Dorothy: [00:00:00] Today we’re talking to Sharon Cho, who is a two time breast cancer survivor. But her claim to fame is being the head of the dessert table at the Shrimp Boil. For over 20 years, she has headed up that table and brought her volunteers and found people to bake cakes, cookies, pies, and even banana pudding to sell at the Shrimp Boil.
Sharon alone has baked up to 12 Pineapple Upside Down Cakes in one year. And this year, she’s already sold six of them. So if you want a Pineapple Upside Down Cake, you have to come early and get your name on it. Sharon has two words of advice for women debating whether or not they really need to get their mammogram. And those words are, Don’t wait. She is so right. If it’s time for you to have your mammogram, Insured or uninsured, give us a call here at The Rose and we will get you scheduled. Mammograms [00:01:00] do save lives.
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Let’s Talk About Your Breast, a different kind of podcast presented to you by The Rose, Breast Center of Excellence and a Texas treasure. You’re going to hear frank discussions about tough topics and you’re going to learn why knowing about your breast could save your life.
So Sharon, thank you so much for being with us today. I can’t wait to talk with you and— And just appreciate all the things you do for The Rose.
Sharon: Thank you. It’s my pleasure to be here.
Dorothy: So how long have you been a part of the Shrimp Boil?
Sharon: I think the first Shrimp Boil I attended was [00:02:00] in 1998.
Dorothy: Oh my gosh, you’re really one of our oldies. Oh.
Sharon: And at that Shrimp Boil, I won the liquor basket. So that was a good first time for me.
Dorothy: Yes.
Sharon: And I was introduced to the Shrimp Boil by, um, Judy Pareya.
Dorothy: Uh huh.
Sharon: So I had known her for a couple years and she had told me, Sharon, why don’t you come to the Shrimp Boil? And I was like, you know, I think I will. And so I went. And so I had a good time.
Dorothy: Yeah.
Sharon: A lot of fun.
Dorothy: Where were we then?
Sharon: Um, at the. place over on, uh, the Annex, the Pasadena Annex.
Dorothy: Before we moved to the Pasadena Convention Center, yeah. How many years before we roped you in to being a volunteer?
Sharon: Um, I think two years. Then, um, Marnie was in charge of the desserts.
Dorothy: Mm hmm.
Sharon: And, um, I had been making cakes for various people, for family, friends, even when I was [00:03:00] working, um, Some people at work wanted cakes or whatever so I’d make those and then so I thought well Let me make a couple cakes and see how it goes. And so at that time The committee was just selling the dollar slices. All the cakes were sliced up. And I told Marnie, I said, why don’t I make a couple cakes, and try to sell them whole? And she said, Okay. And so I remember I had made three cakes, and one was a strawberry cake, we hadn’t even opened yet. And there were some electricians there doing some work. And one of them saw the strawberry cake and he bought it. So he was the first customer to buy a whole cake. So, um, after Marnie moved away, she asked me, well, would you want to be in charge of the desserts? And I was like, ooh. It’s like, okay, I will. And so I have been ever since.
Dorothy: Oh, that’s a long time too.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: [00:04:00] Yes. When you do the dessert table, is that what we call a dessert table? And we don’t call it cake or pie or anything. Uh, how do you decide which cake is sold whole and which ones do you slice?
Sharon: Okay, the ones that are sliced, some people bring cakes just in a pan.
Dorothy: Uh huh.
Sharon: That maybe they want back. And we slice those or some people might even buy a store bought cake. And so we slice those. Um, and those are good dollar slices.
Dorothy: Right.
Sharon: And, um, some of it just depends on the need. If there’s a lot of people buying the sliced cakes, then we might take something that we would normally sell whole and put over there. But if something is like a layer cake and it’s really pretty and everything, of course we’re going to sell it whole.
Dorothy: Of course we are. Do you remember what the bid was for the— The one that was the most ever.
Sharon: I can’t.
Dorothy: It was $2,500. It was that beautiful [00:05:00] cake. I’m not even sure how it got in the live auction, but it did. And $2,500 for a cake. Oh my gosh, that was amazing.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: How many volunteers do you have at the table?
