Ishiuan Hargrove, M.M.Sc, DABR — Medical Physicist and Radiation Safety Officer at the Watson Clinic LLP, breast cancer advocate & Tour de Pink rider
At age 33, just five months after Ishiuan (e-shane) gave birth to her second child, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ishiuan’s job was the sole source of income for her family of four, and she feared the loss of her family’s health insurance.
As a medical physicist, planning radiation regiments for cancer patients, Ishiuan saw cancer every day. Additionally, as a woman of Taiwanese decent, she was frustrated with the lack of resources for young women affected by breast cancer whose primary language was Chinese.
Toward the end of 2007, after a cancer-related brain surgery, Ishiuan and her family moved back to Taiwan.
While in Taiwan, she began volunteering for Taiwan Breast Cancer Alliances (TBCA) . Through TBCA, Ishiuan took 42 mostly non-English speaking women to Brisbane, Australia, for the 15th annual Breast Cancer Support Conference. This trip reinforced her desire to help educate the Chinese-speaking population about breast cancer.
In 2012 and back in the United States, Ishiuan found Young Survival Coalition (YSC), while searching online for resources specifically for young women with breast cancer. Struggling with the negative impact on her knees from years of running, Ishiuan noticed YSC’s three-day bike ride, Tour de Pink® (#YSCTdP). A veteran of three-day walks, she eagerly signed up for the challenge.
Ishiuan assembled a team including her sister-in-law and her breast surgeon, and they raised $8,707 for YSC her first year. Ishiuan’s culture emphasizes the importance of karma, and she often says, “You don’t have to wait until the next life to get back the good you give.” Through involvement with YSC, her team for 2013 has grown to more than 20 riders, including several cyclists she met last year who she now considers close friends.
In February 2013, Ishiuan was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Despite actively undergoing chemotherapy, she continues to work full time and train for Tour de Pink. Ishiuan is also a YSC State Leader and looks forward to utilizing her understanding of the Chinese language and culture to facilitate the delivery of YSC materials to Chinese-speaking women.
A very special thank you Ishiuan, for your determination to bring YSC resources to all young women, regardless of the language they speak.
