Fighting Breast Cancer—You Can Help Change The Game

Scroll through your recent text messages. How far do you have to scroll to reach eight women? It probably won’t take you too long. Statistically, one of those women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Which one? Is it you? If that isn’t shocking enough, consider the fact that breast cancer is the most common cancer type among young adults between the ages of 15 and 39. Yes, I said most common! Let that sink in for a minute. Reread it. That should stop you in your tracks.

We have work to do. As a woman in that age range and a mother of two young girls, I feel compelled to do more. It’s not in my nature to sit on the sidelines and wait for others to do the work for me. I do my best to take care of my overall health, have regular appointments with my doctors, and am pretty proactive in screenings. Many times, that isn’t enough. You likely know someone, either directly or indirectly, who seemed to be the picture of health and is now facing an unexpected diagnosis, months of treatment, and a significant change to their lifestyle. We have to do better.

Good news! On July 12th and 13th, the WNBA All-Star Host Committee and the Susan G Komen Tissue Bank are partnering to host the All-Star Cure, a two-day breast tissue donation drive right here in Indianapolis. Scientists need healthy breast tissue to accelerate the advancement of research. This is real, life-changing work that will lead to better outcomes for all. So will you do it??? Will you help us get closer to a cure?

Women of all backgrounds are welcome to donate, but they are specifically seeking donations from women under 40 and women of color.

Join me in supporting this revolutionary initiative. Call your friends. Make a day of it. Go out and celebrate your contributions afterward. Say yes to showing up. Yes to donating. And yes to making a difference. Organizers are seeking 500 donors and hundreds of volunteers to help bring this game-changing event to life. You can find more information about getting involved here.

Sarah Mahaffa
Bedel Financial