funded in the past, has developed AI
technology where she'll be able to determine whether a woman's
(05:15):
going to get breast cancer five years before she would
get it.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Stop is Isn't that amazing?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
I know, I mean I read the article Liket three times,
going what.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
That type of technology is going to help other diseases.
I mean, it's amazing. Right.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
If it works for breast cancer screenings, that could work
for other kinds of cancer screenings as well, and to
be able to you know, show and predict it. Oh,
you're going to get pancreatic cancer. Here's what you could
do in the meantime.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Gosh, Adrian, well, that is just amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
We could probably talk about this all day, but let's
shift gears to a big event coming up for Coman,
the More Than Pink Walk. That's just one of the
many Comen fundraising events across the country. We'll talk more
in detail about that, But what would you say that
these gatherings mean to survivors and families and just the
(06:06):
community overall.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
I think the meaning is just it is a sense
of community.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
I mean, I've been this is my this will be
my fourteenth walk, wow, and it never It's one thing
I don't get cyn uncle about. Every the minute I
walk on to the area and see the you know,
the survivor tent and so many amazing, amazing women in
their pink shirts just moves me every time. And you
just feel that sense for everybody there of support and
(06:35):
love and sisterhood and friendship. And that includes lots of
men who come out to support their brothers, their sisters.
There's husbands, there's brothers, there's uncles, there's you know, all
kinds of people who've been affected by breast cancer and
want to show their supports. So I just think it's
it's important for everybody who's there, you know, to really
(06:57):
feel like they're part of something and they're making a
differ fronts because you know, the funds add up and
you know that's our goal is to try and raise
as much money as we can to help as many
women as we can.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Do you mind giving us all the specifics about the
upcoming walk.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Oh, it'll be my pleasure o day.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I kind of.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Thought you might say, that's.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
Waiting for you to ask, Jenny. So this year we
have a new date and a new locations, all very exciting.
So the date is Saturday, October eleventh, and it's going
to be at South Point at National Harbor at Oxon Hill. Awesome,
and it's also going to have beautiful weather. I just know,
of course I'm predicting that.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I mean cool and beautiful.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
We can only hope and everybody's welcome, and we're expecting
over three thousand people. And so we have a great
festival site set up with sponsor booths and the what
we call Hope Village which is the area for survivors
and those living with metastatic breast cancer can gather, and
we have food trucks and you know.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Kids area. So it's obviously very meaningful.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
It has a lot of emotion, and we have the
back signs to talk about show a memory of you know,
in honor of et cetera.
Speaker 6 (08:15):
But the flip side of that is seeing so many
people women with the sign that says I'm a survivor
of X number of years and it goes anywhere from
the sign can say we have signs that say one year,
you know, five years, and we have.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Signs that say thirty plus.
Speaker 5 (08:32):
And one of our Survivor committee members is a thirty
year survivor. Wow, and just think about thirty years ago,
what the treatments were like, so different than what they
are now.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
And she's doing great.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
She comes every year, she's one of our top fundraisers,
and she's on a survivor committee and you know, so
then you see that, you think, okay, and that really
helps new survivors who are obviously you know, and I'm
sure Brenn has a lot to say about that, but
new survivors who obviously worried about their own future. And
how could you not be then to see all these
(09:04):
women holding up signs.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Let's say I'm a twenty.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
Year survivor, I'm a fifteen year survivor, Adrian.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
It's a very poignant event that is also just so
full of hope exactly, and determination and the overriding sense
that we are going to kick this thing. Someday, somehow,
we are going to stop this one.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
And yep, a lot of hope.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
How to get involved with the walk in various capacities,
whether as a walker, as a supporter, as a volunteer.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Let's detail all that if you could.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Sure, So for all those things, it's simple to go
to our website which is coman dot org. So it's
ko m e N dot RG, backslash, d C d's
and David Seas and Charlie Walk you altos, got it,
And that's our website and you can register.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
You can register as a team captain. Even one person
can be a team.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
There's also a space to click on for volunteer opportunities.
Just c on it separate link and fill information and
what you want to volunte what area you want to
volunteer for, et cetera. So, yeah, the website is the
first place to start, or people can always reach out
to me.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
And you mentioned joining a team. We have a wash
off M team. We would love, love, love to have
folks join us for that. So they can go to
our website which is WIF dot com to get involved
through us or just bypass us completely and go straight
to you guys. That's fine as well. You talked a
lot about research. I would like to go into specifics
(10:33):
on some of the critical patient care and support that
you guys provide. Somebody gets a diagnosis, they're going through treatment.
What are some of the very specific ways that you
offer patient support?
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Great question.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
So, you know, if someone is diagnosed and they really
don't know where to turn next, you know, I always
suggest that people call our helpline, which is one eight
seven seven go comen, and as I said, you know,
they can talk to a trained professional. We're all bilingual,
and they could just say, you know, I was just
(11:07):
diagnosed and I don't know where to turn.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
You know, what can you do to help me?
Speaker 5 (11:12):
And the person will ask a whole lot of questions
and determine do they need a patient navigator?
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Is there someone in the area that can.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Help them, you know, find out what their next steps
are with treatment, because that's.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
I know Brian can talk about this much better than
I can. But there's so many options about treatment in
terms of whether you use surgery, whether you radiation and
chemop do neither do a lumpectomy, And that's that's just
the tip of that.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
You know.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
So it's overwhelming a to get the kind of life
changing diagnosis and then be faced with an oncologist, you know,
just throwing so much information at you.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
I mean, no one can really absorb all of that.
