She had the chance to change the course of her life – not just with prophlyactic surgery but with overall health. “For instance, it’s critical to maintain a healthy body weight because when there’s extra fatty tissue, there’s extra estrogen which increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer. That is why eating right and exercising are critical but they aren’t the only options. Educating young women on the myriad opportunities they have to care for themselves is a passion at Bright Pink.” (
Studies show that exercise can have a profound effect on breast cancer risk.)
Avner’s emphatic enthusiasm gets right to the point, “We have the power and the options to take action.” Awareness is no longer enough. Action has been one of the best changes she has seen in this generation: “Twenty and thirty-somethings are moving from
‘I don’t want to know’ to becoming solution-oriented.” The solutions provided by Bright Pink work to meet from opposite ends of the spectra: Helping the healthy stay healthy and helping those affected by breast or ovarian cancer get education and the community they need to be healthier. One of their unique programs is called
Pink Pal, a peer support network for women who are going through and have gone through cancer-related concerns. Bright Pink works to create friends out of strangers, helping one another in times of need. In addition, they work with
medical professionals through programs to help address breast cancer risk with their patients. Empowering others is the upward trajectory for Bright Pink. But what it all comes down to is you, and the actions you take. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about YOUR upward trajectory in the third and final installment of this series.
Originally posted 6/12/13 on mammographykc.com.