Sharon: It varies. We usually have five or six.
Dorothy: Mm hmm.
Sharon: Um.
Dorothy: You’re cutting and wrapping and arranging.
Sharon: Cutting, wrapping, and then you got people down on the dollar side.
Dorothy: Mm hmm.
Sharon: And we got a lot of customers since we have so many tables. They just come here and there all along, so we need somebody to kind of be there for them.
Dorothy: Right, right. Now, you are also a breast cancer survivor.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: Did you come to The Rose?
Sharon: No. I first had breast cancer in the year 2000 and I was 46. So that was young from what I’ve heard. And, um, I had insurance. I was working at, at HLNP at the time. So I had insurance. And of course I [00:06:00] had a mastectomy on one breast and then chemotherapy. Surgery. Um, I was told that I had the breast cancer gene.
So, actually, I had my ovaries taken out after that because they say the same gene that causes breast cancer also causes ovarian cancer. And I knew to kind of be on the watch out for my, from my right breast because you know it could come at any time. And so sure enough in 2017 then I was diagnosed with breast cancer again and I did have insurance too at that time but I did come to The Rose because I was familiar with here.
So I came here, I was diagnosed with the breast cancer and then I was referred to a surgeon at MD Anderson and um, Thankfully, I caught it in time. Same with the other one I caught in time. And, um, I didn’t need chemo or radiation, but I did have a mastectomy. So I had a choice if I wanted the mastectomy [00:07:00] or the chemo, radiation. And it’s an easy choice for me.
Dorothy: Right, right, yeah.
Sharon: So, everything’s good.
Dorothy: Well, that is terrific.
Sharon: Yes, yes.
Dorothy: I mean, you caught it early.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: You continued to have your mammograms.
Sharon: I don’t need mammograms anymore.
Dorothy: But, I mean, before you were.
Sharon: Oh, yes, yes. Oh, definitely. Because I knew at any point I could have another instance. And they told me it wasn’t related to the other one. Just because I had the gene, it was just a second. It was just a single occurrence for a second time.
Dorothy: And that often happens. I mean, it’s very hard to understand. How can this not be the same. But there’s so many different varieties of breast cancer, you know, so that, uh, that can be very, uh, confusing, but it’s also great that you were keeping up with it and on top of it.
You know, that is what our uninsured women don’t always have the luxury of doing. They know they might need a mammogram, but there’s too many other things [00:08:00] that get in the way of that, so. And the funds for the Shrimp Boil go to that program. I mean, this is the one. All of our special events do, but boy, this event, you can see people in the room that have been our patients.
Sharon: Right yeah.
Dorothy: And some have been helped and some were, came to us to help other women. So that is, that is one of the big parts of, of the Shrimp Boil. How would you describe the Shrimp Boil? What, what happens when people come to it?
Sharon: Well, for one thing, they have a good time because there’s, I mean, you know, you sometimes, I mean, even for me, I see people that I haven’t seen maybe since the year before.
And so it’s a way of getting together with your friends and at the same time, um, generating some funds for those that aren’t as fortunate. There’s always music and a lot of activities. So it’d be very, very, busy, you know, going, looking at all the items for [00:09:00] the, the auction and the silent auction and then, um, entertaining. And so it’s always a good. Yeah.
Dorothy: So if you’re never been, you’re not going to feel alone or you’ll just be one of the crowd because there’s so many people.
Sharon: Yes. And so many different activities for whatever you want to do.
Dorothy: Right. So let’s go back to your job. How You know, I know you said Marnie said. Would you take it on? Did you ever find it hard to get the, enough cakes for what you needed? Have we ever run out of desserts? I think we have.
Sharon: We haven’t really run out, but sometimes at the end there’s just a few little stragglers, you know, that’s why I have to call them stragglers, because I don’t know, maybe we had too many of, of um, a certain kind of cookie or something.