So that's one of the things we're here.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Coman's here for is to help you literally navigate your
way through that, and hopefully Patient Navigator will be available
at no.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Cost to help you do that.
Speaker 5 (11:59):
We also have a lot of times people want support groups,
and so again you know, we try and link in
our resources to find a local support group because most
of these big cities to have many through hospitals, you
don't have support groups from newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
And me also on our website, which is just common
dot org.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
Uh, we have a huge amount of resources that are
all free and downloadable, you know. Again, whether it's what
to do next about different kinds of breast cancer, what
that might mean.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Obviously everybody's case is different, but just if.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
You want some general understanding of what it's like based
on your diagnosis, it's all there. Or if there's things
there that you want to, for example, send to your
family who are going to be totally overwhelmed. The information's power,
so knowledge is power rather and so sending them, you know,
just downloading a simple one pager saying you know, here's
(12:55):
my diagnosis and this is you know, my course of
of actually how I'm going to proceed kind of thing
hopefully would give people a little bit of comfort, you
know what I mean, knowing that steps are being taken
and someone's being proactive and you know, this is how
the family can help.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
A lot of valuable information online.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So again, come n dot O RG Adrian, Will you
still have the floor? Is there anything else you would
like to share with our listeners this morning?
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Well, first I'd like to say thank you and to
iHeartMedia and WASTCHEFM for being I mean, WATCHFM has just
been a very long term partner of ours because you
predate even when I started fourteen years ago, so it's
been amazing partnership. And we are so grateful for all
(13:48):
your support leading.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Up to the walk to day of Ditto and you
do just do an amazing job. And thanks anybody who's listening,
who comes out on October eleventh or makes a donation
to someone who to support them, We're so grateful and
hope to see everybody at National Harbor on October eleventh.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Yes, ma'am, we've got a cancer survivor with us this morning. Bran, Hello,
good morning, how are you? How are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Morning, I am well, will we see.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
You at the walk on the eleventh of October.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yes, me and my team, the Pink Mafia.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
That is a very unique name, Brent. Before we start,
I don't want any of this to be too intrusive,
So if I say something that's just too much, please
feel free to pass. But you are here to paint
the picture for what it's like for folks who.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
The real life story get this diagnosis. So we would
you know, if whatever you feel like sharing.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
About your journey, can you take us back to what
happened when you heard the words you have breast cancer.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
Brand I am an open book, so whatever you eggs,
whatever you think of, feel free to ask me.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
And I'm going to tell you my story is all
over social media, Okay.
Speaker 7 (14:58):
I have reached a lot of different people in different
countries states. It's amazing the love and the support that
I have received since coming out and telling the world, Hey,
I have a messed up boob over here.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
You know, it's trying to take me out.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
So I try to make jokes out of the whole
situation because I have learned that smiling and laughing through
the pain, like really takes the pain away. You know
it's still there, but you just try to find the
positive in the negative. And it has helped me to
(15:44):
be more open with my children because I am a
mom of eight. I have one daughter and seven sons
with the oldest man twenty three, and the youngest is
too and I'm a grandma. So let's get your hands
for I know, right, answers is is a thing, and we're.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Just going to say thing.
Speaker 7 (16:04):
When I first got the diagnosis, that was October twenty
fifth of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Oh so just last year, just last year. Wow, I
didn't know it was that yes, okay.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
I was literally right down the street from my salon
a community radiology where I had my mammogram and the
sonogram part done, the whole shebang, and it gave me
my results right then and there I was by myself,
So I definitely was not expecting to learn that diagnosis
(16:39):
that day because I would have made sure I had
somebody with me to lighten that blow.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
That diagnosis hit me so hard.
Speaker 7 (16:48):
I called my husband first, as I'm leaving out of
community radiology and he's at work, and.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
He was out of town at work.
Speaker 7 (16:56):
So that was October twenty fifth Novem for the fourteen.
I did my biopsy a week later, November twenty first,
which is my dad's birthday, is when I learned what
stage it was, what type it was. At that point,
I just completely blacked out. I don't remember anymore of
the conversation. Yeah, I called my sister and I was like, hey,
(17:19):
can you call the doctor back for me? Because they
said a whole bunch of stuff, but I don't know
what they're talking about.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
And Tanya, my sister, has been my right hand man.
Speaker 7 (17:30):
My husband is not a fan of the hospitals and
the doctors and stuff like that, so I didn't want
to add that extra stress to him because we do
have a five to four and three year old. I
tried to keep it away from my older kids as
long as I possibly could. And then the doctor's appointments,
it was like every three days I was at the doctor.
(17:52):
Every week I was at the doctor. And so now
they're like, why you keep going to the doctor. So
eventually I had to tell them then it was time
for me to get my poor place. And when I
got my port place, that's when I had to pretty
much let them know. Look, everything that I'm going through
is because I found the lump in my breast.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
They told me it was breast cancer.
Speaker 7 (18:13):
It's in my left nose, So we're trying to rapidly
take care of this so it doesn't spread to other places.
Had my port place December twenty seventh, prior to the porch.
You know, you have to go through the CT scans
and the PET scans and the MRIs and the MRIs
with dye and all of that.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Other stuff A lot.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
I know, it's a lot.
