Brave & Beautiful
- Oct 1, 2025
- 12 min read
Published in TOPS Magazine, October 2025
“In some form or another, breast cancer affects all of us. If you are lucky enough to never have to go through it yourself, chances are you’ll have a family member, friend, or neighbor who will. For me, it was my mom. We were lucky enough to be able to enjoy the next six years after her original diagnosis, with all the ups and downs that come with cancer treatments and countless doctors’ appointments. Now, I spend every day in her honor, in hope that everyone who is going through something similar can find strength, community, and healing.
This October, give an extra big hug to any woman you know who has endured breast cancer, and make sure she hears your words of support and encouragement. And even if you don’t know anyone personally who has been affected by breast cancer, be sure to show your appreciation for the people you love, because you never know when life might throw you a curveball.” -Emma Reilly, TOPS
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For some, a hard day can look like having a long day at work or being late for a meeting. For others, it can mean getting a flat tire or coming down with a cold. For Amanda Bowers and Michelle Jones, hard days have come to mean something entirely different, and it’s all a matter of perspective.
Both women are breast cancer survivors, and while no two cases are exactly alike, each of them has experienced the long road that comes with this life-changing news.
Bowers was diagnosed with stage four invasive ductal carcinoma in January 2024 at age 38. While her cancer was found too late to receive surgery, she is currently on her third round of chemotherapy treatment at CHI Saint Joseph Health.
“My motto since day one is, ‘don’t let the hard days win,’” Bowers said. “I actually got it tattooed on me. Every time you go [to the doctor’s office], you’re just getting worse and worse bad news. So one day I looked at my mother-in-law, and I was like, ‘You know, we can’t let these hard days win.’ I just try to be as positive as possible … And I do have a kind of dark sense of humor sometimes about it, because this is how I cope with it, I guess. I mean, if I don't, then I'd rather laugh than cry at myself.”
Only 4% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. are under 40, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Because she was so young at her age of diagnosis, with no meaningful family history of breast cancer, Bowers is a proponent for regular mammograms to aid early detection.
Jones was 46 when she was diagnosed and received her last round of chemotherapy and surgery at the end of last year. She advocates for everyone, especially women of color, to be consistent monitors of their own health.
“If you don't feel right, something doesn't feel right, get it checked out. Because you just never know, and early detection is so important,” Jones said. “And I know for me, when I first got diagnosed, there weren't even a lot of stories that I could find out there from people of color.”
She discovered that while white women are the group that is most commonly diagnosed with breast cancer, Black women have the highest mortality rate. Though Black women have a 5% lower incidence rate of breast cancer, they have a staggering 38% higher risk of dying from the disease, according to Breastcancer.org.
“And the reason is, most Black women are not going and getting checked, and by the time their breast cancer is found, it's stage four, and it's too late, and they don't survive,” Jones said. “So that was one of the reasons that it made me feel like, hey, there's a bigger purpose, and I need to share my story and not be embarrassed or shy about it, because my story might make someone want to go get checked, and it could save their life.”
Though both women were diagnosed around the same time, Jones’s course of action looked slightly different from Bowers’. She received a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, as well as chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment.
“You really have to kind of sit down and talk with your oncologist and your surgeons to figure out your personal game plan, because everybody's just so different,” Jones said. “As soon as I found out, you know, you’re scared, you’re nervous, all these emotions. But the first thing that hit me after I felt all those things … I let myself feel them. I let myself be sad for a second. Then I said, ‘Okay, what do I need to do to survive?’ And at that point, I was ready to take the most drastic measures that I could, because I would rather have all this cancer removed from my body and live than worry and guess, ‘Am I going to be okay?’”
The topic of support is a big one when it comes to something as significant as a cancer diagnosis. Breast cancer is a unique and personal journey for each woman who goes through it, but Bowers says her village of help has made a difference.
“I have my husband here, who keeps pushing me every day … If it weren’t for him, I’d have probably given up, but my mom and his mom, my sister, they’re literally the four people I can always rely on,” Bowers said. “My mom lives a little over two hours away. [My husband’s] mom lives about an hour away, and she comes and takes me to treatments when he can’t, so she’s been a big help, and my mom comes when she can.”
Bowers said her 17 nieces and nephews also motivate her to stay active, and she spends as much time with them as she can. Jones shares a similar sentiment.
“I always say I was very blessed. My family and friends stepped up in a big way,” she said. “I had support right out of the gate. I had people volunteering and taking turns sitting with me through chemo, sitting with my mom, like one of my best friends that I also work with. She sat with my mom during my seven-hour double mastectomy surgery at the hospital so my mom wouldn't be there by herself, because my mom lives three hours away.”
