West Orange Times & Observer Think Pink 2014

think

PINK OCTOBER 2014

Times WEST ORANGE

THE WEST ORANGE TIMES CELEBRATES BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

2 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

TEAM

OF SUPPORT IF YOU GO BREAST CANCER AWARENESS DAY WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 18. Pancake breakfast begins at 8 a.m.; league games will be played at 9 and 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: 881 Ocoee Apopka Road, Ocoee BENEFICIARY: Libby’s Legacy INFO: libbyslegacy. org

Melanie Finley is the volunteer league director at the West Orange Girls Club, a recreational softball program in Ocoee for girls ages 5 to 16, and vice president of the club’s board. She also is a breast cancer survivor.

These two aspects of her life will merge this Saturday, Oct. 18, when lessons will be about something much bigger than fielding grounders and properly stretching before a game.

The club is hosting a Breast Cancer Awareness Day, an event organized

by Finley for a second year.

There is no admission fee.

The fundraiser begins at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast, and league

games will be played at 9 and 10:30 a.m. During the day, attendees can purchase breast cancerawareness merchandise such as bracelets and caps that have been donated by league members.

Proceeds will benefit Libby’s Legacy, which provides free and low-cost mammograms and followup breast health services to underserved and uninsured women in Central Florida. Two women formed the organization in 2007 in memory of their mother, Libby Maynard.

“It seems logical that since this is the West Orange Girls Club, that it was my calling and, perhaps, duty, to bring more awareness to these young ladies through sharing my experience and, more importantly, my survival,” Finley says.

Following her diagnosis of an aggressive breast

Courtesy photo

Melanie Finley was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.

cancer in May 2011, Finley had double mastectomies with total reconstruction, six rounds of chemotherapy and 33 radiation treatments.

“But I fought back with the help of my wonderful

G

IN AT R B

LE

• Companion Service • Medication Management • Meal Planning and Preparation • Transitional Care Program • Philips Lifeline • Philips Personal Medication Dispenser

8%

of FACT: Only breast cancer is familial.

She has experienced all this in her years of involvement with the club. She has grown close to her team of volunteers, especially her friend, Gino Saravo.

“I will have done the right thing if I can be of some kind of inspiration to just one or two girls in my community,” Finley says. “The message I want to leave with the young ladies I work with at the club is one of faith, hope and encouragement — a breast-cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence.”

— Amy Quesinberry Rhode

!

10% of every sale of $50 or more

The skill to heal. The spirit to care.

• Assistance with bathing, grooming and dressing

family and friends … and a great medical team,” she says. “The encouragement I received from my WOGC family also was and continues to be remarkable.”

The league director started as a volunteer coach for her niece’s team in 2003.

She has mentored about 300 girls as a coach and has been associated with about 30 different teams as coach and director.

“I believe in giving back to the community I live in, and I chose the WOGC as the place to give time to,” says Finley, who played softball as a child. “I hope, after all these years, I have made some positive impact on some girls. … I feel when all is says and done, the girls who pass through learn not just about the game of fast-pitch softball, but they learn about friendships, sportsmanship and teamwork.”

S AR

E

Y 35

CE

Achieve greater independence, improve your quality of life and prevent rehospitalization with our Home Care Team.

We provide:

MYTH: Only women with a family history of breast cancer are at risk of getting breast cancer.

The softball program in Ocoee is holding a fundraiser Saturday, and the community is invited.

donated towards Breast Cancer Research & Awareness

Life is easier with

through the month of October

Home Care Services Call today for more information or schedule your services (407) 691-8206 FloridaHospitalHomeCare.com Agency License #20382096

407-298-0890 aldosfinejewelry.com

Kirkman Oaks Shopping Plaza. 4662 South Kirkman Rd. Orlando, FL 32811

HOURS: M-F 9:30-6pm, Saturday 9:30-4pm, Sunday CLOSED

THINK PINK 3

WOTimes.com

BOGO SESSIONS for First-Time Clients

$25 Adult $15 Child

HIMALAYAN SALT THERAPY WELLNESS CENTER

407.418.2204

www.SaltRoomMillenia.com Unlimited Salt Therapy Starting at only $25 per Month

4 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

PEDAL POWER

Proceeds from the event will benefit the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa.

For Winter Garden Wheel Works co-owner Dennis Jones, turning a breast cancer tragedy into a tribute was as simple as turning to his passion — cycling.

