Life was already hard. The pandemic made sure of that. In addition to losing my job, I was displaced from my home, my friends, and from most things in life that brought me joy. But I had my family. More specifically, I had my mother. A pillar of support, security, and… Continue reading
I first learned about Sharsheret in 2007 when I became a sister of the Mu Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority at University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. Sharsheret had already been one of Alpha Epsilon Phi's national philanthropies, so I knew what they did and why it was… Continue reading
Who hasn’t been struggling with anxiety, control issues and isolation these past few months due to Covid-19 One might think I would be a pro in this type of situation after having been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 and again in 2012. As a cancer survivor, I know… Continue reading
I thought I knew my breast cancer story. I mean, who doesn’t know their own breast cancer story! My story, as I knew it for eight years, was that at the age of 37, I shared with a friend that my breasts felt like they contained pebbles, so I had been proactively getting… Continue reading
Deedee Bitran learned of Sharsheret after her BRCA diagnosis and turned to Sharsheret for information and support while navigating difficult life decisions related to BRCA. Deedee previously experienced loss when she underwent IVF with PGD to prevent passing on her BRCA gene to… Continue reading
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer on December 5, 2019, I wasn’t at all surprised. I had felt the lump long before, but I was very involved with my mother, who had Parkinson’s and dementia. I had to frequently rush over to help her with her latest crisis, whether it was… Continue reading
“You have cancer,” said my doctor. My mother had heard the same when I was six. Hers had metastasized by the time she got diagnosed. A devastating experience for my family. Now it was me. About to lose it, I asked myself: “what would I say to a client if she were in… Continue reading
Why am I a member of the Sharsheret Jewel Circle This question takes me back to the very beginning of my most personal, and sadly, multiple connections to Sharsheret. I first learned about Sharsheret in 2001 when my sister, Margot Rosenberg Pulitzer Z”L, was battling… Continue reading
On November 7, 2019, one day after my prophylactic bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction, my surgeon visited me in the recovery center. She asked me how I was feeling. I was honest and said I was overwhelmed. She responded with a comment that really struck a chord. She said:… Continue reading
My grandmother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005. I had just turned ten years old and had arrived back home from overnight camp. I remember sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen having my mom explain the BRCA2 gene to me. She told me that my grandmother is a carrier,… Continue reading