Speaker 7 (18:37):
Every time I turned around, I was getting a denial letter,
so it was a delay of service, in the delay
of treatment. So it took for me to go to
social media and I told them, like, this is unacceptable.
And because I know how to advocate for myself and
I know the power of the internet, I'm going to
use everything to my ability.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
I used that too, my advantage.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
And a minute that I put that up there, And
like I said, I was very transparent when I first
found out that I had gotten diagnosed. Everybody had started
tuning in and following my story. So whenever I would
post something, it would get shared, and it would get
shared and it would get shared again. All of my
skins started getting approved.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Would you look at that you.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
Do whatever it is that you have to do because
there's no rules to fighting.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
That's very true, and we could that could be a
whole other topic of conversation. I feel like, brend I
want to ask if you said you said you had
found a lump. Now, was that a self exam or
was this a regular yearly screening you went n four
or how did it come up.
Speaker 7 (19:40):
I wasn't even old enough to have Mamma Graham yet, Okay,
affording to you know, the age you're supposed to be forty,
So I had just turned forty. And no, it wasn't
It wasn't me giving the exam.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
This is my sense of human coming out. Okay, Okay, fine,
it was my husband.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
That's how we found them.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
You know, we're all adults here, we know what happens.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
So I mean, do you remember that moment just so vividly?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Yes, because he was like, what is that?
Speaker 7 (20:12):
And I was like, oh, oh wow, Okay, but I
knew I had assist in the same breast from when
I was seventeen years.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Old, and it moved around a lot. Okay, so that
had been checked on and stuff like that.
Speaker 7 (20:26):
So what happened was the tumor started forming under the cyst,
which is why I would never pay attention to it
because I knew I already had assist there and because
it grew under the cyst, I couldn't feel that it
was getting bigger.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Oh brand, Oh my goodness. Okay, so we've talked about
your backstory. Can we go into what happened when you
contacted Coman? What was that experience like?
Speaker 7 (20:52):
So I reached out to Coleman because I was mentally
going through it. I called it crash our episodes. You know,
I just heard these voices like when I say it's crazy,
it's crazy, like I was. My husband was my punching
(21:14):
bag verbally. I didn't want to be bothered with a
lot of people. So I've felt and I saw the
change in myself and I had to reach out and
talk to somebody who understood what I was going through
because the closest.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Around me didn't know what I was going through.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
As much as I tried to smile and make sure,
you know, they never got wet.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
From this storm, I couldn't hold it in anymore. So
I called and I talked.
Speaker 7 (21:49):
To Britney Brittany got me through and it was so
funny because Brittany is in this area. She's in Waldorf,
so it was like it was meant for me to call,
you know. Brittany introduced me to ABCD after breastkins a diagnosis,
(22:09):
where I was partnered up with a mentor who had
been through the same thing, and that's my lovely Tyra,
my pink sister, Tyra. I still talk to Brittany from
the Coleman hotline here and there. She promotes my business
a lot too, because I am a braider in the
nail tech here in Maryland and Tyra is actually in Pennsylvania,
(22:32):
but we are planning to meet up. She's actually coming
up in October for the walk and I'm having a
Breasty Brunch at the end of October that they will
be there as well. They also gave me the fund,
the Hardship Fund, because I had missed a lot of
work going through chemo and the surgeries and everything like that,
(22:57):
and being a hairstylist, you know, if you don't work,
you don't get paid. And luckily for me, my clients
they poured into me, like they really really poured into me.
My sister and another client started a meal trained people
sign up to actually bring you meals and breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, groceries,
(23:18):
whatever you need. They were doing it. I had a
village of people that just came out of nowhere that
I never knew existed, that just poured into me and
my family to the point where they were buying light
saw wipes, hand sanitizer mask and taking it up to
my baby's school so he didn't get sick and bring
something home to me. While I was going through chemo,
(23:41):
I had one contractor that I had never met before
donate one thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
I'm sure there are so many more examples of behind
us and the love you have been shown in this
especially when that comes from strangers. It's really really overwhelming
in a lovely way. And I'd like to ask, how
are you doing today right now? How do you feel today?
Speaker 7 (24:05):
I feel great? August nineteenth, I rang the bell. Yay,
I'm so excited. So I guess my sign will say
like a two month survivor when we're at the walk.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Oh, I have designed that he at.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
Least amount of time, but I am a survivor. If
I had to do it again to make sure my
kids or my loved ones didn't have to endure what
I endured. I would definitely do it again. I would
do things differently, but I would do it again. I
don't want to have cancer again. Don't don't get me wrong.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
We hear you, girl, We do.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
What advice would you give to someone who's been newly
diagnosed or to someone who is supporting a loved one
through this. Do you have any words of wisdom that
you've gained over the last year.
Speaker 7 (24:56):
So to the lovely, beautiful person who is recently diagnosed,
don't stop fighting, don't give up, and never look like
what you're going through, okay, Like if it requires you
to put a red lip on, throw some lashes on,
(25:16):
just to give yourself that umph do it. Always look
forward the positive and anything negative. You know you might
have got this diagnosis because you're not taking time for yourself.
So this is your time to take time for yourself
and say screw everybody else and everything else, because right
now I'm fighting for my life and it's about me,
(25:38):
and it's okay that it's about you. To the caregiver,
love on them as much as you possibly can.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I know that it's hard I.
