PINK-O de MAYO Supports Breast Cancer Previvors, Patients and Survivors
The “Party for a Purpose” raises funds to support patient support services and the CARE Clinic at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.
PINK-O de MAYO was an evening filled with friendship, fundraising and purpose benefiting Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a part of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Hundreds of attendees, dressed in vibrant hues of pink, joined event founder Wendi Sugarman Bieber to “party for a purpose.” Their goal? Raising funds for psychological and integrative wellness support services that assist women with breast cancer on their journey from diagnosis to survivorship, as well as for ongoing monitoring and intervention for women at high risk, with a focus on younger generations.
Bieber, a stage three breast cancer survivor, says a transformative experience during treatment inspired her to create PINK-O de MAYO. During her second week of chemotherapy, she noticed that many of her fellow patients lacked even the basics, let alone the necessities, to undergo treatment and endure the process. Several were there alone without a support system. This touched her deeply.
“I remember going into the bathroom, looking into the mirror and saying, ‘God, if you get me through this, I’m going to make a difference for patients,’” said Bieber. “I was very cognizant that I had everything I needed, but many women did not. PINK-O de MAYO is my way of making true on that promise and ensuring that all patients have the resources they need throughout their journey and beyond.”
Survivorship Services
Bieber firmly believes that cancer care extends beyond chemotherapy, radiation and surgery and appreciates Sylvester’s commitment to integrative wellness and holistic care in tandem with their leading-edge treatments. Sylvester’s supportive oncology services address patients’ physical, emotional and social needs through programs such as massage therapy, nutritional counseling, mental health services and much more.
According to Bieber, “After you finish treatment and ring the bell, there is a whole new world. Everyone just assumes you’re done, you beat it and get back to life, but it’s not that simple. It’s very scary for a patient, and many, myself included, experience PTSD, depression, fear and guilt. That’s why patient and survivor support services are so important.”
Sylvester, South Florida’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, recognized this fact and created a world-class survivorship program led by Frank J. Penedo, Ph.D. ’99, the guest honoree for the 2025 PINK-O de MAYO.
“Survivorship is the essence of all we do here at Sylvester,” said Dr. Penedo, director of cancer survivorship and supportive care, associate director for population sciences and Sylvester DCC Living Proof Endowed Chair in Cancer Survivorship. “Our success, along with that of our patients, is driven by the dedication of community members and survivors like Wendi, and the incredible fundraising and awareness work she is doing through PINK-O de MAYO and the PINK-O Charitable Foundation.”
Proactive Cancer Prevention
In addition to funding patient support services such as psychological support and integrative wellness services, the PINK-O Charitable Foundation has vowed to address the younger generations of women by raising funds for the Cancer Assessment Risk Evaluation (CARE) Clinic at Sylvester, a pioneering program for high-risk assessment led by Alejandra Perez, M.D., medical director of the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester-Plantation, associate professor of medical oncology at the Miller School and Bieber’s oncologist. The two have worked closely together to present the PINK-O de MAYO fundraising events.
“While it’s incredible to see survivors like Wendi thriving, I don’t just want to keep treating women with breast cancer. I want to prevent it,” said Dr. Perez. “Through the CARE Clinic, we see previvors—patients who do not have cancer but are at an elevated risk of getting it.”
She added, “After determining their lifetime risk of breast cancer, we develop a personalized preventative care plan that may involve imaging studies with MRI, mammograms and ultrasound, as well as lifestyle changes, to decrease their risk. If cancer is detected, we can identify it at such an early stage that it is curable.”
Dr. Perez believes that participating in community events such as PINK-O de MAYO and engaging with attendees about advancements in cancer care and detection is just as important as the work she does in the clinic.
“One of the things I love most about Sylvester is the commitment from their members,” said Dr. Perez. “The breast cancer team includes doctors and nurses from many different departments – surgeons, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and many others – coming together. Everyone wants to be a part of the event because we recognize the importance of raising awareness and funds to support Sylvester and our survivorship programs.”
PINK-O Mercado Grand Opening
PINK-O de MAYO attendees were treated with an opportunity to experience and learn from Sylvester providers about the various support services offered to patients, ranging from lymphatic drainage massages and acupuncture to nutritional and mental health services, at a mercado-style marketplace. Bieber says plans call for adding a vital component of sexual health services in the near future.
“I like to call it head-to-heal coverage, because we want all women to have access to services for the mind and body,” said Bieber.
A Healthy Future
Bieber acknowledges that, in many ways, healing can be harder than the actual cancer treatments, but through the focus and visions of the PINK-O Charitable Foundation and with the supportive care of Sylvester, she’s getting better and stronger every day.
“I had breast cancer, but I’m not defined by it,” said Bieber. “The fact that I endured and survived this has given me the privilege and passion to create something beautiful with PINK-O de MAYO, ‘the party for a purpose.’ And now, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit with the most amazing executive board, what we’re doing is miraculous and incredible, and I am so proud to be aligned with Sylvester.”
More than 350 supporters attended PINK-O de MAYO, held at Cielo Farms in Southwest Ranches on April 3. The event raised over $100,000 for patient support services and the CARE Clinic at Sylvester.`
Tags: breast cancer, cancer research, Dr. Alejandra Perez, Dr. Frank Penedo, philanthropy, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center