This month, he will continue that tribute with another installment of the annual Winter Garden Wheel Works Breast Cancer Awareness Ride.

“The annual ride started MYTH: four or five Mammograms preyears ago,” vent breast cancer.

Jones says.

“About five years ago, FACT: No. my mom Mammograms detect was diagbreast cancer and nosed, and save lives. she passed away.

She

was going to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. That opened our eyes a little more, so we said, ‘We really should do something more.’ We started to raise some funds and tried to do as much as we can.”

Now, the annual ride contributes about $3,000 per year to Moffitt, Jones says.

“It’s not huge, but if everybody did their little section like that, it would add up to be pretty substantial,” he says. “Take that and multiply it by 5,000 bike shops nationwide.”

Jones says the idea was to have a casual ride to support breast-cancer awareness, with something for everybody.

“We don’t advertise it

Clermont’s Waterfront Park and back will cost $25 and start at 8:30 a.m. Finally, a family-oriented 10-mile ride along the West Orange Trail to Killarney Station and back will begin at 9 a.m. and WINTER GARDEN cost $15 per WHEEL WORKS person.

BREAST CANCER During the AWARENESS RIDE event, Karen, WHEN: 8 a.m.

Jones’ wife Saturday, Oct. 25 and fellow co-owner of WHERE: Begins the shop, will at Winter Garden unveil a new Wheel Works, 101 charity, Drop It W. Plant St. and Drive. Pro- PHONE: (407) 654ceeds will go to 1496 local families INFO: active.com/ affected by diswinter-garden-fl/ tracted driving. cycling/races/ “For me, the wgww-breast-caninspiration of cer-ride-2014 this charity was just being bombarded with (talk of) the phones, when I see so many other things happening in vehicles,” Karen says.

— Zak Kerr

IF YOU GO

Courtesy photo

Cyclists of all shapes, sizes and ages rode last year. a ton, because it’s nice to have people there where everybody knows everybody else,” Jones says. “It’s nice to keep it to where you don’t have thousands of riders and you don’t know who they are. So we try to keep it low-key, fun and friendly, non-competitive — just a way to come out and show your support.”

The familiar support color of October has been all over Winter Garden Wheels Works this month.

“I’ve got my bike all pinked out — it’s all ready

• EYELASH EXTENSIONS • FACIALS • BODY WRAPS • CORRECTIVE SERVICES • SPRAY TANS • PUMPKIN PEEL

200

$

a full set of Lashes

30

$

A reform glaze & blow out

407.463.7419

319 S. Dillard St. Winter Garden, FL 34787

lashenvy@gmail.com / lashenvyandspa.com

to go,” Jones says. “We’ve got a little section with pink handlebar tape, water cages, a lot of little pink accessories. We’ve hashtagged a couple of times, #PinkYourBikeOut, to get people to show their support.”

The event, which takes place Oct. 25 and begins at Wheel Works, will feature three different rides. The longest will be 63 miles of hilly roads to Lake County.

It will begin at 8 a.m. and cost $35 per cyclist. A trail ride of about 30 miles to

THINK PINK 5

WOTimes.com

breast cancer

awarenessmonth Many women with breast cancer can opt for breast-conserving surgery

National Cancer Act of 1971 becomes law

First adjuvant chemotherapy increases cure rates for early-stage breast cancer

Cancer deaths begin steady decline

Global guidelines help ensure proper pain management

Tamoxifen reduces breast cancer recurrence

More limited mastectomy proven effective for earlystage breast cancer

A susceptibility gene for breast cancer was mapped by genetic linkage to a specific chromosome arm; BRCA1 and BRCA2 susceptibility genes are later isolated

We’ve come along way toward finding a cure, but early detection remains the best weapon in this fight!

Schedule your digital mammogram today by calling 407.296.1190. A physician referral is required.

Visit healthcentral.org for more information.

“Progress & Timeline.” Timeline: Major Milestones Against Cancer. Accessed August 27, 2014. http://www.cancerprogress.net/timeline/major-milestones-against-cancer. “BRCA1 & BRCA2: Cancer Risk & Genetic Testing.” National Cancer Institute. January 22, 2014. Accessed August 27, 2014. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/BRCA.

