Dorothy: [00:00:00] What can the breast cancer community learn from an undefeated boxer? A lot. During this conversation I got to speak with The Rose’s security guard and boxer Shane Evans. Shane’s been providing security for our Featherwood location for the past few years and he brings a unique perspective to this episode.
He’s a boxer who’s yet to be beaten and you’ll hear just how fearful his opponents are when they see him. During this conversation you’ll learn how Shane’s own experiences in the ring have taught him the critical importance of perseverance and maintaining a positive mindset plus the lessons he is eager to share with those around him.
As we dive into Shane’s story we are reminded of the parallels between the determination required in boxing And the courage needed to face breast cancer. When you subscribe to our show, you help us grow. Someone you know may need to hear this story. So [00:01:00] please, share with your family and friends. And consider supporting our mission. Your donation can help save the life of an uninsured woman.
Let’s Talk About Your Breast, a different kind of podcast presented to you by The Rose, Breast Center of Excellence and a Texas treasurer. 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 Shane.
Shane: Yes ma’am.
Dorothy: You have been watching over The Rose here at our Featherwood location for five years. And you’ve seen so many different patients, employees, situations, and I want to first thank you for being our security, because you really are, and uh, always make our ladies feel so much more safe when we’re going in and out and that kind of thing.
Shane: Yes ma’am.
Dorothy: [00:02:00] So what have you seen during these five years? Have you, have you come to see a different perspective of women facing breast cancer, afraid of breast cancer?
Shane: Yeah, I’ve seen a variety of all of it. I’ve seen women, you know, come in with lack of support and leaving out, feeling like they have you know, an entire team behind them. They talk about how great you guys are and you know how you make them feel like family. So that’s a great environment. Like I haven’t had any breast cancers in my family, but we have had cancers and our family and just have a supportive team like you guys. It was great just to see these people be able to leave and feel, you know, like you’ve got just their 100 percent form.
Dorothy: That’s good to know. Now, you know, you go way beyond what a security guard person is supposed to do.
Shane: Thank you.
Dorothy: I, I [00:03:00] see you helping women in and out, opening the door, directing them, welcoming them. Is that just natural for you or what?
Shane: Yes, ma’am. It’s natural for me. I mean, like I was, I was raised in a protective household the way my father was with my mother and my sisters. So that’s first nature for me. Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: It’s, and it, you feel very comfortable with, with being that greater at times.
Shane: Yeah. If I can make somebody feel safe, you know, it makes me feel good about myself. Being able to make sure that people are protected.
Dorothy: Mm hmm. What got you into this business?
Shane: Well, um, as you know, I box. So, um, I needed something to keep me occupied while I was training. Just, you know, be able to, um, support my, uh, boxing and everything. I did everything independent. So it was like, when I got the offer to do security, I was like, well, that’s one of the things I like to do anyway, [00:04:00] is to make sure that people are safe. So. It’s like, why not?
Dorothy: And I do know a little bit about your boxing. And I know that you’ve never lost a match.
Shane: No.
Dorothy: And people are anxious to get in the ring with you or not?
Shane: No, not, not anxious at all.
Dorothy: So, is it because you’re so good at it?
Shane: Yes, ma’am. Yes, ma’am. I’ve been boxing since 2007. I’ve been studying boxing since I was 13. So I take it with a badge of honor that I have no losses.
Dorothy: Wow. And do you, do you have trouble, uh, well, obviously you do getting matches because they’re a little reluctant.
Shane: Yeah.
Dorothy: So how do you continue with this? I mean, this is your real work.
Shane: Yeah. For the most part is just, you know, patience. I realized everything happens for a reason. So it’s like, I can’t get discouraged by it. I’ve had [00:05:00] 10 to 15 opponents pull out on me throughout a year. I’ve had 10 opponents pull out on me in one Monday. So everything that can be discouraging, like, should have hit me then. But, you know, I just take it. Keep going. Gotta stay positive.
Dorothy: What is it you, you say to people when they come in? Um, you have a phrase that you use. You know, it’s like, how are you doing? And you go.
Shane: Yeah, no complaints on my end. It’s like when they ask me how I’m doing, there’s no complaints. You know, everything happens for a reason. So it could be worse, you know, just be optimistic about it.
Dorothy: And I’ve seen you, I’ve seen you do that to really pick people up.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: So do, do you have any favorite stories of what you’ve seen here?
Shane: To be honest with you, it’s like, everything here has been fantastic since I’ve been working here. I don’t have anything in specific. It’s like, the reason I’ve stayed here for [00:06:00] so long is because the way you guys treat people. You made me feel like family too, so it’s like, that’s the reason, right there.
Dorothy: We’re really gonna miss you Shane.
Shane: Yes ma’am, we’ll miss y’all too.
