Our Voices: A Blog by Links, Callers and Volunteers

Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe
Teaneck, New Jersey

Gail Propp Guest of Honor	Moe Rice Recipient of the Lisa Altman Volunteer Tribute Award

Reserve your seats today!

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please call 866.474.2774 or e-mail events@sharsheret.org.

Benefit Chairs: Tammy Bryk, Pat Cayne, Thalia Federbush, Joe Lerner, Alissa Zagha
Auction Chairs: Jennifer Aranoff, Ally Cooper, Batya Paul

"What started as a personal goal of losing weight and running the marathon became a national goal of raising awareness about breast cancer and Sharsheret's programs."

- Josh Rozenberg
  Team Sharsheret Athlete

Whether you want to kick off the New Year on the right foot and improve your health, or just race for the cause, join Team Sharsheret at the NYC Half-Marathon on March 18, 2012 or the NYC Triathlon on July 8, 2012.  Team Sharsheret provides race gear, coaching, virtual training, and more to help you cross the finish line.  Race slots are limited so act fast; e-mail athletes@sharsheret.org and reserve your slot today!

It’s hard to believe 2012 is already here!  We’re kicking off the New Year with a whirlwind US trip to hear from you. 

You may remember that in September of this year, Sharsheret was awarded a federal grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch “Thriving Again: Life After Breast Cancer for Young Jewish Women,” a program that will be tailored to provide support, education, and resources for young Jewish breast cancer survivors and their families. 

Over the past few months, we have been steadily working on this new program - creating a timeline to bring you the programs and support services you most need as quickly as possible.  It’s now time to hear from you.  We want to know what YOUR needs are as a young Jewish breast cancer survivor.  We want to hear what current programs work well and what you think is missing from current programs.  We are anxious to learn what the best way is to get you the information you’re looking for.  Your feedback on these issues will help shape Sharsheret’s national programs. 

If you were diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 45, we need your help!

In January, Sharsheret will host in-person roundtable discussions in Chicago (1/10), New Jersey (1/10), Los Angeles (1/12), and Atlanta (1/19) and we would love for you to join us and talk about your needs as a young breast cancer survivor. To learn more about these discussions, email Survivorship Program Supervisor Jenn Thompson.  If you aren’t in the vicinity of our in-person focus groups, or can’t make the scheduled dates, you can still sign up to participate in a national online focus group.

But wait, there’s more!  In late February, we will also launch a national survivorship survey.  This brief survey will help us learn more about your needs as a young Jewish breast cancer survivor.  In addition to having your experience help shape national programs, you’ll have an opportunity to win a new iPad! Sign up for our occasional emails (select “Participate in Survivorship Program”) to receive the latest “Thriving Again” news.

Join us in making 2012 the year we THRIVE!

We begin the first night of Chanukah with one candle. Of course, this candle is never really alone. The Shamash, the candle that is responsible for the spark, the light from which each subsequent candle is lit, is truly the first candle. The lone flame from the Shamash lights the first candle. There is a faint light on the eve of Chanukah. The candles eventually burn down, until the next evening when another candle is added. This continues - the burning down of the candles, and the relighting the next night. With each relighting, we add a candle throughout the eight days. While this ritual takes place in the comfort and safety of the home, we are called upon to light the menorah in our front window. This light will shine to the outside world, to one’s community, and anyone else passing by who will be touched by the light of the menorah.

When a woman is diagnosed with cancer, she is the Shamash, the lone flame. Immediately, she transfers her light to those close to her - her family - and the light brightens. Sometimes though, the flame may weaken as a woman experiences the fear and anxiety surrounding her diagnosis, just like on Chanukah when the candles burn down at the end of each evening and it’s hard to see the light. But with each day that passes, there is renewal, and a woman builds upon the strength around her. She invites in more light by including her friends in her journey.

The transfer of this flame begins in the home, with those closest to her.  As with the menorah in the window, her light, representing strength and hope, can spread to the community. She shares her flame and reaps the benefit of the ever increasing light – the support from her loved ones and community. 

This is the essence of Sharsheret: Women sharing the experience of the weakening flames and the renewal that follows, the love and security of those close to them, and the kindness and reassurance from strangers experiencing the same journey. We come together and create a beautiful light offering strength and hope to one another and our community.

I just returned from the 34^th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), where Sharsheret hosted an exhibit booth to introduce the organization to health care professionals worldwide, and at which I presented on a panel addressing cultural diversity in cancer care.  It was one of the more exciting SABCS gatherings in recent years, with new research reported on the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and the continuing exploration of the role of bisphosphonates (a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone mass, used to treat osteoporosis and similar diseases ) in the care of premenopausal women.  What does this mean for the Sharsheret family – Jewish women and men affected by breast cancer – who reach out to us for information and support?