Taxanes emerge as a vital chemotherapy option for ovarian, breast cancer

Powerful anti-nausea drugs alleviate major side effect of cancer treatment

Prophylactic surgery helps prevent breast and ovarian cancers in women at high risk

1998 2006

Late 1990s:

1998

Early 1990s:

1998

Growing use of mammography saves lives

1990 1991 1992-94 1996

Late 1970s:

1986 1986

CT scanning provides clearer images of tumors, guiding radiation and other treatments

1977

1970s:

1971 1971 1975-76

Celebrate Progress Toward Prevention and a Cure

2011 Chemotherapy before surgery helps more women benefit from breast-conserving treatment

First predictive gene analysis products are launched to help determine the presence of susceptibility genes

First targeted anti-breast cancer drug, trastuzumab (Herceptin), has major impact on care

Drug therapy can reduce breast cancer risk in women at high risk

Record number of Americans surviving cancer —nearly

12 million

6 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

WARRIORS ON WATER Courtesy photo

Members of the Warriors on Water share a unique bond and love of the sport.

A group of Central Florida women use the sport of dragonboating to unite them in their fight against breast cancer.

Dozens of Orange County women have taken their breast-cancer diagnoses and turned them into a new passion and deep sisterhood.

The Warriors on Water, a team of MYTH: women who have had Birth control pills breast cancause breast cancer. cer, has raced FACT: Modern-day birth against control pills have low dragon doses of hormones. boating Today’s birth control teams pills can protect of breast cancer paagainst ovarian tients from cancer. around the world.

Patti Silveira, a Windermere resident who originally received a breast cancer diagnosis in July 2008, paddled with the team in the third International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Festival four years ago in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

“It was the most incredible feeling to walk into a room with hundreds of women all in the same situation,” Silveira says. “It is kind of overwhelming. It’s an amazing amount of sisterhood you can’t describe.

A lot of them walk up as if they’ve known you all their lives. Everyone is happy and loving. We all have an understanding that doesn’t need words or anything.”

The race featured more than 2,000 participants on 73 teams, from nations such as Australia, Italy, Singapore and South Africa.

“When we travel, even to different countries, the first thing they say is, ‘Of course you can come paddle with us,’” Silveira says. “And they even give us housing.”

Dragon-boating originated in China more than 2,500 years ago, when exiled poet Qu Yuan committed suicide in the Miluo River in a protest against a corrupt emperor. Locals raced to save him from their fishing boats but failed. They splashed paddles to ward off fish and water demons, and performed sacrifices to his spirit. China has held annual dragon-boat races to re-enact his story ever since.

Modern dragon-boating has involved high-level competitions and become a tool for team-building and fundraising, much like the many teams paddling for breast-cancer research.

In races, 20 paddlers sit in a long boat, two per row. A

drummer sits in the bow, facing the paddlers and keeping a proper tempo for the rowers. A steersperson stands in the stern and uses a 10-foot oar to make turns.

Silveira says the sport took off when Dr. Donald McKenzie, an exercise physiologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, researched the effects of repetitive upperbody activity on breast-cancer survivors, beginning in February 1996. He started a dragon-boat team of breast cancer survivors, which the women called Abreast in a Boat, to compete in the 1996 World Dragon Boat Championships.

From Oct. 20 to 26, Sarasota will host the fourth IBCPC festival at Nathan Benderson Park.

The Warriors on Water has competed in Sarasota already this year, as well as Jacksonville and Cocoa, among other events, Silveira says. They practice Saturday mornings at Lake Fairview off the Veterans of Foreign Wars dock on Edgewater, where they will host a friends and families day Dec. 6. The team has taken in many survivors throughout Central Florida.

“Two weeks ago, a neighbor called me and had a

friend with breast cancer,” she says. “She was feeling alone, so I invited her to boating. We took her in and welcomed her, and she knew after one practice she would join us and enjoy it.”

Another member of the squad, Dawn Roberts, began her breast-cancer journey in June 2009. She joined the Warriors on Water that same year, when the crew had just begun.

“The dragon-boat team is a very heartfelt community of great women, survivors and courage,” Roberts

says. “I had never thought I would find someone, much less a team of women who knew and understood what I was going through and who would be there to comfort, help, listen and just support me through this time.”

Silveira says the team was a monumental help to all of its members on the road to freedom from cancer.

“When you come into this group, you trade stories and information and answer questions about this common cancer,” Silveira says. “We never turn a sister down. We’re always there for them — no matter what.”

— Zak Kerr

The Warriors on Water gathered for a race in Jacksonville.

