It’s Friday, so I’m linking up with Courtney at Eat, Pray, Run DC, Cynthia at You Signed Up for What and Mar at Mar on the Run. Each week they pick a theme and bloggers join in and link up. This year instead of specific themes, they’re letting us be creative with broad themes for each week of the month. This is a “fitness” week. I’m teaming with Sweat Pink and AfterShokz for a special #AwareWithPink Friday Five to raise awareness for and support anyone fighting breast and ovarian cancer. I’m going to highlight breast cancer survivors who inspire.
5 Breast Cancer Survivors Who Inspire
1. Lindsay Avner – At 23, Lindsay Avner was, at the time, the youngest woman in the country to undergo a risk-reducing double mastectomy. Lindsay lost her grandmother and great grandmother to cancer before she was born. Her mother fought breast and ovarian cancer when she was 12. At 22, she found out that she had the BRCA1 gene mutation that gave her a very high risk of both breast and ovarian cancer. In 2007, she started Bright Pink to provide resources for women on breast and ovarian cancer. Bright Pink is creating a movement of young women who are proactive advocates for their health.
2. Leigh Hurst – Leigh never thought much about breast cancer until she was diagnosed with it at age 33. She felt the lump in her breast in the years prior to her diagnosis. She pointed it out to doctors but it was not seen as a concern. Two years later, she was sent to get a mammogram which led to a Stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis.
Leigh’s experience made her realize that she never much paid attention to breast cancer messages. So she made a t-shirt for her friends that said “feel your boobies”… just for fun to remind people to do breast self-exams. She put up a one page website for the shirts (I have one!) and was soon sold out! The Feel Your Boobies Foundation was born. They provide breast cancer education to girls and women around the country in a super fun way. As a friend of Leigh’s, I’m happy to report she’s 10+ years cancer free!
3. Amelia Kirchoff – Faced with breast cancer, Amelia Kirchoff started eating a macrobiotic diet at the urging of her daughter Jola Sonkin. Once she was feeling better, they created macrobiotic desserts to satisfy their sweet cravings. They decided to commercialize their sweets in the form of GoMacro bars. These real food bars are produced in a “thoughtful manner” and “GoMacro remains true to the macrobiotic promise of better health, a balanced lifestyle and a concern for the environment and all its inhabitants.” Oh, and they taste amazing!
4. Hoda Kotb – It’s not so secret that I love The Today Show. Hoda Kotb was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer in 2006. She went public on the air with her story in 2007. She uses her role on The Today Show and as a public figure to help and support women living with breast cancer and survivors.
5. Every woman living with or surviving breast cancer – Some of the most amazing and inspiring stories I’ve heard are about the “regular” women, moms and grandmothers who have overcome the odds or lived out their lives with grace and dignity.
What are you doing this month to be more #AwareWithPink?
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by AfterShokz in an effort to spread awareness about their new Pink Trekz headphones, in partnership with Bright Pink to support and spread awareness around breast cancer awareness. All opinions and words are my own. I truly appreciate all of the brands the support the Sweat Pink community.