Jones said that while she has always seen herself as a positive person, she stayed strong not only for herself, but for her nieces and nephews, whom she helped raise.
“Not only do I want to watch them grow and be amazing human beings, but I also don’t want them to ever not have me around, because I’m definitely their number-one supporter in all that they do. They were my reasons for fighting hard,” Jones said. “For a little bit, they would look out for me, take care of me, wait on me, hand and foot. I think they enjoyed getting to take care of me some, since I always take care of them.”
Beyond support from personal friends and family, both Jones and Bowers said that meeting other women who have gone through breast cancer through support groups and volunteering has made a big difference.
“I always say cancer is very hard. And when it comes to breast cancer, for women, not only are we losing our breasts, but then we lose our hair, we lose our eyelashes, we lose our eyebrows … all the things that society said, ‘These are the things that make women beautiful,’ we lose them all. So, for women who don't have a support system, mentally, it could be very tough. And if I didn't have the support I had, I definitely think it would have been very tough on me,” said Jones.
Generally, hospitals do not have the resources to provide some of the items that would make mastectomy surgery and chemotherapy treatment comfortable for breast cancer patients, which is where organizations like Betty’s Brave & Beautiful Hearts Foundation and Kentucky CancerLink become valuable.
Betty’s Brave & Beautiful Hearts Foundation started only two years ago. Jones was the first recipient of one of their care boxes, which are filled with items like chest port access shirts for chemotherapy boxes, and mastectomy recovery pillows for surgery boxes. Kentucky CancerLink also gifted Jones with two wigs, as she had lost her hair during chemotherapy treatment.
“When you're going through chemo, it's an expensive process because insurance doesn't pay for everything. So the last thing you want to do is spend money on different things that might make it more comfortable for you,” Jones said. “So they worked hard … they went out and got the things to … make chemotherapy as relaxing and comfortable as possible.”
Since Jones’s first box, Betty’s Brave & Beautiful Hearts Foundation, led by Rebecca Baker and Madalyne Kinnett, has donated over 500 boxes in less than two years, each one valued at around $500 if the women were to purchase each item themselves.
Bowers, who also received a box, said, “[Rebecca] has got to be one of the nicest people I’ve met in my life. Rebecca and Madalyne have just been so amazing, and every time I talk to them, they text me nonstop to check on me … Once you’re a part of their group, you’re part of their family.”
As a part of the support group, all of “Betty’s Girls” have created a space for mutual sharing and understanding in a way that even family and friends cannot match.
“It makes a big difference to be able to talk to someone who understands 100% what you're feeling, what you're thinking, what you're going through,” said Jones. “Because sometimes I feel like we think we're bothering our family and friends if we are just having a bad day and we want to vent about something, you know, but we can kind of turn to one of our sisters, our pink sisters, and then we can get that support there.”
Jones said that while it’s nice to have each other, it’s sad to see how much the group has grown in a short time, because that means that many more women have been diagnosed with breast cancer. However, the sense of community among the women involved has grown tremendously.
“When somebody gives you something special like that, it makes you feel good … and I know it makes them feel great, as well. It really does show that they're thinking of you and they care about you,” Bowers said of the organization and receiving her box. “There are lots of free resources that we’re not aware of that are there to help you, and they are more than happy to do so. Always look into those things, whether you’re a caregiver or actually a patient.”
During difficult days, Bowers said the greatest help someone could provide a breast cancer survivor is their time and company. Her husband is her main caregiver, and long weeks of treatment and recovery meant that sometimes, neither of them would have any energy left to maintain their home as usual.
“It's the simple things,” she said. “It's the help, you know, help and cleaning your home. Walking your dogs, mowing your yard, simple things like that will go a long way. A long, long way. People don't even understand that.”
For those who are just starting their journey, Jones suggests being as prepared as possible and not being afraid to rely on others when necessary.
Even in the midst of personal hardship, both Bowers and Jones make an effort to assist other breast cancer survivors in any way they can.
“I also make my own little chemo care packages for people. I made one for a girl I don't even know,” Bowers said. “They make me want to be better … And their helping me makes me want to help other people. So it's a great thing to help others when you can, especially when you've been given so much.”
The years of complex treatment plans and hard days have changed both women’s outlooks on life. It’s amplified their goal of helping others, advocating for themselves, and staying motivated to support their loved ones whenever possible.