Dorothy: I know, it’s, you’ll be back, I know, but Shane’s taking a little break and we’re gonna let him take a little break.
Shane: Yes ma’am.
Dorothy: Reluctantly.
Shane: Yes ma’am.
Dorothy: As a undefeated boxer, what do you say to other, particularly young men that are trying to get into this field?
Shane: You just have to be really, really determined. You have to be persistent, consistent. It’s like If, if this is something that you truly want to do, you have to understand the risks that come with it. And if you’re not willing to take any one of those risks, then it shouldn’t be for you.
Dorothy: What type of risk?
Shane: You can get brain damage, death as we know it. We’ve had 2023 and 2023 we had, I believe, 12 deaths in boxing [00:07:00] and everyone was under the age of 25.
Dorothy: Oh my goodness. So you really. Do you need to be aware? This is not—
Shane: something you have to take very very serious. You have to train.
Dorothy: Tell us about that training because I know you train hours.
Shane: Yeah, I train Okay, so I get up at 5 in the morning. I do my strength and conditioning from 5:00 to 7:45 Then I’m here when I get off work here. I go and I run maybe 5 to 10 miles. After the running, then I spend about three hours doing technique, heavy bag work, mitt work, etc.
Dorothy: Wow.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: So it’s really pretty consuming.
Shane: Very consuming. I go to bed maybe 11 o’clock at night, 11, 11:30 at night.
Dorothy: You were once telling us about lifting weights.
Shane: Mm hmm.
Dorothy: And. How much weight do you lift?
Shane: [00:08:00] So, my bench press is 495 pounds, max. My deadlift is 750. My squat is 650. And I haven’t, yeah, I haven’t tested my curl yet, but I’ll be doing that next week.
Dorothy: So, you can see why we feel very safe with this man in our building, watching over us and helping, helping make sure that everyone is safe. You know, the world is a very different place these days, and, and you have to be careful.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: So, do you have any tips for women when they’re going into buildings, coming out—
Shane: I think it’s just important to be very mindful and very watchful of your surroundings at any point. Like we’ve, we’ve had an increase in, uh, kidnappings in Houston and the stalking and following women from work to home and you know, vice versa. It’s just really, really, um, it’s really, really imperative [00:09:00] that you be watchful.
Dorothy: And you can’t discount anybody that you might see, yeah.
Shane: You can’t. Friendly faces. All of it, you know, so you just have to be mindful and watchful.
Dorothy: And should you be in a problem, Scream, yell, run?
Shane: As much noise as you possibly can make. And if anybody were to grab you, you do everything you possibly can physically to get them to let go of you. Kick, bite, scratch, eye gouge, anything.
Dorothy: Oh.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: So you really are protecting your life.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: So here’s a whole different way I want to ask you a question.
Shane: Okay.
Dorothy: So how can we correlate fighting breast cancer to what you do by boxing in a ring?
Shane: Simple. It’s, it seems extremely tough. It seems extremely tough. And at times it seems like you’re just about out, but no matter the situation you push and you don’t give [00:10:00] up, Because at the end of the day, as long as you have breath in your lungs, you have the opportunity of making it to another day.
Just be positive. And you can’t change the outcome by stressing and being down and hard on yourself. Because whatever the outcome is going to be, is going to be. But at the same time, you can’t change the situation that you’re in by being stressful. But you can have a positive attitude. It’s not about what you go through, it’s how you go through it.
Dorothy: How old are you?
Shane: Thirty five.
Dorothy: How’d you learn all this?
Shane: My daddy and my mama.
Dorothy: Mmm. Mmm. Good family.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: Yeah. So, is there anyone that, in particular, that you’re mentoring right now? In boxing, or?
Shane: No, ma’am. Not specifically. Um, right now I’m spending more time just focused on myself. It’s like, I don’t want to be selfish and not be able to give myself a hundred percent to someone, if I’m supposed to [00:11:00] be mentoring them or training them, I’d rather give them everything as compared to just doing what I need to do for myself and only giving them a certain percentage.
Dorothy: That’s a good, that’s a good way of looking at it.
Shane: Yes ma’am.
Dorothy: You can’t always be mentoring. We many times have to take care of ourselves.
Shane: Yes ma’am.
Dorothy: Yeah. Uh, and, um, what else would you want to tell the, anybody that’s, um, dealing with something like breast cancer?
Shane: Most importantly for me, my family was raised religiously. Keep God first. And as long as God is involved in it, and you have an optimistic attitude, everything will be okay. It’ll all work out the way it should.
Dorothy: All work out the way it should.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
Dorothy: Thank you so much for being with us here today. This means the world to me.
Shane: Thank you for having me.
Dorothy: I appreciate it.
Shane: Yes, ma’am.
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. [00:12:00] 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. Remember: self care is not selfish. It’s essential.
