In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the TODAY Plaza is dressed all in pink this Oct. 1, thanks to a special event organized by Shop TODAY contributor and breast cancer survivor Jill Martin.
Jill's new clothing brand, By Jill Martin, worked with the NBA and is launching an exciting collaboration with the NBA and WNBA to raise awareness of breast cancer and genetic testing, especially for cancers related to the BRCA gene mutation.
The collaboration includes Jill's sherpas featuring the NBA and WNBA logos turned pink, available for purchase starting Oct. 1, with proceeds going to the Basser Center for BRCA.
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To kick off the campaign and the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Oct. 1, the NBA and WNBA provided sherpas with pink logos for TODAY show attendees.
Also on Oct. 1, the TODAY show is airing its Pink Power special — which features Jill sharing even more about her breast cancer journey, NBA and WNBA players speaking out about how the disease has affected them, and more information on who should undergo genetic testing to reduce cancer risk. The plaza is also packed with breast cancer survivors and their families.
The message of knowing your breast cancer risk is especially important to Jill, who was diagnosed at Stage 2 in 2023.
Jill found out she had breast cancer because she tested positive for a BRCA gene mutation — despite getting a clear mammogram the same day as her diagnosis and a clear sonogram just months before. It turns out she'd inherited the gene mutation from her father, which she didn't know was possible, as her family history of breast cancer was primarily on her mother's side.
Since then, Martin has undergone a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, the removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes, chemotherapy and radiation. She's now considered cancer-free and is taking two medications to reduce her risk of recurrence.
BRCA gene mutations are inherited from either the mother or father, according to the National Cancer Institute. They can increase a person's risk of several types of cancer, such as breast, ovarian and prostate. BRCA mutations also increase a person's risk of developing cancer at a younger age. More than 60% of women with a BRCA mutation will develop breast cancer.
Some groups are higher risk for BRCA mutations, including those with a family history of the mutation, people of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and people with a personal or family history of breast cancer before age 50.
If you are concerned about your risk of having a BRCA mutation, talk to a heath care provider.
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