This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re using our platform to spread awareness, share resources, and foster support. From October 4th through October 31st, 20% of sales from our curated Breast Cancer Awareness packs and bundles will be donated to The Pink Agenda in support of breast cancer research.
COMMUNITY STORIES
We’re highlighting stories from breast cancer survivors in our community as they share their own journeys with us – from diagnosis and treatment, to recovery and healing.
-
Ericka Hart
-
Rebecca Russell
CUUP: We’re talking to you during Breast Cancer Awareness month. You were 28 when you received your diagnosis. How did breast cancer, from diagnosis to treatment and recovery, change the trajectory of your life?
Ericka: I think there is this assumption that many of us make that our lives will go exactly as planned and there won't be much that throws us off course. This idea that if you are born able bodied, you will remain that way for the rest of your life. As a Sagittarius, I definitely have the tendency of being a hopeless optimist. That was the main way my life shifted, realizing that everything will not remain the same forever, there will be shifts when I least expect it and it's important to lean into the truth that nothing is promised or lasts forever. Or as my therapist says to me all the time, there is nothing in life that I can control.
C: You proudly show the scars from your double mastectomy. How has your relationship with self image and personal style changed since that surgery?
E: I feel like this question is only asked of people who have disabled bodies. No one is asking supermodels how they love themselves, it's just assumed that they do. I hold a myriad of fatphobic and ableist inherited thoughts about myself; living in this world has taught me there is a currency on bodies that are considered beautiful, and that is also a femme body’s only purpose. I have worked to see beyond how my body looks and focus on how much it holds emotionally and physically, what healing does it need? How can I show up vulnerably? What inherited thought do I need to undo to show up as my full self? Does my body need rest and have I been ignoring that need?
C: Through your work, you advocate for more visible representation of Black, queer, and nonbinary people as breast cancer survivors. What is the impact you hope this will have and why is it so important?
E: I never saw any of my identities represented in breast cancer advocacy. Even as a kid, movies and commercials that discussed cancer always came from the perspective that life was over because they were bald and fatigued. My mother was a breast cancer survivor and she wore her bald head proudly and worked begrudgingly full time throughout her chemotherapy treatments and surgeries. Even my personal experience of breast cancer before I was diagnosed was not reflected in the media. When I was diagnosed the same media representations prevailed – white women, presumably middle class because they were in a single family home with a minivan and kids, speaking like this was the most life altering moment of their lives (and I think most of these people were actors, which is a whole other issue!). But that didn't reflect the experience I was having: Black, queer, living paycheck to paycheck in a tiny apartment about to get married. I found that chemo nurses would stare at me and my partner. My doctors never informed me about how my libido might shift, nor were support groups for queer and trans survivors an option.
When I went on Google to look up what double mastectomy scars would look like on a Black person, I was met with countless images of Angelina Jolie (not topless) and white graphics of breasts. My experience with treatment and not seeing myself represented anywhere has me continue to go topless online and in public.
C: We’re donating a portion of sales this month to The Pink Agenda to support their work around breast cancer research and care, as well as spreading awareness among younger people on the importance of screenings. What is the advice you’d like to share on the topic of breast cancer screening and awareness?
E: I found my breast cancer lump by doing regular self exams in the shower. I was familiar with how my breasts felt so when I felt something that felt strange, I was able to address it immediately. I had doctors tell me that I was too young for scans and that I should wait until I was 40, do not wait! You know your body better than any doctor. Unfortunately we all have to advocate for the care we need in our current medical system – get second and third opinions, follow up with doctors as you are able. Heads up: the biggest headache with all of this is health insurance, so make sure you have coverage for scans before the exam.
CUUP: We’re talking to you during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The last time we spoke, it was around the one year mark of your cancer diagnosis. What has your life looked like since then?