Speaker 7 (25:48):
Know that sometimes it's unbearable to go through the mood swings,
the motions, the ups and the downs. But I promise
you they don't love you less. They're going to love
you more. And you just have to be there for
woman then because just like the newly diagnosed, that new
caregiver doesn't know what to do or what to expect either,
(26:11):
and you have to allow each other grace, give each
other grace.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Very well said, we'll put Brent. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Okay, ladies, anything else you'd like to add before we
wrap up this morning.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
I would just like to add brands to something that
Brend said that I always suggest whenever I get calls
from survivors or someone who's really diagnosed, and she hit
it on.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
The head, is you have to advocate for yourself.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
Yes, it's just you know, and I get calls from
younger women is more And because there's another focus for
COMEN this starting this year is focusing on younger.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
Women getting breast cancer.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
And why because as men said, you know, it's forty
when you get permission unless you have a family history
to you know, get screened. Younger Younger women are getting
diagnosed with no family history, and it's very difficult when
they first feel something to get their doctor to give
them the prescription to get a screen. Oh, you have
(27:12):
no family history, you're thirty three years old. And then
it's of course it's hormones or it's menstrual cycle or whatever.
And I would say, it's easy for me to say,
harder to do. But you have to advocate for yourself.
So the first place you go says no, you have
to go find another doctor.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
You know, doctor says no. You go to the third time.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
When someone tries to discount you or brush it away,
you've got to be tough and you've got to say no,
I know myself, this is something's not right.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Listen to me exactly.
Speaker 7 (27:41):
And that's another reason I chose to be so vocal
about it. When I was going through chemo, it was
a little girl that was younger than my daughter. She
was twenty one years old item breast cancer. Yeah, it
really really bothered me to see her going through and
she didn't have family to help her advocate for herself.
(28:02):
So you know, I felt like big mama and I
had to swoop in and help her, like make sure
y'all take care of her.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
So I still talk to her to this day.
Speaker 7 (28:12):
She's still unfortunately going through So I just try to
be that voice of reason and that that fresh af are.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
I'm sure every time you interact with her, she looks
at you as an inspiration and she thinks, Okay, she
did it, I'm going to do it, and it gives
her a renewed sense of determination. Yes, Brin, before we go,
you want to plug your fundraiser real quick?
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yes, please please please.
Speaker 7 (28:36):
October twenty six, Yellowfin Restaurant, Edgewater, Maryland. We're taking over.
It's a pink affair. The pink Mafias in the building.
Tickets aren't on the event bright Please search pink Mafia
and pink.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Is with a y, not an eye.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Got it.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
We are not Victoria's secret, so clever.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
I will be sure and share that on my social
as well. Adrian Johnson and Bren representing Susan g Coman
this morning eight seven seven Go Coman.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That's ko emmy n. That is their helpline.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
You can find out a whole lot about breast cancer
too at coman dot org. Again, thank you so much
for listening today. Take care, God bless.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
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Speaker 4 (30:00):
Y
Hello, good morning, and thank you for listening to this
iHeartRadio station. I'm washing M's Jenny Chase, and we're going
to talk this morning about breast cancer as we approach
October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I'm joined by Adrian Johnson.
She is the state executive director for Susan G.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Comyen.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Adrian, Hi, good morning, Jenny, and today we also have
breast cancer survivor Brenn with us.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Brinn.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
I'm sure you have just a very impactful story to share,
so thank you as well.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
For being here.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Okay, I know we've all heard the name Comyan. Adrian.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
For those listeners who may not know a whole lot
about Susan G. Comyn, can you share the organization's mission
and talk about your work here in the DMV.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Sure many people now com in the pink running ribbon.
Speaker 5 (00:42):
A lot of people aren't aware of our mission other
than it's all about awareness, which awareness, of course is
crucial for women in particular to be aware about their bodies,
about checking for breast cancer, et cetera.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
But Comen does a lot more than that at a
national level. Our two big priorities our research, breakthrough research,
and helping people in real time.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
So I sort of look at it as the present
and the future. So the future is the breakthrough research.
And to date COMEN has funded one point one billion
that's with a B research throughout the country. That's not
just here, that is national level, and we fund outside
of the federal government. We fund more breast cancer research
(01:24):
than any other organization locally. We have funded over one
hundred and fifty research grants to institutions like Georgetown University,
Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, University of Virginia, and many,
many more. Those researchers have done some fantastic work and
major breakthroughs, and out of the nineteen FDA approved drugs
(01:50):
for breast cancer in the last ten years, Cohen's research
has been a part of every single one of those.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
The other big part of Comen's.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Mission is to help women and men in real time,
meaning our patient care center services, which include things like
direct financial assistance to those who qualified.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
We also have a helpline that's great.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
It's staffed by bilingual trained professionals who anybody can call.
It's not just a breast cancer survivor family member, an
interested person, an educator.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Anybody can call.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
And ask for information resources patient navigation, So someone can
call from anywhere in the country. If you're in Ohio
and you call, you could say I'm in x y
Z City and I've just been diagnosed and I'm overwhelmed
and I don't know what to do and who to
turn to.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
We will help through our large databases find a patient
navigator in your area who then can help walk you
through every single step. We also can help people get
into clinical trials. We will help you.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Talked about men, talked about women. Breast cancer affects so
many families. Do you happen to have a number in
terms of overall impact on American families right now? How
many people have this diagnosis?
Speaker 4 (03:04):
The diagnosis is still the same, unfortunately, one in eight.
