Every October, folks wear pink. Pink buttons and pins are distributed, and even NFL players wear pink gloves and shoes on the football fields to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. And in the U.S., the breast cancer mortality rate is nearly 40% higher in Black women than White women.
Eloyse Virginia Shultz attended Maharry Medical School, an HBCU in Tennessee, following in the footsteps of her nurse mother. Though it was far from Los Angeles, she thrived there and learned all the basics of the nursing trade, later working in a doctor’s office, then at West Adams Hospital, then at UCLA Medical. Nursing took her places. She was even once a nurse on a cruise ship to Greece!
Although she lived her life helping others with their health, Shultz died of breast cancer complications in 1999. If only she had more time, she could have benefited from today’s technology. A lot has happened since the modern mammogram was invented in 1969.
“Breast Cancer has been one of those cancers that has had the biggest improvement in mortality rates over the last couple of decades,” EVP of Oncology Hematology R&D at Astra-Zeneca Susan Galbraith said during a recent Forbes interview during the May conference of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO), where she discussed a number of breast cancer treatment innovations.
” We’re seeing a new class of drugs that’s being introduced. A better way of using chemotherapy,” she added, noting that early self-examination, screening, and stage diagnosis are all critical. “It’s a core part of our strategy to take active drugs, move them as early as possible into the early stages, where the potential for cure is maximized.”
Several new treatments have recently received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. On October 7, the FDA approved tucatinib (Tukysa, Seagen Inc., a subsidiary of Pfizer) to be used in combination with two other drugs for the maintenance treatment of locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer.
Then there are other patient concerns that new cancer drugs cannot cure.
Fernanda Mesa-Chavez of the Tecnologico de Monterrey, made an ASCO presentation which noted that a recent breast cancer survivorship program confirmed that breast cancer victims have a number of unmet needs, including nutrition, weight control and depression.
Locally, there are a number of programs designed to reach out to survivors and their families in October and year-round with fundraising events to support survivors; research grants; patient care; and education programs.
The Susan G. Komen foundation envisions a world without breast cancer. It has invested nearly $3.6 billion in groundbreaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 60 countries.
Over the past 30 years, 29 new breast cancer-fighting drugs were made possible in part due to Komen research funding. At its annual More Than Pink Walk held last Sunday in downtown’s Los Angeles State Historic Park, volunteers walked supported people impacted by breast cancer by raising more than $646,500.
Black Women for Wellness (BWW) hosted its fourth annual bra party, “Boobs & Bling 2026: Bigger, Bolder, Brighter” on October 18 at the Lakewood Country Club. Billed as an afternoon celebration of breast health, Black joy, creativity, and sisterhood, guests enjoyed bra-decorating with rhinestones, feathers, fabric and paints.
“Women paraded around the golf course in their decorated bras,” BWW Program Director Arnedra Jordan said of the Second Line celebration which began four years ago with 50 participants. “We had over 300 attendees this year.”
The free event also included a panel discussion; bra fittings; wellness activities; and a lingerie fashion show.
“The panel discussed breast love,” Jordan added. “It talked about the phases of our breasts: puberty, menopause, saggy breasts, etc. It was a wonderful discussion,” Jordan said.
Breast reduction was also a topic, along with how breast cancer victims view themselves.
“With our hair, makeup, if you want to wear makeup,” Jordan said. “Losing breasts does not mean that they have to look like what they’ve been though.
“And they don’t have to do it alone,” she added. “So many women shared their stories.”
Year-round, BWW has a food drive on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.
“Community members can come and get bag of fresh vegetables, fruit, and staple items,” Jordan said, noting their vegetarian pantry is open to those who sign up on the website. “Everyone’s welcome. We don’t turn anyone away.”
The Breast Edit annual event was held by Oncology Aesthetics and Wellness (OAW) on October 23, and provided access to a number of resources, connections to community, and vendors offering wigs and post-chemo extension installation.
OAW works to restore comfort, confidence and a true sense of self for cancer patients. At their event, they even provided interested patients with “CPR,” a special procedure that cuts their hair prior to treatment, preserves it, so it can be restored and made into their own wig for use after treatment.
An areola pigmentation company was also featured, which offers tattoo applications for patients who have lost nipples to single or bilateral surgery of their breasts.
OAW panel talks included clients and breast cancer professionals, including a breast oncology surgeon, who talked about navigation of treatment; what to specifically ask your medical professional; and how to manage expectations regarding side effects.
Courtney Hollander, a breast cancer survivor, was also part of the panel.
“I did hair restoration at OAW, where Deborah McDowell helped me through the process,” Hollander said. “When I lost my hair, she helped me with a wig, and after my hair grew in, I had extension for maybe about a year.”
At the time, Hollander was relieved that she no longer had to be concerned about her hair, or looking sick.
“I was able to live a life where, on the street, I didn’t look like a person going through cemo,” she said. “Losing hair can be very traumatic, so this was very helpful. We became good friends through the process.”
Look Good Feel Better is a non-medical, brand-neutral public service program that virtually teaches beauty techniques to people with cancer to help them manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment.
The program also provides connections to beauty professionals and includes lessons on skin and nail care, cosmetics, wigs and turbans, accessories and styling. The program is open to anyone with cancer who is undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or other forms of treatment.
We are in the final days of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it is never too late to help in the fight. Visit https://m.teamkomen.org/jlo8j. Every dollar raised makes a difference toward a future free of breast cancer. Every year, tears are shed in remembrance of Eloyse Shultz and others who lost their fight against this disease.
Miss you mom.