WOTimes.com

THINK PINK 7

8 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

THE WINNERS OVERALL MALE WINNERS First place: Jason Kolasinski (18:49.4) Second place: Chris Daniels (18:55.2) Third place: Michael Gerber (19:30.4) OVERALL FEMALE WINNERS First place: Kathryn Miller (23:04.2) Second place: Jessica Blanton (24:11.4) Third place: Shannon Vaughan (24:34.8) WEST ORANGE PARTICIPANTS Angela Armstead Bailey (Ocoee) Reggie Bailey (Ocoee) Jackson Bittner (Windermere) Jennifer Bittner (Windermere) Matthew Bittner (Windermere) Nicholas Bittner (Windermere) Nancy Bono (Windermere) Ashley Bowdoin (Winter Garden) Libby Bowdoin (Ocoee) Lindsay Bowdoin (Ocoee) Hector Clemente (Winter Garden) Leny Debler (Windermere) Kim Eberhart (Windermere) Francheska Feliciano (Windermere) Heidi Finch (Winter Garden) Julia Flower (Windermere) Susan Flower (Windermere) Blythe Gianna (Windermere) Christopher Guffin (Windermere) Imelda Harris (Windermere) Kalaiselvi Kailasam (Winter Garden) Candice Kinnie (Winter Garden) Jason Kolasinski (Winter Garden) Sade Lee (Ocoee) Adrian Mayer (Ocoee) Theresa Nachtsheim (Ocoee) Nikki O’Day (Windermere) Donna Rossmoore (Winter Garden) Laura Shiblaq (Gotha) Leila Shiblaq (Gotha) Linda Silva (Windermere) Rosangela Souza (Windermere) Parvathi Sreerama (Windermere) Shannon Vaughan (Winter Garden) Jennifer Veugeler (Windermere)

Runner Jason Kolasinski, right, representing Winter Garden, was the top male finisher in this year’s race. Nicole Roca was there to cheer him on.

Nikki O’Day, Leny Debler and Clarisa Lefran held hands as they completed the run.

Photos by Michael Eng

HAPPY FEET Hundreds of runners pounded the pavement to raise money for breast cancer research at the fifth annual Think Pink 5K Run/ Walk Oct. 11, at the Dr. P. Phillips YMCA. This year’s run was presented by the Dr. P. Phillips Hospital, and funds raised will benefit the UF Health Cancer Center of Orlando

Health, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA and Women Playing for T.I.M.E. West Orange runners represented the community well, with Winter Garden runner Jason Kolasinski finishing first for all male competitors and Winter Garden resident Shannon Vaughan finishing third for all female competitors.

Denise Compton, Joshua Wright, 8, and Cindy Compton

Megan Charron wore a pink tutu at this year’s Think Pink 5K.

THINK PINK 9

WOTimes.com

SHOW OF

SUPPORT The morning began with a dance routine.

Clockwise from above: This pink Nissan led runners throughout the race.

Windermere resident Nicholas Bitter ran with his mother, Jen, and two brothers, Jackson and Matthew.

Even some canines got in on the action.

From hospital groups to faith-based groups, cancer survivors and caregivers in West Orange have many resources.

Dr. Diane Robinson, director of integrative medicine for Orlando Health, leads a full-time, free support program affiliated with Cancer Support Community for any current or former patients and caregivers in Central Florida.

Activities within the support community include yoga, tai chi, nutritionist sessions, singing, painting, luncheons and knitting scarves for current patients, Robinson said. Research has shown patients who are more active and form social connections are likelier to have better life quality thereafter, she said.

“This healthy lifestyle needs to encourage patients to become creative in how they care for their bodies and minds,” Robinson says. “Fostering connections is really important. If anyone is alone, they don’t respond as well to anything we do in the medical community. So, we want patients to know they’re not the only one facing this.”

Through these communal activities, patients build senses of ownership and empowerment in their cancer journey, making them

MYTH: Older women are less likely to get breast cancer

Miriam Fuentes enjoyed the earlymorning warm-up.

FACT: Risk actually increases with age. For women under 30, there is a 1 in 2,200 chance. Those odds increase to 1 in 220 for women 40 and to 79, and to 1 in 8 for women 80 and older.

SUPPORT GROUPS

• UF Health Cancer Center at Health Central Hospital in Ocoee will begin hosting two support groups per month in November.