Speaker 5 (03:08):
Well about what for women? One in eight women in
the United States we'll get breast cancer.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
The good news is that the.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Mortality rate has gone down dramatically for most ethnic groups,
with the exception of the African American community. Yeah, okay,
which is another focus of Commons research.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
What about the challenges that folks who are living with
breast cancer are facing right now in this day and age.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
Can you share some of those with.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Us without getting political.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
The NIH cuts obviously are huge, and not just for
breast cancer or cancer in general, but for breast cancer
it is huge, and so that puts even more pressure
onus on COMEN and Breast Cancer Research Foundation, American Cancer Society,
all breast cancer organizations who have the mission to try
(03:57):
and end breast cancer in a lifetimes, but none of
us can, like have the reach of the NIH. So
there's that, And there's also some bills in Congress that
are due if they pass, will severely cut assistance to
medically underserved women or uninsured women to get screenings and
(04:19):
something Coman's advocacy and public policy team is working very
hard to see that that doesn't happen, because again, now'll.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
Just be catastrophic.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
COMEN and other organizations can't absorb that lift.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, well, fingers crossed.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
We see some good things in that area as the
time progresses. Do you have some recent initiatives or programs
you can talk about that you feel are making a
measurable impact here in the DMV.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
The research in general is great, and it's a breakthrough.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
Research doesn't happen quickly, so I know there's a lot
of exciting things on the horizon, certainly with technology an
AI as most of us have read about like fantastic things.
And you know, one of our researchers, not here, but
who we have funded in the past, has developed AI
technology where she'll be able to determine whether a woman's
(05:15):
going to get breast cancer five years before she would
get it.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Stop is Isn't that amazing?
Speaker 4 (05:20):
I know, I mean I read the article Liket three times,
going what.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
That type of technology is going to help other diseases.
I mean, it's amazing. Right.
Speaker 5 (05:31):
If it works for breast cancer screenings, that could work
for other kinds of cancer screenings as well, and to
be able to you know, show and predict it. Oh,
you're going to get pancreatic cancer. Here's what you could
do in the meantime.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Gosh, Adrian, well, that is just amazing.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
We could probably talk about this all day, but let's
shift gears to a big event coming up for Coman,
the More Than Pink Walk. That's just one of the
many Comen fundraising events across the country. We'll talk more
in detail about that, But what would you say that
these gatherings mean to survivors and families and just the
(06:06):
community overall.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
I think the meaning is just it is a sense
of community.
Speaker 5 (06:11):
I mean, I've been this is my this will be
my fourteenth walk, wow, and it never It's one thing
I don't get cyn uncle about. Every the minute I
walk on to the area and see the you know,
the survivor tent and so many amazing, amazing women in
their pink shirts just moves me every time. And you
just feel that sense for everybody there of support and
(06:35):
love and sisterhood and friendship. And that includes lots of
men who come out to support their brothers, their sisters.
There's husbands, there's brothers, there's uncles, there's you know, all
kinds of people who've been affected by breast cancer and
want to show their supports. So I just think it's
it's important for everybody who's there, you know, to really
(06:57):
feel like they're part of something and they're making a
differ fronts because you know, the funds add up and
you know that's our goal is to try and raise
as much money as we can to help as many
women as we can.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Do you mind giving us all the specifics about the
upcoming walk.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Oh, it'll be my pleasure o day.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
I kind of.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Thought you might say, that's.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
Waiting for you to ask, Jenny. So this year we
have a new date and a new locations, all very exciting.
So the date is Saturday, October eleventh, and it's going
to be at South Point at National Harbor at Oxon Hill. Awesome,
and it's also going to have beautiful weather. I just know,
of course I'm predicting that.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
I mean cool and beautiful.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
We can only hope and everybody's welcome, and we're expecting
over three thousand people. And so we have a great
festival site set up with sponsor booths and the what
we call Hope Village which is the area for survivors
and those living with metastatic breast cancer can gather, and
we have food trucks and you know.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Kids area. So it's obviously very meaningful.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
It has a lot of emotion, and we have the
back signs to talk about show a memory of you know,
in honor of et cetera.
Speaker 6 (08:15):
But the flip side of that is seeing so many
people women with the sign that says I'm a survivor
of X number of years and it goes anywhere from
the sign can say we have signs that say one year,
you know, five years, and we have.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Signs that say thirty plus.
Speaker 5 (08:32):
And one of our Survivor committee members is a thirty
year survivor. Wow, and just think about thirty years ago,
what the treatments were like, so different than what they
are now.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
And she's doing great.
Speaker 5 (08:44):
She comes every year, she's one of our top fundraisers,
and she's on a survivor committee and you know, so
then you see that, you think, okay, and that really
helps new survivors who are obviously you know, and I'm
sure Brenn has a lot to say about that, but
new survivors who obviously worried about their own future. And
how could you not be then to see all these
(09:04):
women holding up signs.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Let's say I'm a twenty.
Speaker 5 (09:06):
Year survivor, I'm a fifteen year survivor, Adrian.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
It's a very poignant event that is also just so
full of hope exactly, and determination and the overriding sense
that we are going to kick this thing. Someday, somehow,
we are going to stop this one.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
And yep, a lot of hope.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
How to get involved with the walk in various capacities,
whether as a walker, as a supporter, as a volunteer.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Let's detail all that if you could.
