HOW-TO Fight Breast Cancer Beautifully – Kara Skaflestad Shows Us
When life throws a punch at us, we immediately find ourselves at the crossroads – but only for a split second – to make a choice that would be our life for a long haul: To fight and be strong or to give in to the conditions and go with the flow.
There’s nobody to judge. We don’t have a right to judge. But what we can do is to reach out and show a different way and pull those into the light of strength and love and beauty.
There’s a lot of fight in you. Fight breast cancer beautifully. With determination.
Kara Skaflestad is a woman with fighting gloves on. And they are PINK. And they are Magic for those who receives them. Those pink boxing fighting gloves have been the straw for many to hold on to and find themselves again at the crossroads – just for a few split seconds – to choose to go one with a fight. Beautifully.
Breast Cancer October Relay
Illuminate. Encourage. Shine!
Campaña de Concientización Contra el Cáncer de Mama.
Alienta. Incentiva. Brilla!
At just 26 years old, I was living in New York City, working in advertising. I was dating, hanging out with friends, and buying shoes I couldn’t afford. On December 12, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. And just when I went in to tell my HR Director that I had been diagnosed, he gasped, and said, “I just scheduled a meeting with you to tell you that you’ve been promoted.”
I was at a crossroads. How could I possibly take this promotion? I got advice from my mentor, the Vice President of Account management who was also a breast cancer survivor. She said, “Get better, and your job will be waiting.”
The support and love from those around me kept me strong. But it was a little pair of mini pink boxing gloves that my best friend’s mom, Meg (also a breast cancer survivor) gave me. They reminded me to keep fighting and never give up.
The team at my advertising agency was incredibly supportive. Every morning when I got ready for work, I’d look at my mini pink boxing gloves and got dressed. I wore wigs, bright lipstick, big earrings and high heels. I spoke up in meetings. I gained even more confidence than I had before. When I went through radiation, it was then that I said, “I’m back. I want my promotion.”
Ironically, I was promoted to Account Supervisor for our beauty client and went to my first haircare meeting with a bald head, at the fancy L’Oreal offices uptown. It was intimidating. Everyone was gorgeous. I even had to manage a photoshoot with Sarah Jessica Parker, and I was bald. But I was Fighting Pretty.
Every day brought on a new challenge. I was tired. I struggled to feel confident and beautiful. But those mini pink boxing gloves were a reminder that I had to keep fighting through whatever struggle I was faced with that day.
Talking to friends, getting hugs from my mom and a daily dose of inspiration from my sister were all things I needed.
I surrounded myself with positivity – people that made me feel good about myself. I stopped comparing myself to others because there was no comparison. We all had our own story. Everyone has a fight inside of them.
So I looked in the mirror, and looked past my scars and bald head. I was still me; hair or no hair; boobs or no boobs. I was amazing, I was strong and truly Fighting Pretty!
It was about three years after treatment when my hair was growing back and I was feeling great that a family friend had been newly diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. I looked in the mirror and knew my “fight” was over, but hers was beginning.
I sent her my mini pink boxing gloves full of power and strength, along with some lipstick and makeup. She loved it. She fought with those gloves and after she battled, she passed them on too. The original pink boxing gloves were passed on to five women all battling their own fight. This was the conception of Fighting Pretty – a way to pass on our strength, love and beauty to all women battling cancer everywhere.
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#HOWTO Fight Breast Cancer Beautifully. Kara Skaflestad Shows Us #BreastCancerAwareness #1SaveTaTas @Fighting_Pre … https://t.co/3Pj72bFTQD pic.twitter.com/or2l4eJkaL
— Celebrate Woman (@DiscoverSelf) October 20, 2017
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It really is so important to have a great support system while going through something like that. I love the little boxing gloves that you showed, they are the perfect reminder to never stop fighting!
Those boxing gloves are so amazing! I really think anything to empower anyone when it comes to cancer is important.
Wow, what an inspiring story. I’m so glad she had the support she needed during such a hard time. And, I just love these mini pink boxing gloves!
These pink boxing gloves are wonderful. Just pinned it! Talking to our loved ones and to feel their support creates a strong energy and positive attitude.
I have an aunt who died from Breast cancer and is a disease I wish that did not exist but . . . The best way to support them is to show that you care and love them as best as you can.
Those pink boxing gloves are a great way to punch cancer in the but. These boxes sound like a wonderful thing that ladies need to fight the fight.
It is so important to have a good support system when you are fighting cancer. Trying to be as positive as possible and surrounding yourself with positive people is really helpful.