For more information, call (321) 841-5056, or visit ufhealthcancerorlando. com and cancersupportcommunity.org.

• St. Luke’s has offered monthly breast-cancer support groups and other cancer support groups for nine years, with speakers, testimonies, family gatherings, healing and prayer services, and group involvement in community events.

For more, visit stlukes.org and compassionateheartsandhands.org.

feel stronger, she says.

The Rev. Jad Denmark, of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, whose wife recently received a bilateral mastectomy, says these activities and communities are important, in addition to corporal works and prayer.

“At our child’s soccer game, a grandmother walked across the field with a pink visor that I complimented,” Denmark says.

“She said she was a 19-year survivor. I said my wife was on day four. She gave me a wink and a smile. That meant so much.”

— Zak Kerr

LOCAL RESOURCES AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY WEBSITE: cancer.org ADDRESS: Orlando Metro Unit, 1601 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando PHONE: (407) 843-8680. Cancer information specialists can be reached at (800) 227-2345.

INFO: Through its extramural research grants program, the society is currently funding 220 breast-cancer research projects being conducted by an elite group of scientists.

UF HEALTH CANCER CENTER AT ORLANDO HEALTH WEBSITE: orlandohealth.com/cancer ADDRESS: 1400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando; 1111 Blackwood Ave., Ocoee PHONE: (321) 841-1869. Additional numbers are (407) 648-3800 and (800) 648-3818.

INFO: This center has provided treatment for more than 20 years and is now a statewide cancer treatment and research program with University of Florida Health. It provides team collaboration on each patient’s care. There are multiple specialty centers, including a Breast Care Center, at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

FLORIDA HOSPITAL CANCER INSTITUTE WEBSITE: floridahospitalcancer.com ADDRESS: 2501 N. Orange Ave., No. 289, Orlando PHONE: (407) 303-2000. To schedule an appointment, contact a cancer-care coordinator at (407) 303-1700 or fill out an online assistance form and a coordinator will respond. To reach a breast care coordinator, call (407) 3032514.

INFO: FHCI is the largest cancer center in Central Florida, recognized for its comprehensive, state-of-the-art care and reputation as a destination cancer-care facility.

SUSAN G. KOMEN CENTRAL FLORIDA WEBSITE: komencentralflorida.org ADDRESS: 1755 Oviedo Mall Blvd., Oviedo PHONE: (321) 972-5534. Komen for the Cure Breast Care Helpline: 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877465-6636).

INFO: The Central Florida affiliate’s services area covers nine counties, including Orange. The organization is dedicated to combating breast cancer. Up to 75% of the net income goes toward funding grants to local hospitals and community organizations that provide breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs for medically underserved women.

Proud supporter of Making Strides for Breast Cancer and Winter Garden Relay for Life every year!

Payroll returns and W-2’s.

All of your tax and accounting needs.

WEST ORANGE TAX & BOOKKEEPING, INC. joyce@westorangetax.com

407-877-8388

10 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

FIGHT FOR HER LIFE She calls them her cancer,” she says. bosom-less buddies.

Having her entire Melanie Williamson breast surgically reand three staff memmoved was an even bers at Bridgewater bigger shock. Doctors Middle School have also removed 14 lymph survived breast cannodes, all of which testcer and mastectomies, ed positive for cancer. and they have formed “We knew after my a supportive sisterhood surgery that there were of sorts. still cancer cells in my Williamson, a sixthbody, but they didn’t grade reading teacher, know if the cancer had has battled breast canspread to any other orcer twice. gans,” Williamson says.

The 56-year-old It turns out it had not.

Winter Garden resiAfter the June 17, dent says she was get2013, mastectomy, she Amy Quesinberry Rhode ting ready to go to bed endured 16 bouts of In recognition of Breast Cancer one night in May 2013, chemotherapy from Awareness Month, survivor Melanie when she felt a lump on July to November and Williamson sports pink nail polish the left side of her left then 30 radiation treatand a silver and pink bracelet. breast. It measured 5.5 ments in January and centimeters in length.

February.

“It was like it was not the size they expected, the On Valentine’s Day, she there one day and there the doctor recommended a was considered cancer-free. week later that she have a But, when she went in for next,” she says.

The following month, she mastectomy. reconstruction surgery this “I was still trying to summer, doctors decided had a lumpectomy, but because the cancer was twice grasp that I had breast to remove her right breast

Bridgewater Middle School teacher Melanie Williamson has battled breast cancer — twice.

as a precaution. Ultimately, they discovered a 6-millimeter mass.

