Finding a cure now...so our daughters won't have to.

Posts Tagged ‘Volunteer’

Survivor Spotlight – Heather Stempka, Erie County

Posted By on September 19th, 2011 at 2:03 pm | 0 comments.

Following her second breast cancer diagnosis at 33 years old, Heather Stempka wanted to reassure other young women that they didn’t have to take the breast cancer journey on their own. She co-founded Linked by Pink, which is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about breast cancer in young women, particularly those who were diagnosed under the age of 45, and that provides resources to them.

While Linked by Pink is based in Erie, PA, Heather has used social media outlets like Facebook to broaden the horizons for the organization. Heather will be presenting the “Advocacy Using Social Media” workshop at the 2011 PA Breast Cancer Coalition Conference on Tuesday, October 11.

Heather’s passion for helping people led her back to school to finish her degree in psychology with a minor in crisis counseling. She will graduate next summer from Liberty University.

Linked by Pink offers $500 medical grants to assist women battling breast cancer. Currently, the grants are only available to those who live within a 45 mile radius of Erie, PA, although they hope to extend their reach further in the future. For information on how to apply for these grants, visit the Linked by Pink website.

Survivor Spotlight – Nicole Shaffer – Lititz, PA

Posted By on July 15th, 2011 at 8:55 am | 0 comments.

Nicole with husband Dave and their children Blair, Brandon, and Brady.

Nicole Shaffer was familiar with the PBCC years before her breast cancer diagnosis. Nicole, an occupational health nurse practitioner at Johnson & Johnson in Lititz,  participated in the annual Freshburst Race to benefit the PBCC in 2007. In December 2008 at the age of 35, Nicole found a lump in her breast.

A mammogram and an ultrasound both came back negative, but she wasn’t satisfied. That lump bothered her and she followed up with a surgeon and had an MRI. The surgeon confirmed that she had DCIS and Nicole had a bi-lateral mastectomy.

She has expanded her commitment to the PBCC, representing Lancaster County in our traveling photo exhibit, and co-presenting the workshop “Young Survivorship: Finding Your New Normal” at the 2010 PBCC Annual Conference.

Nicole believes that her purpose in life is to help other women. She was always a compassionate nurse but now where cancer is involved she finds herself reaching out even more. She never misses an opportunity to remind a woman to listen to her own body. Those initial tests Nicole had were read as negative but she knew something was wrong.

Nicole is now director of occupational health and wellness for North America with Pfizer. She and her husband Dave have three boys ages 9, 7 and 5. She loves to cook, spend time with her family hiking, biking and just being outside.

Home Run Derby in Full Swing!

Posted By on July 15th, 2011 at 8:52 am | 0 comments.

We kicked off the Home Run Derby with a rally at the Capitol in Harrisburg and have been on the road in the PBCC pink van ever since! Batters across the state have been stepping up to the plate with their family, friends, and coworkers in the stands to support them. Why don’t you come out and add your voice to the crowd?

If you live near one of the locations taking part in the Home Run Derby, we’d love it if you’d come out to show your support. Baseball fans, breast cancer survivors, community leaders and their families have been inspired to cheer on the teams and enjoy a day out at the ballpark while doing it. Who knows, maybe you’ll be motivated to be the one in the batter’s box next year?

So check out our website to find a location near you or to browse pictures from where we’ve already taken a swing against breast cancer. We’re still on the road for another couple of weeks, so keep your eyes out for our pink van, too! (If you see us on a highway near you, be sure to wave!)

Two week countdown: 2011 PA Home Run Derby

Posted By on June 22nd, 2011 at 2:53 pm | 2 comments.

The countdown begins!  In just two weeks, the PA Breast Cancer Coalition will begin traveling around Pennsylvania hitting the 11 minor league ball parks in our annual Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer home run derby event. Sign up and submit your $500 team registration fee by the end of June and receive five free swings for your team! Every batter and volunteer who participates receives a bag filled with goodies and unforgettable memories!

So what exactly does the winning team get? Four one-of-a-kind hot pink baseball bats, and of course, bragging rights. This is your chance to step up to the plate where your favorite minor league teams play.

Over 60 teams have already registered for the Home Run Derby, but there is still plenty of room in the lineup.  Take advantage of the June special and give your clients, friends, family and co-workers a day of fun in the sun and the experience of a lifetime!

Can’t fill a team of four batters? Register as a single batter and you’ll compete with other individuals throughout the state. This is your chance to show your support for breast cancer survivors by helping a great cause. So grab your glove, lace up your shoes and put on your game face because it’s time to play ball!

 

President’s Corner: Want To Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer?

Posted By on June 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am | 0 comments.

We want to add your name to our 2011 Home Run Derby Hall of Fame – but you need to step up to the plate to make it happen!  We’re still registering batters for each of the eleven ballparks taking part in the Home Run Derby. Register a team of four or just yourself – or give a Dad you know a Father’s Day gift he’ll talk about for years to come. 