Speaker 5 (09:33):
Sure, So for all those things, it's simple to go
to our website which is coman dot org. So it's
ko m e N dot RG, backslash, d C d's
and David Seas and Charlie Walk you altos, got it,
And that's our website and you can register.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
You can register as a team captain. Even one person
can be a team.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
There's also a space to click on for volunteer opportunities.
Just c on it separate link and fill information and
what you want to volunte what area you want to
volunteer for, et cetera. So, yeah, the website is the
first place to start, or people can always reach out
to me.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
And you mentioned joining a team. We have a wash
off M team. We would love, love, love to have
folks join us for that. So they can go to
our website which is WIF dot com to get involved
through us or just bypass us completely and go straight
to you guys. That's fine as well. You talked a
lot about research. I would like to go into specifics
(10:33):
on some of the critical patient care and support that
you guys provide. Somebody gets a diagnosis, they're going through treatment.
What are some of the very specific ways that you
offer patient support?
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Great question.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
So, you know, if someone is diagnosed and they really
don't know where to turn next, you know, I always
suggest that people call our helpline, which is one eight
seven seven go comen, and as I said, you know,
they can talk to a trained professional. We're all bilingual,
and they could just say, you know, I was just
(11:07):
diagnosed and I don't know where to turn.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
You know, what can you do to help me?
Speaker 5 (11:12):
And the person will ask a whole lot of questions
and determine do they need a patient navigator?
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Is there someone in the area that can.
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Help them, you know, find out what their next steps
are with treatment, because that's.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
I know Brian can talk about this much better than
I can. But there's so many options about treatment in
terms of whether you use surgery, whether you radiation and
chemop do neither do a lumpectomy, And that's that's just
the tip of that.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
You know.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
So it's overwhelming a to get the kind of life
changing diagnosis and then be faced with an oncologist, you know,
just throwing so much information at you.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
I mean, no one can really absorb all of that.
So that's one of the things we're here.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Coman's here for is to help you literally navigate your
way through that, and hopefully Patient Navigator will be available
at no.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Cost to help you do that.
Speaker 5 (11:59):
We also have a lot of times people want support groups,
and so again you know, we try and link in
our resources to find a local support group because most
of these big cities to have many through hospitals, you
don't have support groups from newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
And me also on our website, which is just common
dot org.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
Uh, we have a huge amount of resources that are
all free and downloadable, you know. Again, whether it's what
to do next about different kinds of breast cancer, what
that might mean.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
Obviously everybody's case is different, but just if.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
You want some general understanding of what it's like based
on your diagnosis, it's all there. Or if there's things
there that you want to, for example, send to your
family who are going to be totally overwhelmed. The information's power,
so knowledge is power rather and so sending them, you know,
just downloading a simple one pager saying you know, here's
(12:55):
my diagnosis and this is you know, my course of
of actually how I'm going to proceed kind of thing
hopefully would give people a little bit of comfort, you
know what I mean, knowing that steps are being taken
and someone's being proactive and you know, this is how
the family can help.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
A lot of valuable information online.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
So again, come n dot O RG Adrian, Will you
still have the floor? Is there anything else you would
like to share with our listeners this morning?
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Well, first I'd like to say thank you and to
iHeartMedia and WASTCHEFM for being I mean, WATCHFM has just
been a very long term partner of ours because you
predate even when I started fourteen years ago, so it's
been amazing partnership. And we are so grateful for all
(13:48):
your support leading.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Up to the walk to day of Ditto and you
do just do an amazing job. And thanks anybody who's listening,
who comes out on October eleventh or makes a donation
to someone who to support them, We're so grateful and
hope to see everybody at National Harbor on October eleventh.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Yes, ma'am, we've got a cancer survivor with us this morning. Bran, Hello,
good morning, how are you? How are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Morning, I am well, will we see.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
You at the walk on the eleventh of October.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yes, me and my team, the Pink Mafia.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
That is a very unique name, Brent. Before we start,
I don't want any of this to be too intrusive,
So if I say something that's just too much, please
feel free to pass. But you are here to paint
the picture for what it's like for folks who.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
The real life story get this diagnosis. So we would
you know, if whatever you feel like sharing.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
About your journey, can you take us back to what
happened when you heard the words you have breast cancer.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
Brand I am an open book, so whatever you eggs,
whatever you think of, feel free to ask me.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
And I'm going to tell you my story is all
over social media, Okay.
Speaker 7 (14:58):
I have reached a lot of different people in different
countries states. It's amazing the love and the support that
I have received since coming out and telling the world, Hey,
I have a messed up boob over here.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
You know, it's trying to take me out.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
So I try to make jokes out of the whole
situation because I have learned that smiling and laughing through
the pain, like really takes the pain away. You know
it's still there, but you just try to find the
positive in the negative. And it has helped me to
(15:44):
be more open with my children because I am a
mom of eight. I have one daughter and seven sons
with the oldest man twenty three, and the youngest is
too and I'm a grandma. So let's get your hands
for I know, right, answers is is a thing, and we're.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
Just going to say thing.
Speaker 7 (16:04):
When I first got the diagnosis, that was October twenty
fifth of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Oh so just last year, just last year. Wow, I
didn't know it was that yes, okay.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
I was literally right down the street from my salon
a community radiology where I had my mammogram and the
sonogram part done, the whole shebang, and it gave me
my results right then and there I was by myself,
So I definitely was not expecting to learn that diagnosis
(16:39):
that day because I would have made sure I had
somebody with me to lighten that blow.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
That diagnosis hit me so hard.