“It’s a hip-to-hip incision, and then they go under the skin and move fatty tissue up to the chest,” Williamson says.

Then in July, 10 lymph nodes were removed on her right side, and all but one were clear.

“That dictated radiation treatment again as a precaution,” she says.

On Monday, she had her 28th treatment in her second round of radiation.

ACCEPTING HELP

Williamson remains positive and says some good has come from the ordeal.

“My family and I have been able to see kindness on a level that most people don’t get to see, because we’ve had tremendous support from this community,” she says. “Along with that, I learned to accept help from people, and it gives people an opportunity to serve, and it’s good for your healing process, having others take care of you.”

She is convinced her recovery went smoothly, because she accepted help

from family and friends, as well as members of their church and the Winter Garden Fire and Rescue Department, where her husband, John, was fire chief.

All of her surgeries took place in the summer, so she didn’t have to face long days at work. But, that meant she was home a lot, and it was hard for her two teenage daughters to see the chemotherapy take such a toll on her.

When all her hair fell out, the family went together to a wig store; she bought the second one she tried on.

She smiles while recalling strangers complimenting her on her cute haircut.

Her hair eventually grew back — darker and curlier.

Feb. 14 was the final day of her first round of radiation, so she was late getting to school. As she walked to her class, she encountered hallways decorated with streamers and posters and congratulations. Students stood outside their classrooms and cheered as she passed. Teachers brought food for the celebration.

“Bridgewater Middle has wonderful kids; they’re so thoughtful,” she says.

Parents gave her gift cards and took dinners to her house. She heard from former students and received cards and calls.

EXCELLENT CARE

Williamson is full of praise for the staff at UF Health Cancer Center at Orlando Health, which has a branch in Ocoee. All her treatments took place there.

“They are very special people and very warm,” she says. “The nurses in chemo and radiation are just very supportive, very knowledgeable and very caring.”

Williamson wants women to know that just because there is no history of cancer in their family, this doesn’t mean they can’t still get breast cancer.

“You cannot rest comfortably thinking, ‘Oh, that doesn’t happen in my family,’” she says.

There is no cancer in her family history.

She also offers her own advice: “Let your family and friends help you. You need this, and you’re not supposed to go through this alone.”

— Amy Quesinberry Rhode

Photo courtesy of Amy Martello

The Florida Hospital Winter Garden team kicked off its Pink Army campaign last month at the pink-colored water fountain in downtown Winter Garden. Dressed in pink and ready to tackle breast cancer are Trish Price, left, Amanda Maggard, Lauren Glass, Colleen Monday, Irma King and Karen Flood. Events are planned around the state through this campaign, including “Pink Parties,” and committed “soldiers” include patients and survivors and their families and friends.

WOTimes.com

THINK PINK 11

12 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

PLAYING WITH

A PURPOSE

The powerful marketing relationship between breastcancer awareness and the color pink has made its way to high-school athletes, who have embraced the cause by wearing the color during competition in October.

It’s everywhere.

From 5-Hour Energy products at the 7-11 convenience store to billboards around town to the color of this publication, the color pink increasingly has become as synonymous with October as Halloween and Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks.

Organizations and businesses around the country have embraced the usage of the color pink and the pink ribbon to promote breastcancer awareness. So, too, has the sports world.

Whether it’s professional baseball teams using pink bats or players in the National Football League being encouraged to wear pink gear during games, athletic events have become as likely a place as any to be engaged with the message of awareness for this movement — and that trend has trickled down from big-time sporting events to local high schools.

Around West Orange County and throughout

Central Florida, local high school sports teams are incorporating the color pink into their uniforms throughout the month of October. Many girls volleyball teams, such as the Olympia High School Titans, have a uniform that incorporates pink (the school’s colors are black, silver and teal), while almost every team has girls who will wear pink headbands

during competition.

Much like the NFL, local high school football teams have embraced this also, with players being allowed — and encouraged — to wear pink compression sleeves, socks, towels, skull caps, mouth guards and more.

All eight of the football programs that fall within the coverage area of the West Orange Times & Ob-

Evan Thompson, a fullback for the Foundation Academy football team, promotes breast-cancer awareness with his pink gear.

The Ocoee Knights honored all those who have been touched by breast cancer at a recent home football game.