Rebecca: Wow, that was such a challenging time, the complexities of discovering my new identity after the significance of my experience was profound. Carrying uncertainty and navigating healing in the midst of a pandemic was a victory. Since then, a lot of dense conditioning has gone on. I took my time to reignite and nourish my power within, the light that was dimmed for so long. I have practiced a much slower pace of life, which has brought me so much contentment. It’s been a roller coaster ride, but one with remarkable views, especially towards the end, because I am now pregnant!
C: Are there any rituals/self care practices you may have started during your cancer treatment that you’ve held onto since then?
R: Recognizing what is no longer serving me, honing into that and creating the essence of my comfort zone inside and outside of my home. Spending quality time with my amazing husband and my dog, going on trips to the beach together fills my heart with immense joy. Since I have slowed down, I cherish my morning rituals – which include matcha lattes, long strolls around Venice, and cozy evenings with my family watching the latest movies and eating yummy food. Truly doing what I want to do and being able to say no to things. Maybe it’s being more selfish, but I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. Life is short, there is nothing like a cancer diagnosis at age 31 to make that clearer.
C: After going through the IVF process and now being pregnant, how has your relationship to your body, self image, and cancer diagnosis changed in the last two years?
R: Well surprisingly enough we did not go through IVF to get pregnant. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, we went straight into an egg retrieval, and harvested six embryos, only to find out last year the devastating news that five of those embryos are abnormal. Over the last two years, we were planning to go ahead with surrogacy so I could stay on my cancer treatment. But it turns out I was able to have a break to become pregnant if I chose to. I haven’t yet shared this but in March 2022, we tried IUI (intrauterine insemination) once and we got pregnant right away. I was in such disbelief about this, after everything my body had been through, I just didn’t know if I could get there, ever. My doctor said it was only “reasonable” that I would get pregnant after cancer, and that “it would likely take me some time,” and so I couldn’t buy into the reality straight away. I stayed cautiously optimistic, though I wanted to rejoice and scream it from the rooftops immediately.
Cancer damaged a lot of my self-confidence, especially coming out of my cancer cave and going straight into a Covid lockdown. I felt bruised, empty, and quite alone. But now being pregnant I have never felt more confident in myself and my body, especially after everything it has been through. I look down at my breasts and belly and it makes me emotional. I am so proud of the resilience and vigor my body has shown me. I have never in my life felt more of a powerful woman than I do today.
C: We’re donating a portion of sales this month to The Pink Agenda to support their work around breast cancer research and care, as well as spreading awareness among younger people on the importance of screenings. What is the advice you’d like to share on the topic of breast cancer screening and awareness?
R: Firstly, thank you for supporting breast cancer research.
I’ve said it before, and I will repeat it to reach wider audiences. But you must be your own advocate, listen to your intuition even if somebody tells you you’re too young to get breast cancer, unfortunately nobody is. Get to know your body, don’t be afraid of changes but do have them assessed if they don’t feel right to you. If you are newly diagnosed please know that (unfortunately) there is sisterhood out there of breast cancer survivors like you, who would love to hear from you. The only way I made peace with my diagnosis was to be vocal about everything, and to reach out to strangers who were in a similar boat. It was the start of my healing chapter knowing I wasn’t alone, because there isn’t anything more isolating than a cancer diagnosis. Community is medicine!
Support for a cure
Now through October 31st, CUUP is donating 20% of sales from our Breast Cancer Awareness packs and bundles to support The Pink Agenda’s mission to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research and care.
MEET THE PINK AGENDA
We are excited to be working with The Pink Agenda during Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The Pink Agenda is a nonprofit organization committed to raising money for breast cancer research and care, as well as awareness of the disease among young professionals. By engaging today’s generation to find tomorrow’s cure, The Pink Agenda finds, funds, and partners with people and programs that are improving the lives of those suffering from breast cancer and conducting the groundbreaking research necessary to improve their odds.
From October 4th through October 31, CUUP will donate 20% of the purchase price of all The Pink Agenda Packs & Bundles to The Pink Agenda in support of breast cancer research, with a minimum donation of $15,000. The Pink Agenda is a nonprofit organization committed to raising money for breast cancer research and care, as well as awareness of the disease among young professionals.