Speaker 7 (16:48):
I called my husband first, as I'm leaving out of
community radiology and he's at work, and.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
He was out of town at work.
Speaker 7 (16:56):
So that was October twenty fifth Novem for the fourteen.
I did my biopsy a week later, November twenty first,
which is my dad's birthday, is when I learned what
stage it was, what type it was. At that point,
I just completely blacked out. I don't remember anymore of
the conversation. Yeah, I called my sister and I was like, hey,
(17:19):
can you call the doctor back for me? Because they
said a whole bunch of stuff, but I don't know
what they're talking about.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
And Tanya, my sister, has been my right hand man.
Speaker 7 (17:30):
My husband is not a fan of the hospitals and
the doctors and stuff like that, so I didn't want
to add that extra stress to him because we do
have a five to four and three year old. I
tried to keep it away from my older kids as
long as I possibly could. And then the doctor's appointments,
it was like every three days I was at the doctor.
(17:52):
Every week I was at the doctor. And so now
they're like, why you keep going to the doctor. So
eventually I had to tell them then it was time
for me to get my poor place. And when I
got my port place, that's when I had to pretty
much let them know. Look, everything that I'm going through
is because I found the lump in my breast.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
They told me it was breast cancer.
Speaker 7 (18:13):
It's in my left nose, So we're trying to rapidly
take care of this so it doesn't spread to other places.
Had my port place December twenty seventh, prior to the porch.
You know, you have to go through the CT scans
and the PET scans and the MRIs and the MRIs
with dye and all of that.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Other stuff A lot.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
I know, it's a lot.
Speaker 7 (18:37):
Every time I turned around, I was getting a denial letter,
so it was a delay of service, in the delay
of treatment. So it took for me to go to
social media and I told them, like, this is unacceptable.
And because I know how to advocate for myself and
I know the power of the internet, I'm going to
use everything to my ability.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
I used that too, my advantage.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
And a minute that I put that up there, And
like I said, I was very transparent when I first
found out that I had gotten diagnosed. Everybody had started
tuning in and following my story. So whenever I would
post something, it would get shared, and it would get
shared and it would get shared again. All of my
skins started getting approved.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Would you look at that you.
Speaker 7 (19:21):
Do whatever it is that you have to do because
there's no rules to fighting.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
That's very true, and we could that could be a
whole other topic of conversation. I feel like, brend I
want to ask if you said you said you had
found a lump. Now, was that a self exam or
was this a regular yearly screening you went n four
or how did it come up.
Speaker 7 (19:40):
I wasn't even old enough to have Mamma Graham yet, Okay,
affording to you know, the age you're supposed to be forty,
So I had just turned forty. And no, it wasn't
It wasn't me giving the exam.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
This is my sense of human coming out. Okay, Okay, fine,
it was my husband.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
That's how we found them.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
You know, we're all adults here, we know what happens.
Speaker 6 (20:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
So I mean, do you remember that moment just so vividly?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Yes, because he was like, what is that?
Speaker 7 (20:12):
And I was like, oh, oh wow, Okay, but I
knew I had assist in the same breast from when
I was seventeen years.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Old, and it moved around a lot. Okay, so that
had been checked on and stuff like that.
Speaker 7 (20:26):
So what happened was the tumor started forming under the cyst,
which is why I would never pay attention to it
because I knew I already had assist there and because
it grew under the cyst, I couldn't feel that it
was getting bigger.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
Oh brand, Oh my goodness. Okay, so we've talked about
your backstory. Can we go into what happened when you
contacted Coman? What was that experience like?
Speaker 7 (20:52):
So I reached out to Coleman because I was mentally
going through it. I called it crash our episodes. You know,
I just heard these voices like when I say it's crazy,
it's crazy, like I was. My husband was my punching
(21:14):
bag verbally. I didn't want to be bothered with a
lot of people. So I've felt and I saw the
change in myself and I had to reach out and
talk to somebody who understood what I was going through
because the closest.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Around me didn't know what I was going through.
Speaker 7 (21:39):
As much as I tried to smile and make sure,
you know, they never got wet.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
From this storm, I couldn't hold it in anymore. So
I called and I talked.
Speaker 7 (21:49):
To Britney Brittany got me through and it was so
funny because Brittany is in this area. She's in Waldorf,
so it was like it was meant for me to call,
you know. Brittany introduced me to ABCD after breastkins a diagnosis,
(22:09):
where I was partnered up with a mentor who had
been through the same thing, and that's my lovely Tyra,
my pink sister, Tyra. I still talk to Brittany from
the Coleman hotline here and there. She promotes my business
a lot too, because I am a braider in the
nail tech here in Maryland and Tyra is actually in Pennsylvania,
(22:32):
but we are planning to meet up. She's actually coming
up in October for the walk and I'm having a
Breasty Brunch at the end of October that they will
be there as well. They also gave me the fund,
the Hardship Fund, because I had missed a lot of
work going through chemo and the surgeries and everything like that,
(22:57):
and being a hairstylist, you know, if you don't work,
you don't get paid. And luckily for me, my clients
they poured into me, like they really really poured into me.