I know one year some company donated, I don’t know, 500 cookies [00:10:00] or something. And it was like, we had a few of those left at the end. But when, when the cakes, especially the cakes, when they’re gone, they’re gone. And we tell people when they come in, if you see something and you want it, you better go ahead and get it now because it won’t be here later. And a lot of them have really learned that.
Dorothy: And what is your specialty?
Sharon: Uh, the pineapple upside down cakes. I, this year I’ll bake twelve. And the most I baked was eleven. And, and um, they’re sold out within an hour or so. So I have my regular customers. I know six people. of them already sold.
Dorothy: Pineapple upside down.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: You know, you just don’t see that very much anymore.
Sharon: You don’t.
Dorothy: Yeah. So I know that’s a bestseller. And others bring great cakes.
Sharon: Yes. Yes. Yes.
Dorothy: Give us a variety of different kinds.
Sharon: Everything. Strawberry cakes, the coconut cakes, carrot cakes. We’ve even had [00:11:00] Gluten free cakes, sugar free cakes. Chocolate is always, of course, a big seller, banana cakes, I mean all different, just kind of sweet, and then the pies, I made a chocolate pecan pie one year, and I remember this guy coming up, and he was like, Man, I need to take this thing home. I’m going to heat it up and put ice cream on top of it. It’s like, oh my gosh, that sounds so good.
Dorothy: Yes.
Sharon: Because I had never put ice cream on it before, but I guess it was good because he came the next year looking for one and I hadn’t made one, so.
Dorothy: So I know that you, you, you. often have, uh, banana pudding there. It has never been there when I go up to get a bowl.
Sharon: So it’s already sold out.
Dorothy: It’s sold out. I know. That’s an example of something, if you want it, you better get it early.
Sharon: That’s right. That’s right.
Dorothy: And how much money does a dessert table bring?
Sharon: Well, we have, my team has a goal every year of $2,000. But, one year we made [00:12:00] $2,600. So, we’ve always made our goal.
Dorothy: Yeah.
Sharon: Last year, I think we did $3,500.
Dorothy: You did. Yes. Yes. It was a great year.
Sharon: Exciting.
Dorothy: Oh, absolutely. That’s a huge amount.
Sharon: Yes. Yeah.
Dorothy: And, I mean, we’re talking about cakes that people donate and then turn around and come up and buy just for the cause. That always amazed me. I thought, you brought that cake, you know, now you’re buying a slice of it.
Sharon: Yes. Yes.
Dorothy: That’s the generosity of that of our community.
Sharon: Yes, and it’s exciting, too, to see, um, I know we don’t keep the cash behind, behind the tables very often, or when it gets a little bit high, we turn it in, and they leave us receipts. So, I try to go through the receipts and look, oh, have we made our goal yet on the cash? And then the credit cards, everything on top of that is just like, gravy, you know.
Dorothy: Right, right. Oh, you have a great, it is a great, uh, part of the Shrimp Boil. I think people really look [00:13:00] forward to it.
Sharon: And then the girls that have volunteered with me for, since the beginning, they, um, they’re excited as I am to make, oh, we’re at $2,000. Okay, everything else is just like fluff on top.
Dorothy: Oh, right, right. So tell me what are cake pops? I’ve heard you talk about those.
Sharon: Cake pops? They’re, um, actually cake. Little round balls of cakes and they’re on sticks. And, uh, last year was really the first time my friend Karen had made, had made some and they sold out quickly.
Dorothy: Yeah.
Sharon: So.
Dorothy: Because we do have, we have adults, children.
Sharon: Mm hmm.
Dorothy: Yeah. Of course, everybody likes desserts, but still, you know, there’s something there for everyone.
Sharon: Now last year was the first time I did Rice Krispie Treats. I put them on a stick, I dipped them in chocolate, different colors of the chocolate, and um, put little sprinkles on them, and put them on sticks, and they went over very well too. So they’re going to be back this year too.
Dorothy: So you have [00:14:00] regular volunteers that help you, and you have regular cake makers that help you, or bread makers like Helen and her breads.
Sharon: Yes. Yes.
Dorothy: Uh, but you could always use more.
