Pink With a Purpose: Beyond the Runway Shines a Spotlight on Breast Cancer

There are more than 4.3 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., many of whom are balancing families and careers with physical, emotional, financial and social challenges that can occur long after treatment ends. With breast cancer rates rising about 1% every year, these challenges are expected to become increasingly prevalent.  

Dina Bair 

Dina Bair is an anchor and medical reporter for WGN News, where she recently celebrated 35 years. The proud Northwestern University alum has reported from Vatican City on two Popes and earned 16 Emmy Awards, a Peter Lisagor Award, multiple Associated Press honors and recognition as a National Press Foundation Fellow for “Cancer Issues.” A mother of four, triathlete, competitive ballroom dancer and soon-to-be-grandmother, Dina is also a two-time breast cancer survivor whose journey began when she discovered cancer while nursing her 6-month-old, leading to a six-year fight to stop the disease from spreading. She transformed that experience into action, co-founding Dancing With Chicago Celebrities, which raised more than $6 million over 20 years for breast cancer research, support and diagnosis, and later founding Day 1 Survivors with her husband to champion whole-person cancer treatment. Dina is thrilled to join Pink for a Purpose in support of longtime friend Barbara Bates and breast cancer survivors everywhere. 

Betzy Berganza 

At 36, Betzy Berganza was a wife and mother of four when early detection revealed breast cancer at its earliest stage. Following a lumpectomy, her experience strengthened her commitment to women’s health and access to care. Two years later, after losing her health insurance, she visited a nonprofit offering free health screenings, where she stepped forward to help five Latina women overcome language barriers. That defining moment sparked nearly 20 years of advocacy and leadership, taking her from volunteer to program director and co-founder of Hope Elevation Project. Today, Betzy continues breaking barriers, empowering women, and creating pathways to care for underserved communities. Through Pink with a Purpose, she hopes to honor those facing cancer, celebrate survivors, and inspire others to turn life’s challenges into opportunities to uplift others.

Barbara Binversie 

Barbara Binversie has faced breast cancer not once, but twice, more than two decades apart. The wife, mother and grandmother of nine was first diagnosed at 46. Following a lumpectomy and radiation therapy, Barbara remained cancer-free for 21 years before being diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in the same breast. She reached out to City of Hope, where expedited testing ruled out suspected cancer spread. Throughout her treatment, which included chemotherapy and immunotherapy, Barbara leaned on her care team, faith and family for support, including a special hat her sister made using donated hair from family members after Barbara lost her own. Barbara is now doing well, and she joined Pink for a Purpose to celebrate survivorship, give back to City of Hope and encourage women to prioritize their health and time spent with loved ones. 

Cheryl Marchese

For Cheryl Marchese, early detection made all the difference. In 2018, despite having a clear mammogram and no symptoms, due to Cheryl’s dense breast tissue her care team recommended a follow-up ultrasound, which revealed early-stage breast cancer. Supported by her City of Hope care team and her daughter Erica, a longtime City of Hope employee, Cheryl underwent surgery and radiation and is now cancer-free. Today, she remains a devoted supporter of City of Hope and returns for her annual screenings. Cheryl is excited to make her Pink for a Purpose debut, celebrating survivorship and giving back to a community that means so much to her. 

Pamiya Opoku 

Pamiya Opoku has turned her personal wellness journey, including losing nearly 100 pounds through lifestyle changes that included walking, into a mission to inspire others. She founded The Walking Hour to bring people together through movement, community and joy. Pamiya connected with City of Hope through one of her signature “joy walks” and was drawn to the organization’s inclusive approach to cancer care. She is passionate about the physical and mental benefits of walking and creating welcoming spaces for people to move and connect. Through her involvement with City of Hope initiatives, including an upcoming mammogram event and Pink with a Purpose, Pamiya hopes to inspire others to prioritize their health and find strength through movement and community.

Leidy Pimentel

Leidy Pimentel has worked closely with City of Hope Cancer Center on breast cancer awareness initiatives and preventive screening education. She became a City of Hope patient while exploring a potential hysterectomy due to personal health concerns. While she did not receive a cancer diagnosis, she credits her physician’s compassionate approach with helping her navigate a difficult decision. Leidy is passionate about encouraging women to prioritize preventive care, early detection and advocating for their own health, and she is participating in Pink with a Purpose to promote women’s health awareness and inspire others. 

