P.ink Day Minneapolis is happening in just two more days! We will all gather at Twilight Tattoo this Saturday, 10/10, at 10:30 AM and the healing tattooing will begin! It’s a labor of love to make P.ink Day Minneapolis a reality. This year, it was a team of us who made it all happen. Alli, Kathy, Missy, Angie and I did the majority of the heavy lifting. And we are ready!!
Please follow along with us on social media. Our hashtag is #pinktattoodayMSP. We will be on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also see all the hashtag action from all the cities doing P.ink Days on the P.ink website: http://p-ink.org/p-inkday/
And now, I want to introduce you to our 6th Survivor Warrior who will get her healing beautiful tattoo this Saturday. Becky Niskanen, age 35, is our youngest survivor this year. She is from Cokato, MN, which is near Minneapolis. Becky has lots of supporters who journeyed through breast cancer alongside her. Bruce, Becky’s husband, was the best supporter, always patient and understanding and a great shoulder to lean on.
Patti, Becky’s baby sister, was always helping with Becky and Bruce’s kids and housework, all while having her own toddler and being pregnant. In addition, Mary, Becky’s sister from Michigan, came numerous times to help with the kids, and also help with the difficult emotions of a cancer journey.
Becky was diagnosed in May 2011. She found two lumps, one in her right breast and one in her right armpit. While waiting for the test results, it was super stressful. Becky was diagnosed with Stage 3b breast cancer with 12 lymph nodes with cancer. She was 31 years old with 3 toddlers, ages 3, 2, and 9 months.
It was the most stressful time of their lives, but with the help of their families and the super doctors, Becky and her husband pulled through. Becky has 5 sisters and 2 brothers who were with her every step of the way. Becky had a double mastectomy with tissue expanders, that were in for a year, chemotherapy, radiation, and now she takes Tamoxifen for 6 more years.
Becky is SO excited for the tattoos, because when she looks in the mirror she doesn’t see the woman she used to be. As happens for so many breast cancer survivors, she sees a disfigured body, and she does not like it.
Becky is looking forward to the day to come when she can look in the mirror and love what she sees!!! Becky has a love for tattoos, and she feels like the luckiest lady in the world because she will be part of P.ink Day Minneapolis 2015!
We are very excited that Becky will be part of the day too! Becky’s tattoo artist is the highly talented Erin Torola. This will be Erin’s second year donating her time and incredible artistic skill to the P.ink Day mission. Erin’s eye with color and imagery is exceptional. I for one, am confident that Becky is going to start smiling every time she looks in the mirror!
Please leave an encouraging note here for Becky and Erin!! Your kind words mean the world!
And while you’re at it, please pop on over to Facebook and Like our P.ink Minneapolis page!!
Wow! This is amazing. So happy for you!
Becky- this is such an amazing message about your journey! I am so proud of you! You have come so far!!! You are so strong and brave… So excited for you to get the tattoo done! Thanks P.ink and Erin Torola for doing this!
Patti,
Thanks for your thoughtful, encouraging comment! It will be exciting for all of you to see the beautiful tattoo that Becky will get from Erin!
~Mari
Becky, you are one strong, amazing, beautiful lady inside and out. You fought a very hard battle and stayed so strong through the whole process. I am so happy that you where chosen for p.ink day and can not wait to see what the talented Erin Torola has designed for you. You deserve to feel like the women you always are and will be……Beautiful!. I love you to the moon and back. Looking forward to Saturday.
Mary,
Thank you for your beautiful, loving words of support for Becky! She is indeed one beautiful, strong woman inside and out. She is fortunate to have dear friends like you.
~Mari