“I think there were a lot of times when I would say no to a lot of things, like, ‘Oh, no, I don't want to go there. I don't want to do that.’ And I feel like, now I've realized, life is short, and it can hit us out of nowhere … things can change. So we really have to live in the moment,” Jones said. “Take the chances, take the trips, enjoy life, live it. Because we only get this one, and that's it. Breast cancer definitely showed me to get out there and enjoy life and live it to the fullest, because tomorrow's not promised, and that's what I try to do now. So I try not to miss out on any of the important things, and I try to be as present as possible, but just go out and live life and have fun.” •
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Connect:
Betty’s Brave & Beautiful Hearts Foundation
Rebecca Baker, Madalyne Kinnett
bettyshearts.org | braveandbeautifulhearts@gmail.com | @BettysBraveandBeautifulHearts
At Betty’s Brave & Beautiful Hearts Foundation, we are devoted to providing women facing breast cancer with direct, compassionate support that makes a real difference. Our focus is on direct action – equipping women in Kentucky with the tools they need to navigate their treatment and recovery with greater comfort and dignity.
Through our post-mastectomy and chemotherapy care kits, we offer thoughtfully selected items that provide comfort at home, ease physical challenges, and remind each recipient that she is not alone. These are the same items that supported our founder and her mother in their own journey – chosen with deep understanding and care. We believe every woman deserves to feel seen, supported, and cared for during this difficult time. That’s why our mission goes beyond words – we deliver hands-on help, one kit and one brave heart at a time.
Any woman in Kentucky going through breast cancer can easily connect with us by visiting our website and clicking "Request a Box." From there, a quick form lets us know what's needed, and we follow up to ship or hand-deliver a care kit.
For community members who want to help, we welcome volunteers and donors! We function completely by donations and volunteers – and we couldn't do what we do without the generosity of our community. Every gift, whether big or small, makes a direct impact and helps us continue loving and supporting brave and beautiful women across Kentucky. The best way to get involved is by following us on social media to keep up to date with us and get involved.
Kentucky CancerLink
Melissa Karrer
kycancerlink.org | melissak@kycancerlink.org
The mission of Kentucky CancerLink is to reduce barriers to cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment for Kentuckians. At its heart, the organization strives to be a link to hope – connecting individuals with the resources, support, and compassion they need during their cancer journey. Through services like free wigs/headwear, post-mastectomy items, lymphedema garments, transportation assistance through gas cards, connection with additional community resources, and access to early screenings, Kentucky CancerLink aims to make a meaningful impact on cancer incidence and mortality across the Commonwealth.
There are several meaningful ways people can get involved with Kentucky CancerLink and help serve as a link to hope for Kentuckians impacted by cancer. Kentucky CancerLink welcomes volunteers to assist with events, outreach, and support services. Financial contributions help fund vital programs like: free wigs and headwear, fuel cards for transportation to treatment, compression garments and post-surgery products, and cancer screenings/patient navigation services. You can donate directly through our website.
Colors of Promise
Vanessa Webb-Brown
colorsofpromiselexky.org | colorsofpromiselexky@gmail.com
Colors of Promise believes no woman should face breast cancer alone – or without access to life-saving education and care. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we are dedicated to increasing awareness, education, and prevention – especially among women of color and those in socially disadvantaged and low-income communities, where disparities are greatest. Through a diverse range of events and initiatives, Colors of Promise has made a measurable and lasting impact within the community. In 2024 alone, our outreach efforts engaged more than 20,000 individuals, extending critical health information and support to underserved populations. As a volunteer-based nonprofit, we rely on fundraisers, donations, and sponsorships to sustain our efforts and expand our impact.
My Pink Navigator
Bobbie Niehaus
mypinknavigator.org | mypinknavigator@gmail.com | @my_pink_navigator
What makes our nonprofit organization so unique is that it was founded by a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed at the young age of 31 years old with no family history. My Pink Navigator’s mission is to eliminate barriers and provide organization in the lives of breast cancer patients through education and navigational support. We provide care packages and resources to patients based on their journey and treatment plan. We also provide transportation and lodging assistance. We want to inspire and empower patients during and after their journey by hosting fashion shows, photoshoots, and events. You can support our organization through monetary donations, donating items for the care packages, volunteering for events, or learn more about being a board member.
Events:
Colors of Promise
4th Annual Pink Out Gala
Saturday, October 11
7-11 p.m. | Luxury Venue (160 Moore Dr.)
Purchase tickets
Betty’s Brave & Beautiful Hearts Foundation
2nd Annual All for Betty Charity Ride
Saturday, October 11
Ride: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. | Survivor Stop: 2-4:30 p.m.
Man ‘O War Harley-Davidson (2073 Bryant Rd.)
MORE THAN PINK Walk
Saturday, October 25
10:45 a.m. | Slugger Field (Louisville, KY)
Register here
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