Shaunese Teamer

A passionate community advocate, Shaunese Teamer serves as President of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and is a proud supporter of City of Hope. From participating in Walk for Hope for three consecutive years to supporting men’s health awareness and fundraising initiatives, Shaunese is committed to making a difference in her community by supporting healthcare initiatives and the needs of businesses throughout Lake County. As host of Podcast Lake County, she is also focused on promoting the wide range of business organizations that are making an economic difference across our region. Her brother’s prostate cancer diagnosis has made the mission especially personal, deepening her passion for cancer education, outreach and support for local families. A longtime fashion enthusiast and admirer of Barbara Bates, Shaunese is excited to bring her passion and purpose to the Pink for a Purpose runway.

Ambar X. Toledo

For Chicago Police Sergeant Ambar Toledo, the bulletproof vest designed to protect her on the job ultimately helped save her life. At 41, the healthy, active mother of two began noticing pain near her collarbone whenever she put on her vest. Despite a recent clear mammogram, she trusted her instincts and pushed for additional testing, which revealed stage 1 triple-positive invasive ductal carcinoma. Just two months later, Ambar's mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The two treated simultaneously, sometimes sitting side by side with matching IVs, and although Ambar's mother lost her battle nine months later, Ambar carried her strength through chemotherapy, immunotherapy and a double mastectomy with reconstruction. Ambar was connected with City of Hope at a conference shortly after returning to duty, and the compassionate, whole-person care resonated deeply. Ambar is proud to be part of Pink for a Purpose to honor her mother, share their story, and help others find hope.  

Roz Varon  

Emmy Award-winning journalist and longtime Chicago media personality Roz Varon has spent years using her voice to champion breast cancer awareness and patient advocacy. Knowing her elevated risk of developing the disease due to family history, Roz was diligent about annual mammograms and breast self-exams, one of which led her to discover a lump in 2006. Diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer that had spread to her liver, Roz began treatment with Herceptin, which dramatically shrank her tumors and brought her to no evidence of disease within months. After an early-stage recurrence in 2013, Roz underwent a lumpectomy and radiation therapy and has remained cancer-free since. She encourages patients to advocate for themselves, be active participants in their care, ask questions throughout their treatment and lean on the people around them. Roz joined Beyond the Runway to share her story and continue to offer hope and inspire others navigating their own cancer journeys.   

Jane Vaysberg

Jane Vaysberg is a nurse practitioner and mother of two young children. After discovering a lump before reaching routine mammogram age, Jane was ultimately diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy and a double mastectomy with reconstruction. Today, she continues immunotherapy and is doing well, embracing a renewed focus on family, wellness and making every moment count. A former nurse practitioner at City of Hope’s Chicago-area location, Jane is proud to take the Pink for a Purpose runway to celebrate resilience, share her experience, and offer hope to others navigating cancer. 

Nina Youabb

With a strong family history of breast cancer, Nina Youabb knew the importance of being vigilant about her health. After a clear mammogram, a vivid dream in which a voice – which she believes was God’s voice – prompted Nina to seek additional screening, leading to a diagnosis of stage 2B breast cancer in her 30s. Following a double mastectomy and radiation, she became a passionate advocate for early detection, hosting a gala that raised more than $15,000 for City of Hope and working with an Illinois state representative to champion greater screening awareness. Her journey also inspired her younger sister to undergo genetic testing, uncovering a BRCA mutation that allowed her to take preventive action. She is proud to take to the Pink for a Purpose runway to celebrate strength, continue sharing her story and encourage women to prioritize their health. 

Every breast cancer diagnosis is different, which is why choosing a team with breast cancer expertise matters. City of Hope is advancing breast cancer care through treatment, research and support that meet patients where they are, including:

• Personalized treatment, including targeted therapies, immunotherapies, precision radiation techniques and surgical approaches such as direct-to-implant breast reconstruction without the use of expanders
• A whole-person approach that includes supportive services to address cancer’s physical and emotional impacts, as well as long-term survivorship programs focused on reducing the risk of recurrence and strategies to optimize quality of life, along with individual concerns such as fertility preservation and family planning  
• Making genetic testing and precision medicine available to more patients, so we can tailor treatments to the unique biology of each person’s cancer and select therapies most likely to achieve the best outcomes

• Access to a range of breast cancer clinical trials through our national clinical trial model, with more than 100 breast cancer studies that are being developed or are enrolling patients across our U.S. sites

   

Learn more about the breast cancer program at City of Hope Chicago.