• For premenopausal women in our Peer Support Program, research scientists continue studying the use of bisphosphonates in cancer care.  As with all research, consult your health care provider about your specific treatment plan, and let us know if you’d like to connect with other young women who may already be on a similar plan.
• For women in our Embrace program living with metastatic breast cancer, research scientists presented results from a Phase III clinical trial that shows promising use of everolimus combined with the aromotase inhibitor exemestane as a new “standard of care”.  Again, speak with your health care provider about your specific treatment plan, and connect with Sharsheret’s Embrace group to meet other young women living with advanced breast cancer.
• For all women and men interested in learning more about the impact of the environment on breast cancer, the Institute of Medicine released a report featured at SABCS.

Connect with our clinical staff to find out how you can stay current on emerging research, or read the transcript of our recent teleconference: “What’s Real News in Breast and Ovarian Cancer”?

Also at SABCS, Sharsheret presented the cultural considerations for Jews facing breast cancer before an audience of close to 100 advocates.  I began with a group effort to pronounce “Sharsheret” (Hebrew for “chain” and often difficult to pronounce), reviewed the genetic concerns for 1 in 40 Jews at risk of hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer, the cultural issues for those concerned about confidentiality, modesty, fertility, and parenting, and the religious and spiritual concerns for those experiencing holidays and other celebrations in the midst of a cancer diagnosis.  I was joined by representatives from Sisters Network and Latina SHARE, addressing the needs of African American women and Latina women, respectively, facing breast cancer.  Although every woman shares common concerns while facing breast cancer, the event was a meaningful opportunity to explore the ways in which advocates and health care professionals can address the unique issues of diverse communities.

Finally, Sharsheret enjoyed a big Texas welcome from the Jewish Federation of San Antonio and its President and CEO, Howard Feinberg.  Howard, a transplant from Bergen County (home of Sharsheret’s national headquarters), introduced Sharsheret to key lay leaders and professionals in the San Antonio community.  We brainstormed ways to share Sharsheret’s education and support programs throughout the area, leveraging initiatives already in place for young leadership, women’s division, and health care professionals. 

I left San Antonio with lots to share: conference materials for our staff, research updates for all of you, and program ideas for the Jewish communities in Texas.  The only thing I can’t share is the breakfast taco, care of Howard, that I devoured on my way out of town.

It’s turkey time again! I don’t eat the bird anymore. Perhaps it’s because after my bout with breast cancer, I lost my appetite for the flying creature. For me, the holiday turkey became analogous to my breast cancer experience. I felt like I was THE Thanksgiving Turkey of 2009 - cut, seasoned, stuffed, and carved.

My breast cancer ordeal began in April of 2009. Shortly after my diagnosis, I underwent a prophylactic mastectomy at Memorial Sloan Kettering followed by a powerful chemotherapy combination. On my first day of chemo, as I sat anxiously in the waiting room, I struck up a conversation with the woman sitting next to me who turned out to be Sharsheret’s Founder Rochelle Shoretz. After speaking with her briefly, I no longer thought of my situation and myself, but of her strength and resolute courage to face down breast cancer.

My reconstruction and oophorectomy surgeries were simultaneously done days before Thanksgiving, which truly marked the end of my cancer treatment and recovery. I was finished with my surgeries and therapies and hopefully cancer-free. My 43-year-old body and mind had taken a beating over the course of 7 months, but my spirit was never broken. I was truly thankful to be with everyone who loved me.

And so, Thanksgiving took on a new meaning for me. It became a time to reflect on the things I was grateful for - like surviving breast cancer. It was a time to give thanks, not just for the obvious, but for the thousands of fortunate moments, the multitude of blessings, the doctors and nurses at MSK, and the incredible love and support of family, friends, and community during my personal journey.  Ironically, two years to the date, I am the Thanksgiving turkey once again! My new incisions and stitches from nipple reconstruction are a reminder of the past and all that I am grateful for - two years clean and cancer-free! 

I recently met Rochelle again at an event.  I was so happy to see her and know that she was well.  I am now thrilled to be a peer supporter in Sharsheret’s national network and provide support to other women. I want to inspire women with breast cancer like Rochelle unknowingly did for me during my crisis.

"I am proud to run this marathon with Team Sharsheret in honor of those who continue to fight their battle against breast cancer."

