In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, our team here at Lectric eBikes decided to honor an individual who has fought, or is currently fighting, breast cancer with a pinked-out Lectric XP™ Lite.
We were overwhelmed by hundreds of inspiring stories pouring in from all around the country, displaying incredible amounts of strength and resilience. We are so thankful for each and every nominator and nominee willing to share their personal stories with us. Our hearts go out to you!
With that being said, our team had an extremely tough decision to make in selecting just one winner, so we selected two! Take a look at their stories below.
Naomi M.
Naomi is a loving single mom living in the beautiful state of Hawaii. Her daughter, Chelsea, nominated her to be the winner of our giveaway, and after hearing her inspiring story of strength and selflessness, we knew she would greatly benefit from a new gateway to adventure.
As a home health aide, Naomi works hard to help those in need and does not receive health insurance through her current job position. She heard on a local radio station that free breast cancer screenings would be available in her area, so she decided to go in and get herself checked out. Unfortunately, the results showed that she did, indeed, have breast cancer.
Naomi fought hard and beat the disease, but two years later, the cancer came back. She had no choice but to remove her breast completely so that she didn’t run into the risk of the cancer transferring to her other breast. Chelsea explains, "the process of reconstruction and radiation changed my mom’s life a lot, and challenged me to be strong in my years in high school where I, too, struggled to fit in as a minority."
On top of this, Naomi was later diagnosed with stage four endometriosis. She had to endure a complicated surgery with an even longer recovery time."You just never know, you think things like this can't happen to you," Chelsea explains about her mother's diagnoses.
Chelsea recalls her mom getting right back to work as a home health aide after each of her cancer treatments, and as soon as she was cleared after her endometriosis surgery. Naomi is passionate about helping others in times of need, and we know that her patients through the years have been incredibly lucky to have her!
Chelsea recently purchased an XP™ Lite for herself, and she now can't wait for her mom to join her in all of the eBiking adventures to be had! Naomi plans to keep her new XP™ Lite at her daughter's house in San Diego so that they can make eBiking memories together. Our team is sending all of our love to Naomi and Chelsea, and hoping that she can recover from her most recent diagnosis soon!
John F.
There is a stigma surrounding breast cancer that it can only happen to women, and John F. is trying his best to change that narrative. John's wife, Elizabeth, nominated her husband for our XP™ Lite giveaway, and boy are we glad that she did.
John has had breast cancer not once, but two times. His first diagnosis resulted in a mastectomy, and the second resulted in 30 radiation treatments. He's been a breast cancer thriver since 2016, and wasted no time becoming a force of change when it comes to making male breast cancer a more well-known subject.
Elizabeth explains that "his work these six years has opened many eyes, and saved some lives too." Not once feeling sorry for himself, John took his diagnosis as a pivotal moment to let people know what was happening to him, and how men are diagnosed with breast cancer 2,700 times a year.
John's story has touched the hearts of many thanks to the advocacy work he and his wife Elizabeth have carried out. He's been interviewed numerous times for television, radio, and podcasts spreading the word about male breast cancer and encouraging people to take precautions and catch their diagnosis early. His interviews are so impactful, they can even be found in Men's Health Magazine!
Locally in Lakewood, IL, John has joined a male breast cancer support group and acted as a leader amongst his peers. "Every year he also walks an outdoor mid-October 5k here in northern Illinois with his shirt off holding his 'Men get breast cancer' sign high over his head for all to see," Elizabeth explains. A photo of John with his sign can be seen below. John's story has also been taken internationally, and a news team from Ireland flew out to his hometown to feature his unique and impactful story.
John's bravery and relentless advocacy for male breast cancer awareness are creating waves within his community, and we are so thankful that Elizabeth was kind enough to share his story with us. Here's to continuing the fight!
Jen G.
We'd also like to take a moment to honor our very own Lectric employee, Jen G. Jen's love of life and laughter make it almost impossible to know that she is quietly battling her own fight against breast cancer. She is through three of five years of her prescribed treatment plan, and living each day to its fullest in the meantime!
Jen is thriving through her diagnosis and working not only with our team here at Lectric, but also running her very own photography business and recording weekly podcasts!
We are so thankful to have her on our mighty team of customer experience technicians, and can't wait to continue to watch her grow! We love you, Jen!
Early Detection & Diagnosis for Breast Cancer
Although breast cancer is sometimes found after symptoms appear, many individuals with breast cancer have no symptoms. That is why early detection and diagnosis is imperative.
Screenings are widely available, and the American Cancer Foundation can help you find resources to get screened locally. Visit their site for more information on screening options and prevention measures today!
