Let's Talk About Your Breasts

Dorothy Gibbons, CEO & Cofounder

The Rose Breast Center of Excellence presents Let's Talk About Your Breasts with Dorothy Gibbons. Each week, Dorothy hosts candid conversations with an array of people in the breast cancer community. From doctors and employees to donors and individuals who influence policy, you'll learn all there is to know about the disease which impacts so many women in our community.

  1. Sep 8

    Young Mom, Early Lump, and Life Saving Breast Cancer Treatment


    An itch, a small lump, and a thirty four year old mom who refused to ignore what her hand felt. Amber Gonzalez shares how a pea sized lump led to a triple negative breast cancer diagnosis, aggressive chemo, surgery, and hard decisions about what to tell her children. From cold caps and hats to long days at Texas Oncology with her mother at her side, Amber shows what early action, self exams, and strong support can mean for young women facing breast cancer. Support The Rose HERE. Subscribe to Let’s Talk About Your Breasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and wherever you get your podcasts. Key Questions Answered 1. How did Amber first notice her breast lump and decide to call her doctor?2. What steps led from a well woman visit to mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, and diagnosis?3. What does triple negative breast cancer, stage two, grade three, mean in practical terms for treatment planning?4. How did Amber’s treatment at Texas Oncology unfold, including Taxol, Carbo, and Red Devil chemo?5. What role did the cold cap and hats play in helping her maintain a more normal appearance for her children?6. How did she balance extreme fatigue, long chemo days, and parenting responsibilities?7. What did Amber choose to share and not share with her younger children about her diagnosis?8. How did her mother support her practically and emotionally through treatment?9. Why does Amber emphasize monthly self exams and being in tune with any changes in your breasts?10. How can friends and caregivers show up for someone in breast cancer treatment, according to Amber’s experience? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. Sep 1

    From Survivor to Board Chair: Maria Boyce’s Fight for Breast Health Equity

    Former 36-year trial attorney, breast cancer survivor, and a passionate advocate fighting for healthcare equity. Maria Boyce steps into her new role as Board Chair of The Rose, channeling her own life-saving early diagnosis into a mission to ensure quality breast healthcare is a right for all women, not a privilege. From navigating structural barriers across 45 Texas counties and supporting women through patient advocacy to making a legacy gift for future generations, Maria discusses how early detection, dedicated advocacy, and community support save lives. If this conversation has inspired you to join the fight against breast cancer, share this episode with family and friends and consider making a donation at therose.org so another woman gets the care she needs. If this story has helped you think differently about mammograms and breast health, share this episode with family and friends and consider making a donation at therose.org so another woman gets the care she needs. Subscribe to Let’s Talk About Your Breasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and wherever you get your podcasts. Key Questions Answered 1. How did Maria Boyce’s 36-year career as a trial attorney prepare her to advocate for women facing breast cancer today? 2. Why does Maria believe her annual mammograms—and access to good health insurance—were life-saving after an aggressive breast cancer diagnosis? 3. What does Maria mean when she says health care is a right, not a privilege? 4. How did her work with the Episcopal Health Foundation and her family’s commitment to health access lead Maria to The Rose? 5. Why did Maria decide to join The Rose Board of Directors and eventually accept the role of Board Chair? 6. What story about a woman choosing a mastectomy because she could not miss work for radiation stayed with Maria—and why? 7. How does The Rose help women navigate care after a breast cancer diagnosis, from finding treatment to getting through a confusing system? 8. What strengths does Maria see in The Rose’s board, and how does its professional expertise support the organization’s mission? 9. What does Maria see as The Rose’s biggest opportunity over the next forty years, especially for uninsured, underinsured, and rural women? 10. Why did Maria and her husband choose to include The Rose in their legacy plans, and what does she hope that gift will make possible for women in the future? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. Aug 27

    Why One Business Owner Shared Every Step of Her Mastectomy Journey

    Stage one, double mastectomy, and a woman who refuses to keep breast cancer quiet. Marla Hurley is a business owner, fashion show producer, and mother of three who found a lump high on her chest, pushed for answers, and chose an aggressive surgical path that let her skip chemo and radiation. From dense breasts and high risk screening to posting every step of reconstruction and inspiring other women to get their first mammogram, Marla shows how early detection and honesty can save lives. If this story has helped you think differently about mammograms and breast health, share this episode with family and friends and consider making a donation at therose.org so another woman gets the care she needs. Subscribe to Let’s Talk About Your Breasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and wherever you get your podcasts. Key Questions Answered 1. How did Marla first notice something was wrong and what made her act quickly?2. What does it mean to have dense breasts and a high risk status for breast cancer?3. How did regular diagnostic mammograms shape her outlook when she found the lump?4. What was the process from initial imaging to biopsy and a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma?5. Why did Marla choose a double mastectomy over lumpectomy with chemo and radiation?6. What did surgeons find during surgery that imaging had missed and how did that change her treatment?7. Why is she taking a long term medication for five to ten years and what does it do for recurrence risk?8. What was recovery like from mastectomy and reconstruction, including expanders, fills, and the “great deflate?”9. How did family, friends, and her three adult children support her through diagnosis and surgery?10. How did posting her journey online lead other women to schedule mammograms and catch cancer early? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. Aug 20

    Re-Grounding Your Life After Overwork and Exhaustion

    Work that never ends, bodies that never rest, and a woman who finally stepped off the treadmill. Emilee Whitehurst returns for another conversation about taking a personal sabbatical from nonstop work, listening to her body again, and building simple practices that support her health, her purpose, and her ability to show up for others. Her story gives anyone in caregiving, nonprofit work, or healthcare permission to pause, heal, and return stronger. Support The Rose HERE. Subscribe to Let’s Talk About Your Breasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, and wherever you get your podcasts. Key Questions Answered 1. What made Emily realize she needed to step away from her work and take a personal sabbatical?2. How did she overcome the fear that resting would make her lazy or worthless?3. What cultural messages about productivity and work make it hard for women to rest?4. How does Emily describe the toll of sitting at a screen, not moving, and ignoring basic needs week after week?5. What simple practices did she start or return to during her time away from full time work?6. How does she think this pause will change the way she contributes in her next role?7. Why is it so hard for caregivers, parents, and nonprofit leaders to believe they have a right to rest?8. How can women begin to notice what their bodies are telling them before burnout becomes a crisis?9. What parallels does Emily see between overwork, stress, and the way women postpone their own health appointments?10. How can listeners experiment with small pauses that support their physical health, mental health, and breast health? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4.8
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

The Rose Breast Center of Excellence presents Let's Talk About Your Breasts with Dorothy Gibbons. Each week, Dorothy hosts candid conversations with an array of people in the breast cancer community. From doctors and employees to donors and individuals who influence policy, you'll learn all there is to know about the disease which impacts so many women in our community.

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