The captains for the West Orange High School football team stand at center field for the coin toss before their game against Cypress Creek — all four wearing pink to support breast-cancer awareness. server also have embraced the cause. Some programs, including the Ocoee Knights, have gone a step further. At the Knights’ most recent home game, the team honored all those who have been touched by breast cancer — from those currently battling the disease and survivors to the deceased and family members.

“Stuff like this, it’s awesome to see when these kids are so uplifted by something,” Ocoee Athletic Director Steven McHale says of how the athletes have taken to the cause.

“When we were kids, we didn’t think about things like breast cancer, but these kids take ownership — they love wearing the pink, and they’ll wear it throughout the month to respect (the cause).”

Of particular importance to coaches and administrators is to make sure that the athletes understand the reason behind the pink gear they choose to wear.

“We try to make sure (they understand the message),” Knights head coach Dale Salapa says. “We always ask that about their families, if they’ve had anybody with breast cancer or cancer. … The guys are serious about that. I think they get the message.”

The usage of the color pink as a means to get the

message out has become one of the most dominant marketing and branding movements of our time.

The pink ribbon associated with breast-cancer awareness has a long history and gained steam in the early 1990s when beauty products giant Estée Lauder distributed them to cosmetic counters around the nation.

Today, in a culture where corporations increasingly look to cause-related marketing as a strategy to boost their brand, the association of the color with the movement has become inescapable, says Dr. Jan Mangos, adjunct professor of marketing at Valencia College.

“The pink ribbon is dominant in product marketing,” Mangos says. “I think this is because so many people have been touched by breast cancer. … It’s a very emotionally evocative subject. There’s an emotional connection to your mother and your grandmother.”

Mangos notes there are positives and negatives with the extent to which the power of pink has grown.

She says it is a definite positive that the marketing element has kept breast-cancer awareness in the public consciousness to such a high degree. At the same time, she cautions that there exists the possibility

for companies to utilize the color pink and its message in hopes of getting consumers to make “feel-good” purchases or to strengthen their brand as socially responsible with consumers, while only making minimal contributions to charities or breast cancer research.

That said, Mangos says the growing trend of highschool athletes wearing pink in some capacity to promote breast-cancer awareness

MYTH: Only women get breast cancer.

FACT: 1% of all breast cancers are seen in men.

Treatment is very similar to women. is a good thing, because it is a way to get teenagers thinking about this important topic at an early age.

“That’s very cool when you can get teenagers to say, ‘I recognize this, and I care about (promoting breast-cancer awareness), and I believe that I can have some power in affecting this,’” she says. “That’s a very priceless thing.”

— Steven Ryzewski

THINK PINK 13

WOTimes.com

“Fight Back, Fight Hard, Fight to Win”

At The Women’s Centre for Excellence, we provide skilled yet compassionate care in a warm, comforting “state of the art” environment. One of our major goals is to promote and increase breast cancer awareness by empowering our patients through education and early detection. We are “Women taking care of Women” We get you, because we are you.

Delivering at Winnie Palmer Hospital & South Lake Hospital

14 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

HEART TO HELP

Jen Vargas’ involvement with Making Strides and Relay for Life is motivated by her mother’s breast cancer and her family’s history with cancer.

For more than two decades, Jen Vargas’ life has been affected by breast cancer and other cancers.

Like so many Americans, Vargas — an Orange County resident living just a few miles from the Dr. Phillips area — has lost several members of her family to the various forms of the devastating disease.

“Cancer is a part of my everyday reality — that’s all I’ve known since I was a kid,” Vargas says.

Vargas, 36, is currently the main caregiver for her mother, Pam Steib, who, in June, was diagnosed with breast cancer after her uterine cancer — diagnosed in 2010 — went into

IF YOU GO MAKING STRIDES OF ORLANDO WHEN: 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 25 WHERE: Lake Eola Park, downtown Orlando INFO: Christy Clelland, christy.Clelland@cancer. org or (407) 843-8680 remission. Daily tasks for Vargas include helping her mother dress her wound and taking her to the UF Health Cancer Center at Dr. P. Phillips Hospital.

The task can be daunting and, sometimes, disheartening, but Vargas has

chosen to respond to the challenges life has thrown her way by fighting back and giving of herself. She is heavily involved with the annual Relay for Life event in Hunter’s Creek and also Making Strides of Orlando, a 5K walk benefiting the American Cancer Society scheduled for Oct. 25, at Lake Eola Park, in downtown Orlando.

