Beth Harris has volunteered for the past 9 years for Young Survival Coalition. She and 4 other young women affected by breast cancer opened the Columbia Affiliate chapter. She planned and organized a motorcycle ride every year to raise money and awareness of the unique issues young women face when diagnosed with breast cancer. Beth is now a State Leader and Face2Face Coordinator for Columbia, SC. We are honored to present Beth Harris as a YSC Game Changer for her volunteer work.
Beth has personally helped more than 150 newly diagnosed survivors in her area. She has kept her Third Thursday meeting going for 9 years and has made herself a staple in her community for newly diagnosed young women. While she started to help other young women to avoid the isolation she once felt, she has created a thriving network of support for young women in the South that continues today.
What inspires you in your work to support, empower or educate young women affected by breast cancer?
My why is knowing I made a difference in young women’s lives by offering them resources, a network and hope!
What about your work for young women affected by breast cancer makes you most proud?
Seeing a young woman smile through cancer and stay strong. When they can strut through it and hold their head high, they are the fiercest women alive! I like being a motivator and offering encouragement!
What are your hopes for the future, with regard to YSC and young breast cancer survivors?
May our voices be heard. Side effects from medication affect us differently than older women. We need more accurate statistics on young women with cancer!
What is your message for YSC on its 20th anniversary?
Put your lipstick and high heels on, hold your head high and walk through it with dignity and grace! There is power in numbers! We are the Young Survival Coalition! Hear us roar!
Anything else you'd like to share?
I feel such a part of YSC. I am truly thankful for this organization. I am lucky to get to share this resource with others! Thank you!
About YSC and Game Changers
Young Survival Coalition was founded in 1998 by young women diagnosed with breast cancer under age 35.
YSC is made up of people: survivors, co-survivors, volunteers, donors, healthcare providers. Our strength comes from our community. So in our 20th year, we will honor our roots — the people who have helped build YSC into what it is today — and also look forward, recognizing those in our community who are changing the future of breast cancer in young women.
We are highlighting these individuals as Game Changers throughout 2018 and sharing their stories with the world to thank them for their contributions to our community.
