Triple Negative Breast Cancer, "I Won't Back Down!": 2016

What is TNBC

WHAT IS TRIPLE NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER?

Just in recent years, Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) has sparked interest in the news where instead of calling the tumor as ER-negative, PR-negative, and HER2-negative; researchers began using the shorthand term, "Triple Negative," dubbed the "new type" of breast cancer. Being Triple Negative, you don't have a targeted therapy and your only treatment option is chemotherapy.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer is seen in about 15% of all breast cancers. TNBC is a very aggressive cancer that tends to strike younger women, pre-menopause, especially among African-American women and women who have BRCA1 mutations. The tumor tends to be fast growing and is less likely to show up on an annual mammogram. TNBC is more likely to metastasis early on; has a high rate of recurrence in the first 2-3 years from diagnosis and has a poorer prognosis than other types of breast cancer due to lack of specific, targeted treatment for TNBC.

Friday, December 30, 2016

Pink Sisters Christmas Parties 2016

Center for Health and Successful Living
Christmas Party hosted by Dr. Amy Thompson

Christmas with the Victory gals
Kim, Beth, Melissa J., Laurie, Rita, Linda, Joyce, Carol,
Diane, Areena, Peggy, Traci, Jyll, Lori,
Elaine and Melissa P.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Komen Holiday Friend-raiser 2016

On December 8, 2016, I attended a fundraiser event benefiting Komen of Northwest Ohio at the Pub at Paula Brown's Shop supporting my high school friend, breast cancer survivor, Amy. Amy Thorpe, Board Vice President of Komen of Northwest Ohio and Gretchen Awad of Komen hosted this lovely event.

Amy, Gretchen and Melissa

Monday, September 26, 2016

Celebrity Wait Night 2016

So much fun at Celebrity Wait Night on September 20, 2016 with raising lots of cash benefiting the Victory Center.
I spent the night volunteering to sell 50/50 raffle tickets to our guests, and they were buying $5 to $20 worth at a time in addition to gift basket and wine pull raffles. It was a western theme... tho, I didn't win best western costume, I was still a "rock star" in paying it forward. The wait staff consisting of many local doctors and other well known people of our local community had also participated in raising tips that were also donated to the Victory Center, a cancer wellness center serving Northwest Ohio.
http://thevictorycenter.org

Not your typical rock star

Selling hundreds and hundreds of dollars
worth of raffle tickets!

Our 50/50 raffle ticket winner!

Victory gals pink sisters
Sandy and Melissa

Melissa and one of our celebrity waiters,
Dr. Mabry, Breast Surgeon

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Komen of Northwest Ohio Breakfast 2016

Our annual get-together of us Victory gals at the annual kick-off breakfast for Komen for the Cure. The kick-off breakfast is dedicated to the first 500 breast cancer survivors that register for the breakfast event.

The Victory Center Gals: Joyce, Jill, Melissa P.
Diane, Lynnette, Rita, Kim, Areena,
Carol, Lori, Deb, Traci, Beth and Melissa J.

Pink sisters, Elaine and Melissa

Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Sisters, Melissa and Audrey

Pink sister, Mary, Melissa and my favorite
event emcee, Chrys Peterson

Monday, August 22, 2016

Remembering Tatum...

TNBC sisters Tatum and Melissa

Tatum, one of our Victory gals was so inspiration to all of us and were very saddened with her lost to Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Tatum's battle began in 2014 when she was diagnosed with PR+/ER+ breast cancer. In 2015, not even a year out of treatment, Tatum had discovered a lump in her neck and learned that her cancer has returned metastatic to her lymph nodes, and had actually "morphed" to Triple Negative Breast Cancer. On August 20, 2016, Tatum Hummel was taken from her three very young children and husband.

All of us Victory gals after attending Tatum's funeral
We love and miss you Tatum!

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Toledo MudHens Pink Out the Park 2016

My MudHens in pink!

Fun times with the ladies and the men in pink, supporting breast cancer awareness day at the Toledo Mudhens benefiting Susan G. Komen of Northwest Ohio in July 2016.

First base

Linda, Devorah and Melissa

Melissa J., Jamie, Dave, Devorah and Melissa

Pink in the Park, Downtown Toledo

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

UT Survivorship Conference 2016

On June 25, 2016, I was happy to be a vendor exhibitor representing Young Survival Coalition at The University of Toledo Center for Health and Successful Living Survivorship Conference. As a Young Survival Coalition State Leader, I was able to provide young survivors with information about the resources that YSC has to offer and bring attention to the organization in my area.

Representing Young Survival Coalition with our
exhibit table

My beautiful friend,
Breast cancer survivor, Barb Oxner

Guest speaker, Rev. April Hearn

Dr. Thompson

Monday, June 20, 2016

Relay for Life, Lucas County Ohio 2016

www.relayforlife.org/lucas

I participated at Relay for Life on June 18, 2016 at Lucas County Fairgrounds where over $117, 000 at this year's event. I set up an exhibit table for The Victory Center and met up with pink sister, Carol for opening ceremony, walking the survivor lap and having a luncheon.
Local cancer survivor, Caly Bevier was a junior honoree who spoke of her fight against ovarian cancer at the age of 15 and sang, "This is my Fight Song." This young lady was amazing! We watched a lip-sync contest where cancer survivor friend Valerie gave a great performance of Cher's cover, "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves."

Selfie with Cat Trick

Calysta, "This is my Fight Song"

Survivor lap

Pink sister Carol, Pink Panther
and Melissa

16 yr. old Ovarian Cancer Survivor,
Calysta and Melissa

with Captain America and Ariel

Stress relief...

Leaving my mark on cancer

Valerie's lip-sync contest

VIP treatment

My vendor table set-up for The Victory Center

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Celebrating National Cancer Survivor Month 2016

On June 9, 2016, met up with a few of my pink sisters at National Cancer Survivor Month Celebration presented by UTMC Dana Cancer Center. Listen to a live performance by Stephanie who sang some of our favorite fight songs, "I Will Survive", Stronger" and "Roar!" watched some survivor friends play cardio drumming that looks like a lot of fun, I must try this someday! Food, cake, vendors and door prizes. I donated my door prize, a handmade pink ribbon blanket to the Dana Cancer Center Infusion Dept. to be given to a breast cancer patient who will just be starting her chemo treatments. Thank you University of Toledo's Dana Cancer Center for celebrating us survivors!

Me and my Oncologist, Dr. Mohammed

My pink sisters Yvonne and
Rose cardio drumming

Keynote speaker and breast cancer
survivor, Michelle Ginovanoli and Melissa

Stephanie Roars!

Victory gals Rita, Carol, Areena and Melissa
Rita is a TNBC Survivor

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Ann Arbor National Cancer Awareness Day 2016

Board of survivors...

Thank you Michigan State Comprehensive Cancer Center for the invite for Young Survival Coalition to exhibit a table at their National Cancer Survivors Day Celebration on June 5, 2016. It was honored as a YSC State Leader to accept a request to represent Young Survival Coalition and display information of resources that YSC has to offer at this special celebration in Ann Arbor, Michigan.