Sonya Tittle

“It is truly an honor to be able to share the message of breast cancer awareness with others,” said Sonya, Principal Safety Specialist for Florida Power & Light Company. “Being a Warrior in Pink just brings it full circle. It’s like an extra opportunity to contribute to the community on my journey with NextEra Energy.”
Sonya’s breast cancer journey began in 2019 when her doctor raised concerns over an abnormal mammogram. In July 2020, she was diagnosed with triple-positive breast cancer. She has since undergone surgery and is currently in chemotherapy.
Sonya’s career has grown since 2011, when she first began working for NextEra Energy’s Health and Well-Being program in HR. She also supported initiatives for FPL’s Race for the Cure teams, attending the West Palm Beach and Miami races and helping with fundraising efforts.

Amy Effman

In the summer of 2022, Amy was diagnosed with HER2 + breast cancer. After consulting with her doctor, she learned she had triple positive breast cancer, which is an aggressive form of cancer. Following her initial treatment of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, Amy learned there was some residual cancer that would require additional chemotherapy for 16 months. As she nears the end of her treatment, she looks forward to supporting others who may face a breast cancer diagnosis.
“As a Warrior in Pink, I am eager to pass the torch and offer support, strength and leadership to other women who may be faced with similar challenges. I have had to learn to overcome and accept lots of difficult realities about my future life over the past 16 months. While I am devastated that I have had to face breast cancer, I want to make my experience meaningful.”

Lisa Chauhan

“I am sharing my story with the hope that someone else can relate and that it may be helpful. The diagnosis was heart-wrenching, of course. I was lucky to have very supportive family members and friends while going through treatment. Following the lumpectomy and lymph node biopsy, the pathology indicated that the standard of care, based on my oncotype score, was to have 6 treatments of chemotherapy, 29 sessions of daily radiation, and Tamoxifen daily for five to 10 years. The chemo part scared me to death - my score was a 20 which was on the borderline for my age and diagnosis. If I chose to include chemotherapy in my treatment plan, I would have a 10% chance of recurrence; if I chose to not include the chemo, I would have a 17% chance of recurrence. As a mathematician, I decided the odds were close enough that I would not use chemotherapy. Some people thought I was crazy for not doing it and some were happy I chose not to do it, but the only person’s opinion that mattered was, ultimately, mine. I knew I would be okay if I didn't include the chemo and the cancer returned. Two years after my choice, I do catch myself thinking about my cancer coming back; Moreso, I appreciate, and am present, in my life in a way I wasn’t prior to my diagnosis. Every day I am diligent with my doctor's appointments, scans, and meds. I have never felt sick or been in pain or tired throughout these past two years and I'm grateful for that. I know I am doing the best I can when the “what-ifs” sneak up on me. I am honored to represent Susan G. Komen as a Warrior in Pink and proud to say I’ve raised over $11,000 in donations to this life-saving organization since 2022. Let's see what 2024 brings!”

Nicole Smith

Nicole Smith is a Dance Educator and Choreographer in Palm Beach County. She was diagnosed with DCIS just after her 30th birthday and decided to be very candid and public with her diagnosis because she is regularly surrounded by young adults and hopes to be a positive influence and mentor to others. Initially Nicole had pain and discharge that was first dismissed as a staph infection. She advocated for herself, and thanks to her amazing team, further testing confirmed her diagnosis. She had a bilateral mastectomy in September 2021 and completed chemotherapy in January 2022. She has also completed her reconstruction and is living every moment like the warrior she is! Her strength and passion to continue living her best life and spreading positivity and awareness every chance she gets make her a true Warrior in Pink!
“I want to raise awareness especially since I don’t have a genetic predisposition or family history of cancer of any kind, including breast cancer. I was completely blindsided by my diagnosis. In addition, there were a lot of things that I encountered on my journey through diagnosis and treatment that I wasn’t aware of - including having to do IVF treatments since I was young and haven’t had children yet. I am now able to help other young women who are diagnosed, and I can help guide them through their journey.”