When Pamela Weems faced breast cancer not once, but twice, she didn’t just survive — she thrived. Now, she is using her experience to uplift others battling the disease.
Weems, founder and CEO of The Pink Ladies, has transformed her personal struggle into a powerful force for good. Since its inception in 2011, her organization has become a vital support network, offering both emotional comfort and practical assistance to those navigating a cancer diagnoses.
Her tireless efforts caught the attention of the Minnesota Vikings, who honored Weems as their hometown hero last year.
Share your story from the moment you received your breast cancer diagnosis to where you are now.
Well, it started when I was pregnant with my son, who’s now 29 years old; I was misdiagnosed. At the time, my doctor told me it was a swollen milk gland and would dissipate in time. I worked at Lancome Cosmetics at the time, and if you go down and get a mammogram, you get a gift. When I got home that day, I had a message on my answering machine that they wanted to see me again because they had noticed something on my mammogram. So, they told me to please take this manila envelope to the Hennepin County Breast Cancer Center; they had stamped DCS on that envelope. I was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer, and I have breastfed my son. So in my head, I’m thinking, oh my God, my baby got cancer because I’m feeding him.
Why do you believe having a solid community and a support network is essential when dealing with breast cancer?
There are organizations like the African American Breast Cancer Alliance. But my family and my friends were there. There was so much love from my family, my friends, and my community. You must have people who support you, show you love, encourage you, and make you feel good about yourself.
What are the critical components of supporting a woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer?
Love, strength, emotional, mental, and financial support are needed. I was a single mother with four kids. People helped me with laundry, making dinner for my kids, pick them up for sporting events.
Why is it important not to isolate during this journey but to unify with kindred spirits who understand the healing and the journey?
When you isolate, you’re killing yourself, and I’m a witness to this because I was in a dark places for a while but then I came out of it. Either you live with it, or you die with it.
How has surviving breast cancer changed your perspective on life and your priorities?
You find out that material things and all this stuff don’t matter. Ain’t nothing like living. It’s all about living. It’s all about love. It’s all about sharing and helping and giving of yourself.
How does having the right doctor impact your treatment journey?
I had great doctors. You must have a good team there supporting you and making you feel comfortable. That you can trust.
How has your relationship with food and exercise changed since your diagnosis?
Being in the modeling industry in the seventies, I’ve always been a healthy eater and into working out. There’s no history of breast cancer in my family, and I get breast cancer, and I’m the healthiest one.
What made you start the Pink Ladies?
I wanted to have a nice, beautiful party where we could come and celebrate survivors, women that are going through breast cancer, and celebrate the ones who have passed on.
How can people donate to the Pink Ladies?
