Dance, Culture, and Commitment to Breast Cancer Awareness
During this mashup episode, you’ll hear from supporters of Hats and Henna High Tea, a community driven event that celebrates survivors, supports patients, and raises critical funds for The Rose. These are supporters, caregivers, and champions. They talk about mothers and mothers in law facing breast cancer, the sacrifices families make, and the resilience that shows up in hospital rooms, small businesses, and dance floors. Hats and Henna Hight Tea brings culture, art, and local leadership together to focus on The Rose’s mission.
Early Screening, Genetic Testing, and Hope After Loss to Metastatic Breast Cancer
After losing her mother to de novo metastatic breast cancer, Elise turned grief into long term advocacy and board service at The Rose. She demystifies modern metastatic care, clinical trials, and lifelong treatment while urging women of every age to push for screenings and answers.
She Lost Her Job, Then Found a Lump In Her Breast
Diagnosed with DCIS while underinsured and between jobs, Ayanna Wilcher found compassionate biopsy care at The Rose and chose her own path through mastectomy and multiple opinions. Now, she leads survivor work and Rising in Grace, delivering post mastectomy comfort kits and community.
Farewell Rose Family
After nearly 40 years, Dorothy is passing the torch as CEO of The Rose. She joins us on the podcast as our esteemed guest, answering questions from fans of the show as well as The Rose team.
Meet One of The Rose’s Youngest Diagnosed Patients
Monserrat’s decision to perform a self-exam after attending a health fair changed the trajectory of her life. Upon finding a lump, she faced unimaginable challenges due to a lack of insurance. Yet, with the support of The Rose and the steadfast care of Dr. Bonefas, she navigated a grueling journey towards recovery and advocacy.
Julia Morales on Baseball, Motherhood, and Breast Cancer in the Family
Baseball built Julia’s career, but it’s the people behind the game who keep her in Houston. She traces her path from small‑town athlete to Astros broadcaster, then opens up about 2020, when pregnancy, COVID, and her mother’s breast cancer collided, pushing her to start mammograms early and speak candidly about family history and early detection.
Boardrooms, Biopsies & Breakthroughs: The Unstoppable Samina Farid
Samina Farid built her career in oil and gas, founded her own company, and forged ahead in spaces where women are rarely seen. Through it all, she faced cancer twice and found strength that reshaped both her health and her work.
The St. Jude of Breast Cancer: Dr. Dixie’s Dream for Women with Nowhere to Go
Dixie and I started The Rose because we were tired of telling women, “You have cancer, and there’s nowhere for you to go.” Forty years later, we’re back in that same fight. In this conversation, Dr. Dixie Melillo walks us from those early days of oil‑bust Houston and charity‑hospital waiting lists to today’s harsh reality: we can diagnose, but for too many uninsured and underinsured women, we can’t get them into treatment.
God Winks, Ringing Bells, and The Rose: Nancy and Shelley’s Shared Journey as Honorees at the Everything’s Coming Up Roses Luncheon
Nancy and Shelley didn’t plan to share a breast cancer story, much less two very different diagnoses, eight years apart. One faced stage zero DCIS at 41 after pushing for a 3D mammogram; the other walked into an annual screening, felt no lump, and still heard “stage two HER2‑positive.” In this conversation, we talk about what happens when two pragmatic, organized women lean on faith, friendship, and their networks to move fast on treatment—then turn around and use their experience to champion The Rose and the women who rely on us for access to mammograms, diagnostics, and compassionate care.
Why Early Mammograms Matter: Insights from a Legendary Breast Surgeon
Being a doctor has its challenges but imagine starting out when women weren’t always accepted in medicine. Dr. Elizabeth Bonefas built a practice, stood up for her patients, and guided many through tough breast cancer battles.