Sharon: Oh, yes. Yes. We can always use more desserts. And we can always use more volunteers.
Dorothy: Do they have to let you know they’re bringing a dessert?
Sharon: No.
Dorothy: How does that work? They could just bring it the day of?
Sharon: They could just bring it. Yes. They can bring it the day of. Some people actually don’t bring theirs until maybe an hour after it started because for some reason or another they can’t get there right at the fork when it starts. So they’ll come a little bit later and— So we have new supplies coming in, but most of them get there before.
Dorothy: So, you know, this year we’re doing the eighties theme back to the eighties. So who are you going to come as, or what are you going to wear?
Sharon: I don’t know.
Dorothy: I don’t either. I keep saying, what is the eighties? But lots and lots of people have ideas about what they’re going to be wearing and how they’re going to help us [00:15:00] celebrate. The Rose, was born in the 80s. And so with it being our 35th annual Shrimp Boil, I mean, we, we needed some other Theme for this year. Yeah, it’ll be fun. The Shrimp Boil is on June 22nd at the Pasadena Convention Center starts at four o’clock ends at eight lots for everybody to do.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: So what is your favorite memory of the Shrimp Boil? And I know you don’t get out from behind that table very much.
Sharon: I don’t because it’s— Actually, a couple of the volunteers and I, we don’t move from that table. But we, we can see the auction item sometimes if we don’t have too many customers at the time. And I think the one of the most exciting times was when the quilt—
Dorothy: uh, Ella’s quilt—
Sharon: Ella, her quilt went for like $10,000. That was very, very exciting.
Dorothy: I think that is everyone’s favorite memory. It was just like a stunner all around the room. Everybody got [00:16:00] quiet listening to the bids go up and up and up. It was so.
Sharon: Very exciting.
Dorothy: Wonderful. Yes. So here you are, a two time breast cancer survivor, doing all of this volunteering year after year. And what is it that you would say to women if they’re debating on having a mammogram?
Sharon: Don’t wait.
Dorothy: Don’t wait.
Sharon: Because the longer you wait, the worse it’s going to, it’s not going away. And the worse it will be. And so, you just need to go ahead and get it, get it done, and then you can have peace of mind knowing that, okay, if everything’s fine, then you’re, you’re good.
Dorothy: And especially if you’re going for your annuals, because those are the ones you won’t even know that are there.
Sharon: Right, right. Right.
Dorothy: So, annual mammograms are a must.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: And if women are uninsured, they need to call us and let us know, see how we can help them.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: I was trying to add up how many years you’ve been doing this. You’ve, you’ve done it [00:17:00] more years than probably many other things in your life.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: But how long does it take you to make 12 cakes?
Sharon: Well, the pineapple upside down cakes, I do all in one day, on Friday. Because I don’t freeze them. I don’t think I could freeze them, but I don’t want to freeze them. When I’ve done the 20 cakes, I did freeze some of them. And then take them out on Friday and icing them and get them ready. But, yeah. But then if I do cookies, I can do them ahead. Because cookies can be frozen, too. And the cupcakes, I do, too. I’ll Friday also.
Dorothy: So you have a very busy week right before the Shrimp Boil. I do. I do. Well, we appreciate all of the things that you do for the Shrimp Boil. Running the table, providing half of the meal, the half of the cakes, and rounding up your volunteers. And so, once again, We always need more cakes and always need more volunteers.
Sharon: Yes.
Dorothy: Well, thank you so much, Sharon, for being with us today and helping us to promote this [00:18:00] event. It’s a special one.
Sharon: Well, thank you for inviting me.
Post-Credits: Thank you for joining us today on Let’s Talk About Your Breasts. This podcast is produced by Speke Podcasting and brought to you by The Rose. Visit TheRose.Org to learn more about our organization. Subscribe to our podcast, share episodes with friends and join the conversation on social media using #LetsTalkAboutYourBreasts. We welcome your feedback and suggestions. Consider supporting The Rose. Your gift can make the difference to a person in need. And remember self care is not selfish. It’s essential.
