Welcome to In the Pink Inc.
Thank you for visiting us!
We are a not-for-profit charitable organization, created lovingly by Marlene M. Markard, the daughter of a breast cancer survivor. Our purpose is to give breast cancer patients and survivors the tools they need in order to avoid lymphemeda and cellulitis, two life-long after-effects of breast cancer treatment that can be painful, embarrassing and, in their worst forms, life-threatening. We are proud to say that we are the only resource of this kind.
What we have learned – through personal experience and nearly a year of research -- is that the most common causes of lymphedema and cellulitis are the wearing of constrictive clothing, lack of physical exercise, overuse of your affected arm(s), and bacterial infection (which, itself, may be brought on by unsterilized punctures, skin cracks, dry skin, bug bites, cuts, scratches, abrasions, burns or other areas of skin trauma). Breast cancer patients and survivors have it in their power to control many of these causes but may not exactly know how or where to start.
That's where we come in. Throughout our website, we share our research, knowledge and personal experiences with you in the spirit of empowering you to take cost-effective, simple and fun steps that can help you avoid the onset of lymhedema and cellulitis. We endeavor to do this by appealing to your minds, spirits, bodies and hearts because we know how hard it is to be healthy if you don’t have wellbeing.
For your bodies...
We recommend hundreds of personal care products and apparel items (“Preferred Products”) which we have selected for you after months of research and product usage. We currently provide recommendations in nine personal care and apparel categories: Beach cover ups, Footwear, Hand bags and totes, Hand sanitizers, Head coverings, Insect Repellent, Jewelry, Lip Balm, and Yoga wear. We will be adding new product categories on an ongoing basis. Most of the personal care products we have chosen are made from natural or organic ingredients, are formulated to promote moist, protected skin and deep healing, and are less likely to cause adverse skin reactions. Many of the apparel items we have selected are manufactured out of natural fibers and breathable, soft materials that are less likely to irritate or constrict.
We also offer personal care tips to help you overcome some of the new personal care concerns you may have. One of the biggest personal care problems breast cancer patients and survivors face is nail care. It may no longer be appropriate for you to cut your cuticles or use alcohol-based nail polish remover. Our personal care tips are intended to help you find new ways to pamper and care for yourself without increasing the risks of lymphedema or cellulitis.
For your minds...
We provide you with clinical information about lymphedema and cellulitis so that you can learn about both conditions, because the more you know, the better prepared you will be. To further help you, we have developed Guidelines at a Glance for each product category we cover. We created these guidelines as a result of research, product usage and personal experience. With respect to personal care products, our Guidelines highlight specific ingredients which have been shown to protect and moisten skin as well as ingredients that have been shown to cause dry, cracking and unprotected skin or other adverse reactions. With respect to apparel items and accessories, our Guidelines recommend certain fabrics, cuts, styles and fits that promote breathability and movement and do not constrict.
We think it’s important to say that our Guidelines are intended to be just that – guidelines, not steadfast rules. Although we wish there was a single solution for everyone, that is not the case and we recognize that wholeheartedly. We are all unique and what may be a life saver for one person may have no effect or may even have a negative effect on another. Please use our Guidelines in the spirit intended, which is as one of several tools that we offer to help you help yourself avoid lymphedema and cellulitis.
For your spirits...
We also recommend Aromatherapy and Music therapy products that can help you restore calm, reduce stress and anxiety, maintain focus, and engender a sense of wellbeing. In addition, we strongly encourage you to engage in non-strenuous physical exercise, like yoga or pilates, which may promote more efficient lymph drainage and help you clear your mind so that you may regain balance.
And last but certainly not least, for your hearts...
We have tried to provide you with these tools in an intimate and uplifting way that is meant to give you comfort and hope because there is much hope to be had! When you visit our website and read our pages, we sincerely hope you feel that you are visiting a loving family member or friend who has your best interests at heart and is here to help.
Please visit us often and stay "in the pink."
Marlene M. Markard
Executive Director
"The richness of the human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome."
- Helen Keller
According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 25-50% of breast cancer patients and survivors get lymphedema, even 15 or more years after breast cancer treatment.
Nail care tip: Don't cut your cuticles. Use cuticle remover cream or gels rather than scissors or a cuticle cutter. Push your cuticles back gently using a cuticle stick.
Lymphedema is caused by an abnormal accumulation of water and fluid that contains high molecular weight proteins. These fluids and toxins must be eliminated through the body’s lymphatic system. But, for breast cancer patients and survivors who have had radiation therapy and/or undergone lymph node dissection, efficient elimination of these fluids becomes more difficult because their lymphatic systems have been disturbed by their cancer treatment.
The National Cancer Institute and the National Lymphedema Network provide useful information about the causes, risks, symptoms and treatments of lymphedema and cellulitis. Please visit their respective websites at www.cancer.gov and www.lymphnet.org.
