Breast cancer in your 20s and 30s - it’s Shocking Pink!

Breast cancer in your 20s and 30s - it’s not just any pink…it’s Shocking Pink!

Kylie Richardson was only 27 and Cheryle Robins just 34 when, during 2010, they both embarked on something far more unexpected, far more unplanned and far more trying than either of them could ever have imagined. That year turned out to be the year they both got the shock of their lives when they discovered their very own boobs were ticking time-bombs.

They would never look at themselves, the future or anything pink in the same way again. They were now members of the most exclusive group – two of the 370 young women aged 20-45, who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in NZ.

Driven by a genuine desire to help other young breast cancer sufferers, Kylie and Cheryle created Shocking Pink, a brand new NZ charity. Shocking Pink is dedicated to providing information, support and resources to young women (aged 20-45) with breast cancer to help make the journey through – and out the other side – a little easier. At the heart of Shocking Pink is the website www.shockingpink.org.nz – providing an informative, friendly online support and resource centre.

Finding the majority of breast cancer resources to be information-based or catering more for the needs of post-menopausal women, both wanted to give a voice to the issues specific to young women facing breast cancer and from an experiential point of view. Through their online community, Shocking Pink ensures all young women ‘in the pink’ have that same support that Kylie & Cheryle found in each other. When having to undergo fertility treatment to ensure you might one day have children, waking up at night from menopausal hot flushes and trying to cope with difficult treatment and even more difficult feelings – the two founders know that without each other their journey would have been unimaginably harder.

www.shockingpink.org.nz is not written by medical experts, trained counsellors or cancer information specialists – there’s plenty of amazing people already taking care of that. Instead, it’s written by young women telling it like it really is, because they’ve been there too and know just what it’s like to be looking down the barrel of your own bazookas! Shocking Pink enables young women to connect and share their journey, supporting each other and knowing that, while few in number, they are definitely not alone.

Shocking Pink co-founders Kylie Richardson and Cheryle Robins are keen to reach out to other young breast cancer sufferers through the new charity.

“When you’re diagnosed with cancer, life as you know it comes to an abrupt stop and you’re thrust into an unknown world of medical procedures and technical jargon,” explains Cheryle.

“Through Shocking Pink we aim to bring fellow breast cancer patients together so that we can support each other on our journey, sharing common experiences and even having a few laughs along the way,” adds Kylie.

About the founders

Kylie Richardson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010 at the age of 27. A mastectomy, 6 months of chemo and 1 month of radiation followed but with the support of family and friends she made it out the other side. Now on hormone therapy for 2 years, her ideal life plan has been altered somewhat, but she has been afforded new opportunities out of this - like co-founding Shocking Pink!

Cheryle Robins was aged just 34 in 2010 when she was diagnosed with rare and aggressive Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) while breastfeeding her 1 year old son. After 16 treatments of chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy and 25 sessions of radiation, she’s now out the other side and having continued hormone therapy. She has also inherited the BRCA2 breast cancer gene mutation and faces further prophylactic surgery in the future. With the unconditional love and support of her boys, family and amazing friends she has been able to co-found Shocking Pink and create something positive from her situation.

For more information:
• Email: info@shockingpink.org.nz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/shockingpinknz
• Twitter: @shockingpinknz

ENDS

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