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| Celebrating Survivors |
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Congratulations to our 2008 Komen Most Inspirational Breast Cancer Survivor, Suzanne Robert.
 The Komen Orange County Affiliate is pleased to honor Suzanne Robert as the 2008 Komen Most Inspirational Breast Cancer Survivor. Suzanne is a woman of courage who was one of the first individuals in her community, the Chamorro community, to speak openly about her cancer experience in order to reach out to other men and women and to help them understand and discuss breast cancer. At the age of 35, Suzanne was told that she was too young to get breast cancer and as an Asian and Pacific Islander woman she wasn’t likely to get diagnosed with the disease. Against all medical advice, Suzanne trusted her instincts, and with the support of her husband, fought fiercely for the quality care that she needed. While Suzanne faced many barriers and challenges in her own battle with breast cancer, she wasn’t impeded from sharing her experience and using it as a catalyst to promote awareness about early detection and healthy lifestyles, encouraging breast cancer research, and celebrating survivorship across the country and in the U.S. Associated Territories. Suzanne uses her creative leadership to breakdown cultural barriers, inspiring Pacific Islander women to speak, share and learn about breast cancer issues and getting healthy. Her effectiveness in overcoming cultural barriers has moved and empowered many other Chamorro breast cancer survivors to share their personal survivorship stories on discussion panels at community events and conferences. Suzanne has also spoken at various local and national conferences to share her experience and to work toward a world without breast cancer. In addition, she voluntarily serves as a lay health educator to ensure Komen’s promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all, and energizing science to find the cures.
We are privileged and honored by her commitment and dedication. She is a positive, courageous woman to work with and a wonderful example of the power of turning a devastating diagnosis into a promise to make life better for others.
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