An Interview with Marisa Lee, Founder and President of The Pink Agenda

I also view it as my responsibility to make sure that everyone who regularly contributes to TPA, by way of a donation of time or talent, is happy and feels as though their time and talents are being put to the best possible use.

I have a lot of admiration and respect for my board and our external partners, so it's incredibly important to me that they remain happy and fulfilled.

NH: What is one of your favorite parts, or what do you find most rewarding about being a part of The Pink Agenda?

ML: I honestly cannot emphasize this enough, but the greatest thing about being a part of The Pink Agenda is the people. The Pink Agenda board is a team of incredibly talented, dedicated, motivated, and hard working individuals, and I have truly come to adore each of them

Many did not start out as close friends of mine, but they are all my closest friends now. They designed funeral programs, edited my mother's obituary, and took time off from work not only to attend her services, but, even more important to me, to represent our organization. Before my mother died, she made it known that she didn't want flowers, she wanted donations made in her memory to The Pink Agenda. They handed out brochures and donation cards on a Monday morning in March when they should have been at work.

Additionally, this organization has helped keep me afloat during the most difficult and challenging period of my life. The first real thing I did after I lost my mom was work for the organization. Our big annual event was set to be held 11 weeks after her death, and at times that was the only thing getting me out of bed and into the office. I am so grateful to have had that positive motivation.

NH: Who is a typical contributor and how can people who want to be a part of an effort like the Pink Agenda get involved?

ML: I would venture to say there is no typical contributor; we will happily accept donations from anyone! In terms of volunteers, our board is comprised of 12 individuals with an average age of 25. Our target demographic for our events is young professionals aged 25-35, but if you're fun and have a young attitude and care about breast cancer and having a good time, we'll take you!

NH: What is the single most important piece of advice you could give to a family member of a victim of breast cancer?

ML: Be aggressive. Research everything, ask lots of questions, and do not allow physicians or anyone else decide what is best for you and your family. It is also incredibly important to be sensitive to the person who is ill. Even if it's stage I breast cancer and everyone says they are going to be just fine, at the end of the day that individual is battling an illness that could potentially end her life, and I would imagine that to be an incredibly frightening experience.

And if it's really bad, try to remember that as difficult as it may be to watch someone suffer and to be unable to fix it, time is the most precious commodity and you will always wish you had more - even if the time you're spending with that person is extremely painful.