My sister and another client started a meal trained people
sign up to actually bring you meals and breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, groceries,
(23:18):
whatever you need. They were doing it. I had a
village of people that just came out of nowhere that
I never knew existed, that just poured into me and
my family to the point where they were buying light
saw wipes, hand sanitizer mask and taking it up to
my baby's school so he didn't get sick and bring
something home to me. While I was going through chemo,
(23:41):
I had one contractor that I had never met before
donate one thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
I'm sure there are so many more examples of behind
us and the love you have been shown in this
especially when that comes from strangers. It's really really overwhelming
in a lovely way. And I'd like to ask, how
are you doing today right now? How do you feel today?
Speaker 7 (24:05):
I feel great? August nineteenth, I rang the bell. Yay,
I'm so excited. So I guess my sign will say
like a two month survivor when we're at the walk.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Oh, I have designed that he at.
Speaker 7 (24:21):
Least amount of time, but I am a survivor. If
I had to do it again to make sure my
kids or my loved ones didn't have to endure what
I endured. I would definitely do it again. I would
do things differently, but I would do it again. I
don't want to have cancer again. Don't don't get me wrong.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
We hear you, girl, We do.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
What advice would you give to someone who's been newly
diagnosed or to someone who is supporting a loved one
through this. Do you have any words of wisdom that
you've gained over the last year.
Speaker 7 (24:56):
So to the lovely, beautiful person who is recently diagnosed,
don't stop fighting, don't give up, and never look like
what you're going through, okay, Like if it requires you
to put a red lip on, throw some lashes on,
(25:16):
just to give yourself that umph do it. Always look
forward the positive and anything negative. You know you might
have got this diagnosis because you're not taking time for yourself.
So this is your time to take time for yourself
and say screw everybody else and everything else, because right
now I'm fighting for my life and it's about me,
(25:38):
and it's okay that it's about you. To the caregiver,
love on them as much as you possibly can.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I know that it's hard I.
Speaker 7 (25:48):
Know that sometimes it's unbearable to go through the mood swings,
the motions, the ups and the downs. But I promise
you they don't love you less. They're going to love
you more. And you just have to be there for
woman then because just like the newly diagnosed, that new
caregiver doesn't know what to do or what to expect either,
(26:11):
and you have to allow each other grace, give each
other grace.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Very well said, we'll put Brent. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Okay, ladies, anything else you'd like to add before we
wrap up this morning.
Speaker 5 (26:23):
I would just like to add brands to something that
Brend said that I always suggest whenever I get calls
from survivors or someone who's really diagnosed, and she hit
it on.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
The head, is you have to advocate for yourself.
Speaker 5 (26:37):
Yes, it's just you know, and I get calls from
younger women is more And because there's another focus for
COMEN this starting this year is focusing on younger.
Speaker 4 (26:48):
Women getting breast cancer.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
And why because as men said, you know, it's forty
when you get permission unless you have a family history
to you know, get screened. Younger Younger women are getting
diagnosed with no family history, and it's very difficult when
they first feel something to get their doctor to give
them the prescription to get a screen. Oh, you have
(27:12):
no family history, you're thirty three years old. And then
it's of course it's hormones or it's menstrual cycle or whatever.
And I would say, it's easy for me to say,
harder to do. But you have to advocate for yourself.
So the first place you go says no, you have
to go find another doctor.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
You know, doctor says no. You go to the third time.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
When someone tries to discount you or brush it away,
you've got to be tough and you've got to say no,
I know myself, this is something's not right.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Listen to me exactly.
Speaker 7 (27:41):
And that's another reason I chose to be so vocal
about it. When I was going through chemo, it was
a little girl that was younger than my daughter. She
was twenty one years old item breast cancer. Yeah, it
really really bothered me to see her going through and
she didn't have family to help her advocate for herself.
(28:02):
So you know, I felt like big mama and I
had to swoop in and help her, like make sure
y'all take care of her.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
So I still talk to her to this day.
Speaker 7 (28:12):
She's still unfortunately going through So I just try to
be that voice of reason and that that fresh af are.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
I'm sure every time you interact with her, she looks
at you as an inspiration and she thinks, Okay, she
did it, I'm going to do it, and it gives
her a renewed sense of determination. Yes, Brin, before we go,
you want to plug your fundraiser real quick?
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yes, please please please.
Speaker 7 (28:36):
October twenty six, Yellowfin Restaurant, Edgewater, Maryland. We're taking over.
It's a pink affair. The pink Mafias in the building.
Tickets aren't on the event bright Please search pink Mafia
and pink.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Is with a y, not an eye.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Got it.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
We are not Victoria's secret, so clever.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
I will be sure and share that on my social
as well. Adrian Johnson and Bren representing Susan g Coman
this morning eight seven seven Go Coman.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That's ko emmy n. That is their helpline.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
You can find out a whole lot about breast cancer
too at coman dot org. Again, thank you so much
for listening today. Take care, God bless.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
There's danger out there.
Speaker 8 (29:16):
It lurks on highways and quiet neighborhood streets. It's more
likely to kill you than a shark and more terrifying
than the biggest snake. Distracted driving claims lives every day.
Every notification swipe, social post, video or selfie.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
While driving risks your life.
Speaker 8 (29:33):
So while you might think public speaking or the zombie
apocalypse is scary, what's really terrifying and even deadly is
distracted driving. Eyes forward, don't drive Distracted brought to you
by NITZA and the AD Council.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
I killed, so clean the oceans and make the world
a better Please.
Speaker 8 (29:56):
Learn more at che Can Stamps, A message brought to
you by the AD Council.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
Y
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