As an added bonus for those who register by the end of this month, you will get 5 extra swings when you step into the batter’s box. This gives you even more chances to knock one out of the park. We have 11 different events happening at ballparks across the state in July, so check our website to find the one closest to you.

Home Run Derby is less than two months away

Posted By on May 9th, 2011 at 9:30 am | 0 comments.

We’re less than two months away from the start of the 4th Annual Take A Swing Against Breast Cancer home run derby events! We have over 60 teams already registered, but there is still plenty of room for you and your friends, family, co-workers and neighbors to sign up!

This month we are running a special for the teams that sign up and pay by May 31st. Sign up and submit your $500 team registration by the end of the month and receive two FREE Single Batter Registrations! You can use these single batter slots however you wish! They make great a great way to honor breast cancer survivors, colleagues, business partners, customers, friends or anyone else on your list.

Check out the full schedule to find out when we’ll be in your area. This is your chance to show your support for survivors and help to find a cure for breast cancer now…so our daughters won’t have to!

Connie Dunklebarger Cooks Up a Recipe for Research

Posted By on April 15th, 2011 at 9:04 am | 0 comments.

Breast cancer survivor and PA Breast Cancer Coalition friend and volunteer Connie Dunklebarger had a recipe for fundraising success when she compiled and sold her cookbook, I Want That Recipe, to raise money for research. She cooked up a $10,481 donation to present to the PBCC along with her husband, Ed Dunklebarger, President and Vice Chairman of Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc.

Connie shared her breast cancer journey for a Survivor Spotlight feature in a previous issue of the PBCC’s print newsletter, FrontLine. She is also an accomplished singer who has performed the National Anthem at the WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State, which benefits the PBCC in part. Special thanks to Connie for her continued valuable support of the PBCC!

Knock It Out of the Park in July, We’ll See You in October!

Posted By on April 15th, 2011 at 9:03 am | 0 comments.

It’s not just the weather heating up! Excitement surrounding the Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer Home Run Derby is at a fever pitch with the first crack of the bat just under 3 months away. While the dates are set, the lineup isn’t –so won’t you join us this July as a batter, sponsor, volunteer or spectator?

With 11 dates set at locations across the state, there’s bound to be an opportunity to get involved near you. As a special bonus, if you are one of the first eleven teams to register before the end of April, you get two free registrations for our Annual Conference in October! What a great way to see firsthand the strength and courage of breast cancer survivors and the commitment of advocates. Use the registrations for members of your team or for the breast cancer survivor or advocate in your life that inspired you to step up to the plate and take a swing!

Spring Training Has Begun! Who is Ready to Step Up to the Plate?

Posted By on March 15th, 2011 at 8:55 am | 0 comments.

Spring training is in full swing – for the Phillies, Pirates, and the PBCC! We’re happy to bring the Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer Home Run Derby to ballparks throughout the state once again. Be a part of our lineup with a special ‘Buy One, Get One’ free promotion for those registering a team before March 31!

We are looking for those who want to step up to the plate – literally – and take a few swings as a batter. We are looking for sponsors to lend their support and their dollars to the ongoing fight against breast cancer in this unique event. We are looking for volunteers to give their time and talent to make sure each day runs smoothly. Of course, we also need fans to cheer on our batters! With so many ways to take part, and eleven stadiums across PA participating, we hope you’ll make time to support the Take a Swing Against Breast Cancer Home Run Derby at a location near you!

A last hurrah at the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees

Posted By on August 17th, 2009 at 11:51 am | 0 comments.

The final stop on our 11 stadium tour took the PBCC staff to PNC Field, the home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. We had a full schedule with 12 teams stepping up to the plate. Many of the batters had heard about the Derby through local press, and that helped to get the word out! Thank you to the Scranton Times-Tribune, WNEP-TV, and WBRE-TV for your help!

There was fierce competition amongst the teams. But check out the final standings:

PeoplesNational Bank Team 2 – 1,155 points
Wilkes University Team 1 – 1,100 points
Team Sen. Bob Mellow – 1,075 points
Wilkes University Team 2 – 910 points
Berwick High School – 815 points
S/WB Yankees Front Office – 730 points
First National Community Bank – 525 points
Scranton Times-Tribune – 485 points
PeoplesNational Bank Team 1 – 485 points
Scranton Federation of Teachers Team 1 – 380 points
Scranton Federation of Teachers Team 2 – 350 points
WNEP-TV – 340 points

Out of our 12 teams, we had a few home run hitters! Joe Ferretti from PeoplesNational Bank Team 2, Jim Davis from Team Sen. Bob Mellow, Randy Dengler from Wikes University Team 1, and Chris Wychock from Wilkes University Team 2 all hit a homer!

A HUGE thank you goes out to the countless number of volunteers from various organizations including Blue Cross of NEPA. Also, another thank you to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees for their hospitality! Check out all of the photos from Friday!

In a couple weeks I will get up a summary about the entire season! The final stats are still being tabulated!