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The Pink Agenda’s own Jackie Scharnick, the terrific board member and Secretary for our organization, was interviewed by the Today Show for their new segment, Confronting Cancer TODAY. Watch the clip above — she’s the first person giving her take on “the right thing to say or do when someone you love gets diagnosed with the disease.”

We’re so proud of you, Jackie!!

The Pink Agenda hosted our annual Spring Gala last week.  I’ve been thinking about what to write about it for the past few days — but was utterly speechless. It was hard to put into words the pride I felt for our small organization that has become so big over the past few years. It was impossible to describe the fantastic speeches made by our co-founders, Marisa Lee and Liana Guzman, by our special guest, Hoda Kotb and then our own board member, Jackie Scharnick. It was such a terrific party, demonstrating everything that our organization is about; it was beautiful, exciting, fun, stylish and memorable.

Instead of trying to find the words to describe this night and why The Pink Agenda exists, I’ve decide to post Jackie’s speech from our Gala. It’s beautifully written — and I feel sums up everything we are about.

“In 1989, Bobby Brown had a #1 album, The Cosby Show was tops on TV, the Exxon Valdeez ran aground in the Prince William Sound, and 162,000 American women were diagnosed with breast cancer. One of them was my mother.

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Reese Witherspoon, breast cancer fundraising AND cupcakes? Three things The Pink Agenda can definitely get behind!

Reese, Avon Global Ambassador and Honorary Chair of the Avon Foundation, was in San Francisco for the 5th Anniversary of the Avon Comprehensive Breast Care Center At SFGH.  She was also in Washington, DC to show her support for breast cancer awareness at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. When celebrities take a stand and support a specific charity, I think it’s terrific. Especially when they follow through with it year after year. I have seen Reese’s name in the papers for years, participating with Avon, and it’s awesome to see that they have such a personable, well-liked and extremely famous celebrity helping them raise awareness for our favorite cause.

The Pink Agenda’s Annual Spring Gala is quickly approaching. As our tickets begin to sell out, we’re also receiving some terrific press from internet gossip-monger, Perez Hilton and one of our favorite partners, Guest of a Guest.

We promise this isn’t your typical broing charity event. Not only is Hoda Kotb, breast cancer survivor and co-host of NBC’s Today show going to be giving a speech, but you’ll be entertained by benefit committee co-chairs Lauren Pierce Bush and Amanda Hearst, as well as the rest of the Pink Agenda crew.

Purchase tickets this week so you can help us raise some serious cash for breast cancer research, bid on 16 amazing silent auction prizes, eat, drink and be merry.

Hope to see you there!

Something I will never understand is when cancer survivors continue to engage in lifestyle choices that are proven to affect one’s chances of actually getting cancer. Whether it be breast, lung, pancreatic — it is common knowledge to anyone that has a brain that cigarettes are bad for you, and it makes be super mad when I see celebrities, who have raised awareness about a terrible disease, ignoring common sense.

As Stephen Colbert would say, “Christina Applegate — you’re on notice.”

Breast cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body

As reported by the BBC:

Cancer metastasis, where the cancer spreads from its original location, is known to be responsible for 90% of cancer-related deaths.

Institute of Cancer Research scientists have found that an enzyme called LOX is crucial in promoting metastasis, Cancer Cell journal reports. Drugs to block this enzyme’s action could keep cancer at bay, they hope.

LOX (lysyl oxidase) works by sending out signals to prepare a new area of the body for the cancer to set up a camp. Without this preparation process the new environment would be too hostile for the cancer to grow.

Read the full article here.

Jezebel, one of my favorite snarky lady-blogs, recently posted a serious article regarding breast cancer. According to recent reports, the sudden decrease in breast cancer diagnosis may be attributed to a warning against overuse of hormone-replacement drugs after menopause. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal:

Before the warning, six million women were taking Prempro for strengthening bones, curbing hot flashes and vaginal dryness, and other benefits. Taking hormones during menopause is generally regarded as safe, but treatment standards recommend as few years of use as possible. The government warning caused most women to quit hormone therapy immediately, and the breast-cancer decrease followed immediately. Similar declines were seen in Germany, Australia and France.

Before 2002, about 210,000 U.S. women each year were diagnosed with breast cancer, according to federal statistics. After 2002, the rate suddenly dropped to below 190,000 each year and has stayed there through 2005, the latest year in which figures are available. Other countries also registered drops.

Read more about the new findings on Jezebel.

The Pink Agenda is proud to featured on the website for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation as a new addition to their team of community partners.

BCRF is a terrific foundation to which The Pink Agenda donates a significant amount of the money we raise at our own events. We’re thrilled to be associated with them, and humbled at our group’s mention on their website.

I had lunch with an old colleague last week who told me that one of her dear friends had recently been re-diagnosed with breast cancer and instead of following conventional medicinal approaches to treating the disease, she was attempting 100% holistic care.

Her friend was already a survivor — having had breast cancer years before, going through 6 (of her 10) rounds of chemotherapy and having a double mastectomy. She felt invigorated after stopping the drugs, was free of cancer and went on to live her life. Once the cancer came back, it spread dramatically. Instead of going back to the doctors and revising the chemotherapy that she dreaded in the past, she has now turned towards the Eastern medicine approach and forgetting all Western advancements in combating the disease.

I’m sure that this is a heated topic for many breast cancer patients and their families. Which treatment is the right treatment? Which treatment will be better for the patient? Is this something we should leave up to chance?
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In the Season 5 Part II Nip/Tuck premiere, it is discovered that Dr. Christian Troy (played by Julian McMahon) has developed second stage breast cancer after revealing he had found a lump on his chest while accompanying Liz (played by Roma Maffia) who had just gotten a mammogram.

An unexpected plot twist — but also an interesting one. It’s not often that male breast cancer is spoken about in the press — or so much on a cable television show. The reality is that men do get breast cancer. It’s rare, but it happens. Breast cancer is about 100 times less common among men than among women.

According to the American Cancer Association, in 2008 about 1,990 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men in the United States.