“I wanted to be more involved,” Vargas says. “I don’t have a ton of money to give toward anything.

My time is more valuable than any sort of check I could write.”

Vargas balances her career as a freelance television, film and social-media

Caring, sharing, encouraging and supporting others as they start or are on their journey.

She is a sunshine maker, brushing the dark clouds of cancer away, making a difference in the lives of others.

Bev Daniels

a survivor 11 years.

producer with her volunteer work and the time she has to dedicate toward caring for her mother.

“Her prognosis (is that) the chemo is working,” Vargas says. “Her tumor is shrinking — you can tell it’s working. … Her new oncologist is very confident that her regimen right now will take care of both the uterine cancer and the breast cancer.”

Vargas and Steib always have had a strong bond.

Still, helping her mother on a daily basis can present challenges.

“It gets frustrating sometimes, because she’s not one to ask for help,” Vargas says. “She’ll help anybody

else all day long, but, when chance to honor her mothit comes to asking for help er — and all the others who for herself, she rarely does. have been confronted with She doesn’t want to be de- the devastating disease. fined by her disease or by “It really is, above all, inspiring,” Vargas says. her situation.”

Vargas’ work for the “There’s 50,000 to 60,000 organizations usually in- who walk in Making cludes social-media strat- Strides, and they look foregy and website mainte- ward to it every year just nance. For Breast Cancer to say that they’re a part of Awareness Month, Vargas something. I like the comis managing a schedule munity coming together that is at capacity and for one cause.”

— Steven Ryzewski feeding off the energy of other volunteers to get her through.

MYTH: “October and November If a woman is diagare very busy times for me, because Making nosed with breast cancer, Strides is Oct. 25, and she will lose her breast. it’s the largest breast FACT: All women will have cancer walk of its kind in Florida,” some kind of surgery. Most she says. “Then, women can have a lumpectomy Hunter’s Creek Reand then radiation therapy. lay for Life is Nov. If there is a lot of cancer, a 8 to 9, and that’s the largest Relay for large tumor or other risk Life event in Central factors, then the patient Florida,” might need a mastecVargas says she reltomy. ishes the actual days of the events because, if even for one day, they give her a

Personalized treatments offer greater chance of success UF Health Cancer Cen- a treatment for a patient, ter at Orlando Health on- because not all therapies cologist Dr. Nikita Shah has work the same. spent the last 15 years spe“Based on the genetic cializing in breast cancer. makeup of the tumor, these “The survival rate are the things that is so good with a will work and these proper diagnosis,” are the things that Shah says. “You won’t work,” she can save lives. As says. “We have a female medical such good treatoncologist, it was ment options.” a natural field for The main types me.” of treatment are Medical adsurgery, radiation vancements are an- Dr. Nikita Shah therapy, chemonounced continutherapy, hormone ously, and Shah makes sure therapy, targeted therapy she knows about them all. and bone-directed therapy.

“I think the big change in Typically, once a woman breast-cancer treatment in is diagnosed with breast the last five years — we re- cancer, she has surgery, ally do more personalized followed by chemotherapy medicine, meaning, the treatments. However, Shah same thing is not applica- says, studies have shown ble to everyone,” she says. that women who are preShaw takes a tumor’s ge- scribed four to six months nomic factors into consid- of neoadjuvant therapy eration before prescribing (chemo, targeted or hor-

mone therapy) prior to surgery have responded well to the treatments. And, it has been proven to change surgical options, she says.

In some cases, women undergoing therapies first and then surgery have been able to avoid mastectomies and, instead, have lumpectomies.

“Studies have shown that women who get chemotherapy prior to surgery have the best chance of the cancer never coming back,” Shah says.

Shah earned her medical degree from Baroda Medical College, in India, and completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in Chicago. She is board-certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology.

— Amy Quesinberry Rhode

WOTimes.com

THINK PINK 15

16 THINK PINK

WEST ORANGE TIMES

WE CAN DO IT! DECLARE WAR ON BREAST CANCER. Jo

Breast Cancer Survivor

JoinThePinkArmy.com. Get screened. Donate.

Enlist today at JoinThePinkArmy.com.

WO-14-21498

The Florida Hospital Pink Army is a community initiative created to increase awareness about early detection and prevention of breast cancer. By joining the Pink Army, you can help spread this life-saving message to those you love.