Breast Cancer Awareness

This week I sat down with three women who each contribute great energy to promote breast cancer awareness in our community. We kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) on this episode with Janet Beebe, CEO, of Breast Cancer Survivors Network, Kim Goff, Executive Director, of It’s The Journey/Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer, and breast cancer survivor/6x Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer participant, Yvonne Lloyd. Breast Cancer Survivors Network is a non-profit organization that supports breast cancer patients who have insufficient means to purchase breast prostheses after mastectomy as well as covering cost for mammography for women under 40 who are at higher risk for developing breast cancer. To date the organization has helped over 30,000 women in Georgia through their various services. The are currently being supported through an impressive charitable donation by McD0nough Toyota. The dealership is covering the cost of a month-long TV ad campaign on Atlanta’s 11 Alive TV with a “Drive Cancer Away” series of ads to help raise awareness of the organization and breast cancer in general.

The Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer is an annual fundraising endurance walk that takes place this year on October 11-12^th and takes participants through 30 miles of Atlanta over the course of 2 days. This year, 950 walkers have committed to fundraising and training for this event. Participants commit to raising $500-1000 each, depending on whether they intend to walk 1 or both days. Since 2002, the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer has funded 214 grants totaling $10 million to support breast health programs throughout Georgia. These programs provide mammograms, clinical breast exams, genetic counseling and testing, biopsies, support services, education, and much more. Many of our grants have a specific focus on under-served individuals in our community- uninsured and under-insured women for whom these types of breast health measures are often not available.

Kim Goff, Executive Director, of It’s The Journey/Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer brought along 6 year survivor of breast cancer (and with this year’s event, 6x participant in Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer), Yvonne Lloyd. Yvonne was kind enough to share her story of diagnosis and treatment and talked about participating in the 2 Day Walk. She gave some practical advice for folks looking to participate in the event as well as how to remain strong in the face of dealing with breast cancer through faith and support from friends and loved ones.

Special Guests:

Janet Beebe, CEO of Breast Cancer Survivors Network

31 Yr, 2 time Breast Cancer Survivor…4 time cancer survivor
President, Founder and Director of The Breast Cancer Survivors’ Network, Inc.
Recipient of multiple awards including “Volunteer of the Year” from Am. Cancer Society and United Way and “Business Woman of the Year” by Nat’l. Assoc. of Business Women
Frequently spotlighted by numerous publications and media outlets including Atlanta Magazine, ATL Journal & Constitution, Fayette Woman’s Magazine and others

Kim Goff, Executive Director of It’s The Journey, Inc/Atlanta 2 Day Walk for Breast Cancer