COMMUNITY STORIES
We’re highlighting stories from breast cancer survivors in our community as they share their own journeys with us – from diagnosis and treatment, to recovery and healing.
-
Ericka Hart
-
Rebecca Russell
CUUP: We’re talking to you during Breast Cancer Awareness month. You were 28 when you received your diagnosis. How did breast cancer, from diagnosis to treatment and recovery, change the trajectory of your life?
Ericka: I think there is this assumption that many of us make that our lives will go exactly as planned and there won't be much that throws us off course. This idea that if you are born able bodied, you will remain that way for the rest of your life. As a Sagittarius, I definitely have the tendency of being a hopeless optimist. That was the main way my life shifted, realizing that everything will not remain the same forever, there will be shifts when I least expect it and it's important to lean into the truth that nothing is promised or lasts forever. Or as my therapist says to me all the time, there is nothing in life that I can control.
C: You proudly show the scars from your double mastectomy. How has your relationship with self image and personal style changed since that surgery?
E: I feel like this question is only asked of people who have disabled bodies. No one is asking supermodels how they love themselves, it's just assumed that they do. I hold a myriad of fatphobic and ableist inherited thoughts about myself; living in this world has taught me there is a currency on bodies that are considered beautiful, and that is also a femme body’s only purpose. I have worked to see beyond how my body looks and focus on how much it holds emotionally and physically. What healing does it need? How can I show up vulnerably? What inherited thought do I need to undo to show up as my full self? Does my body need rest and have I been ignoring that need?
C: Through your work, you advocate for more visible representation of Black, queer, and nonbinary people as breast cancer survivors. What is the impact you hope this will have and why is it so important?
E: I never saw any of my identities represented in breast cancer advocacy. Even as a kid, movies and commercials that discussed cancer always came from the perspective that life was over because they were bald and fatigued. My mother was a breast cancer survivor and she wore her bald head proudly and worked begrudgingly full time throughout her chemotherapy treatments and surgeries. Even my personal experience of breast cancer before I was diagnosed was not reflected in the media. When I was diagnosed the same media representations prevailed – white women, presumably middle class because they were in a single family home with a minivan and kids, speaking like this was the most life altering moment of their lives (and I think most of these people were actors, which is a whole other issue!). But that didn't reflect the experience I was having: Black, queer, living paycheck to paycheck in a tiny apartment about to get married. I found that chemo nurses would stare at me and my partner. My doctors never informed me about how my libido might shift, nor were support groups for queer and trans survivors an option.
When I went on Google to look up what double mastectomy scars would look like on a Black person, I was met with countless images of Angelina Jolie (not topless) and white graphics of breasts. My experience with treatment and not seeing myself represented anywhere has me continue to go topless online and in public.
C: We’re donating a portion of sales this month to The Pink Agenda to support their work around breast cancer research and care, as well as spreading awareness among younger people on the importance of screenings. What is the advice you’d like to share on the topic of breast cancer screening and awareness?
E: I found my breast cancer lump by doing regular self exams in the shower. I was familiar with how my breasts felt so when I felt something that felt strange, I was able to address it immediately. I had doctors tell me that I was too young for scans and that I should wait until I was 40, do not wait! You know your body better than any doctor. Unfortunately we all have to advocate for the care we need in our current medical system – get second and third opinions, follow up with doctors as you are able. Heads up: the biggest headache with all of this is health insurance, so make sure you have coverage for scans before the exam.
CUUP: We’re talking to you during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The last time we spoke, it was around the one year mark of your cancer diagnosis. What has your life looked like since then?
Rebecca: Wow, that was such a challenging time, the complexities of discovering my new identity after the significance of my experience was profound. Carrying uncertainty and navigating healing in the midst of a pandemic was a victory. Since then, a lot of dense conditioning has gone on. I took my time to reignite and nourish my power within, the light that was dimmed for so long. I have practiced a much slower pace of life, which has brought me so much contentment. It’s been a roller coaster ride, but one with remarkable views, especially towards the end, because I am now pregnant!
