The Pink Moon Lovelies ― Empowering Stories of Survival

The Pink Moon Lovelies are members of the Facebook group Beyond the Pink Moon, named after Nicki Boscia Durlester’s memoir that intimately chronicles her journey after a breast cancer diagnosis. Nicki created the group to provide an active forum for discussion to raise awareness about the BRCA gene and breast and ovarian cancer.She never dreamed her homespun story would travel around the globe and Beyond the Pink Moon would become a support group for people from all walks of life coming together to lift each other up with inspiration, humor, faith and love. With Lovelies in Australia, Canada, England, France, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Sweden, Tasmania and the USA, Nicki, a BRCA2 survivor, and fellow moderator, Melissa Johnson Voight, a BRCA1 previvor, whose journey of steadfast faith and courage of conviction is included in this book, have encouraged their members to tell their stories with one goal in mind, to save lives.With a Foreword written by renowned breast surgeon, Dr. Kristi Funk, this riveting collection of 50 stories includes: the unflinching account of Barbie Ritzco, a United States Marine who kept silent about discovering a lump in her breast in order to deploy with her unit to Afghanistan, putting her country before her health, the moving story of Ally Durlester, Nicki’s daughter, a 25 year old BRCA2 previvor who will undergo prophylactic surgery to try to avoid the same fate as her mother, grandmother and six great-aunts who all had breast, ovarian or fallopian tube cancer, the frustrating story of Erika Grogin Lange, an Israeli Lovely and mother of five, whose nagging symptoms of fatigue, nausea and bloating went undiagnosed for months until she heard the shocking news that she had Stage III ovarian cancer, and the unpredictable journey of Susan Long Martucci, a two-time breast cancer survivor, disease free for 13 years, blindsided by another diagnosis. She is the beacon of hope who coined the term Pink Moon Lovelies.Each story is compelling and has an important message to impart. The Pink Moon Lovelies, Empowering Stories of Survival concludes with the story of the incomparable May Smith, the 32 year old South African Lovely who left a legacy of extraordinary courage, grace and love. Hers was a life well lived. When May sadly passed away on July 22, 2012 from breast cancer she left the Pink Moon Lovelies with one final message filled with wisdom and advice beyond her years. Her emotional eulogy written by Nicki Boscia Durlester is also included. Two women who never met in person but whose love transcended time and space. The power of the Pink Moon! Cover art and design by Ithaca, New York artist and breast cancer survivor, Shera Delia.All proceeds from the sales of this book will go to Beyond the Pink Moon non-profit and will be donated to breast and ovarian cancer research.