- Renana Silverman
  Team Sharsheret 2011 ING NYC Marathon

Do you love working out and want to challenge yourself but don't know where to start?  Are you an aspiring athlete and dream of completing a race, or an experienced athlete who didn't get a slot in a race lottery?  Join Team Sharsheret at one of these upcoming races:

• NYC Half-Marathon, March 18, 2012
• NYC Triathlon, July 8, 2012
• US Ironman Championship, August 11, 2012

As a member of Team Sharsheret, you'll receive:

• Race gear
• Coaching
• Training courses in the NY metropolitan area 
• Virtual training for athletes outside of the NY metropolitan area 

We'll also help you design your personal website page for family and friends, and share tips for meeting your personal fundraising goals.  With a dedicated staff member on hand, Sharsheret will help you make this the most meaningful competitive experience of a lifetime. Get started on your wish list and e-mail athletes@sharsheret.org for more information and to join Team Sharsheret today!

You’ve been training for months – some of you with Coach Moe, some of you in pairs, others going at it solo.  You found a routine – the time of day you prefer to run, the gear you wear, the route you take.  You set a course and began to feel prepared.  And then, in the middle of October, it snowed.  The power went out in some towns.  The streets were littered with fallen trees.  It became too dark to run in the evening without street lights.  The gear you wore seemed inadequate in freezing temperatures.  The route you ran was blocked off for repairs.

More than any other Team Sharsheret, this year’s ING NYC Marathon team has faced lots of unexpected twists in the road to Sunday’s race.  For some, it was natural disaster, like the storm that hit us last week.  For others, it was physical disaster – twisted ankles and pulled muscles.  But on Sunday, you will all find a way to the finish line.  The determination and strength you have shown us mirrors the determination and strength we see every day in the women and families of Sharsheret.  Young lives may have veered from their normal, healthy, paths – but in the end, our Sharsheret families find their way to the finish line with the very grace we have come to expect from all of you.

Thank you for helping us raise awareness of Sharsheret’s 11 national programs.  Thank you for helping us bring critical dollars to support our important work.  And thank you for reminding us all that when one road is littered with obstacles, there is another one waiting to bring us to the finish line, a celebration with friends, family, and loved ones.

We’re cheering you on and so very grateful!  We invite all of our Sharsheret friends to join us this Sunday at the Team Sharsheret cheering station (located at 92nd and 1st, East side of the street, North and South corners) from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. to cheer on our incredible athletes!

Best,

Rochelle

After finishing the 2006 ING NYC Marathon, I knew I would like to do it again one day, but this time for a charity organization. Being able to cross the finish line in 2011 on behalf of Sharsheret, an outstanding national breast cancer and ovarian cancer organization that provides programs and support to the Jewish community, means a great deal to me. The challenges Sharsheret tackles not only affect the program participants, but their families as well. By supporting my run on behalf of Team Sharsheret, together will be able to raise a greater awareness about breast cancer and help support Sharsheret’s programs.

I am thrilled to be competing in my second ING NYC Marathon this fall on November 6th. Throughout my training and on race day I will be thinking about the fighting spirit of the thousands of Jewish women and families supported by Sharsheret. So I am asking for your support and please give generously…..the more you give the harder I will train and the faster I will run to cross the finish line.

About 5 years ago, my 34 year old wife and best friend was struck with breast cancer.  With no family history or known risk factors she and I were shell shocked.  After hearing the words one wishes never to hear, those of a breast cancer diagnosis, while facing the unimaginable, it was the women of Sharsheret who helped my wife.  Especially during those most difficult early days, they embraced her and opened up to her, giving her the strength and courage to make the most difficult and life altering decisions.

As my wife was nearing the end of her own chemotherapy treatment, she began to speak to, and help other young women who had just been diagnosed, adding another link to the chain.  Although it is my hope and prayer that no woman (or man for that matter) should ever receive news of a cancer diagnosis, I was happy that my wife was healthy and strong enough to give to other women the same type of support and wisdom that she had been given.

I realize that until the cure is found and breast and ovarian cancers are obliterated, all we can do is support each other through the difficult journey.  Sharsheret is a way for young women to link together giving strength, courage and support when it is needed most after such a diagnosis.  As a man, the least I can do is run in support of Sharsheret so that these brave women can continue to benefit from the strength, love and guidance which they gain from the bonds of their shared experiences. 

Unfortunately, breast and ovarian cancers are extremely widespread among women today. 

So, please, link up with me to honor your wives, mothers, sisters or friends by sponsoring me as I run on my own 26.2 mile journey through the streets of New York in the ING New York City Marathon on behalf of Sharsheret.