Our Beginnings
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Kathleen Livingston has been active with the National Breast Cancer Coalition for a number of years. Michigan was one of the large states that did not have a state Breast Cancer Coalition. Michigan had a Breast Cancer Network and a N.B.C.C. Team Leader who led the Michigan delegation on Lobby Day, but it was not very large or active. On the N.B.C.C. Lobby Day only a small number of breast cancer survivors would attend and often it was only the Team Leader herself.
Becky Cwiek first met Kathleen on her first trip to Washington D.C. in 2006. Their real connection, though, came about the following year when they were roommates. They spent a fair amount of time discussing the many possibilities for our state. Many of their ideas came from the other large states like Pennsylvania, Georgia and California, all of which have very active coalitions. Both of the women are members of the Breast Cancer Advocacy and Advisory Committee at University of Michigan Hospital and collaborated with other survivors on that committee to start a statewide coalition.
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