C: Are there any rituals/self care practices you may have started during your cancer treatment that you’ve held onto since then?
R: Recognizing what is no longer serving me, honing into that and creating the essence of my comfort zone inside and outside of my home. Spending quality time with my amazing husband and my dog, going on trips to the beach together fills my heart with immense joy. Since I have slowed down, I cherish my morning rituals – which include matcha lattes, long strolls around Venice, and cozy evenings with my family watching the latest movies and eating yummy food. Truly doing what I want to do and being able to say no to things. Maybe it’s being more selfish, but I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. Life is short, there is nothing like a cancer diagnosis at age 31 to make that clearer.
C: After going through the IVF process and now being pregnant, how has your relationship to your body, self image, and cancer diagnosis changed in the last two years?
R: Well surprisingly enough we did not go through IVF to get pregnant. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, we went straight into an egg retrieval, and harvested six embryos, only to find out last year the devastating news that five of those embryos are abnormal. Over the last two years, we were planning to go ahead with surrogacy so I could stay on my cancer treatment. But it turns out I was able to have a break to become pregnant if I chose to. I haven’t yet shared this but in March 2022, we tried IUI (intrauterine insemination) once and we got pregnant right away. I was in such disbelief about this, after everything my body had been through, I just didn’t know if I could get there, ever. My doctor said it was only “reasonable” that I would get pregnant after cancer, and that “it would likely take me some time,” and so I couldn’t buy into the reality straight away. I stayed cautiously optimistic, though I wanted to rejoice and scream it from the rooftops immediately.
Cancer damaged a lot of my self-confidence, especially coming out of my cancer cave and going straight into a Covid lockdown. I felt bruised, empty, and quite alone. But now being pregnant I have never felt more confident in myself and my body, especially after everything it has been through. I look down at my breasts and belly and it makes me emotional. I am so proud of the resilience and vigor my body has shown me. I have never in my life felt more of a powerful woman than I do today.
C: We’re donating a portion of sales this month to The Pink Agenda to support their work around breast cancer research and care, as well as spreading awareness among younger people on the importance of screenings. What is the advice you’d like to share on the topic of breast cancer screening and awareness?
R: Firstly, thank you for supporting breast cancer research.
I’ve said it before, and I will repeat it to reach wider audiences. But you must be your own advocate, listen to your intuition even if somebody tells you you’re too young to get breast cancer, unfortunately nobody is. Get to know your body, don’t be afraid of changes but do have them assessed if they don’t feel right to you. If you are newly diagnosed please know that (unfortunately) there is sisterhood out there of breast cancer survivors like you, who would love to hear from you. The only way I made peace with my diagnosis was to be vocal about everything, and to reach out to strangers who were in a similar boat. It was the start of my healing chapter knowing I wasn’t alone, because there isn’t anything more isolating than a cancer diagnosis. Community is medicine!
Support for a cure
Support for a cure
Now through October 31st, CUUP is donating 20% of sales from our Breast Cancer Awareness packs and bundles to support The Pink Agenda’s mission to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research and care.
The pink agenda Brief pack of 3
Sold out
SHOP TO DONATE
For the month of October, 20% of sales from our Breast Cancer Awarness packs & bundles will go towards The Pink Agenda.
SHOP TO DONATE
For the month of October, 20% of sales from our Breast Cancer Awarness packs & bundles will go towards The Pink Agenda.
MEET THE PINK AGENDA
We are excited to be working with The Pink Agenda during Breast Cancer Awareness month.
The Pink Agenda is a nonprofit organization committed to raising money for breast cancer research and care, as well as awareness of the disease among young professionals. By engaging today’s generation to find tomorrow’s cure, The Pink Agenda finds, funds, and partners with people and programs that are improving the lives of those suffering from breast cancer and conducting the groundbreaking research necessary to improve their odds.