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Anabelle Cejas is not your typical 17-year-old senior in high school. She is a leader, an advocate, and a caregiver.
For the past 11 years, Anabelle has been advocating for increased funding and raising awareness for the early detection of breast cancer.
Her passion comes as a result of losing her grandmother, Abuelita Ana, to breast cancer just three months before Anabelle was born. At the tender age of 6, Anabelle started out by helping her mom, Monica, fundraise for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.
By age 12, Anabelle was fundraising on her own to benefit the American Cancer Society and La Liga Contra el Cancer. She did this by baking goods, making bracelets and necklaces, and designing and selling T-shirts.
But as life would have it, in 2020 in the middle of a world pandemic, Anabelle’s mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. But when life gives you lemons, what do you do? Make lemonade, of course. Anabelle’s positive attitude and resourcefulness helped her mom overcome cancer. And, in caring for her mom, Anabelle realized that there are not enough local resources for women going through breast cancer treatment.
At age 15, Anabelle’s dream of having her own non-profit organization, Comforting Pink Sisters, came true as she was now old enough to be on a nonprofit board.
Through Comforting Pink Sisters Anabelle has provided over 300 care packages and has built a library of resources to help women from diagnosis to survivorship. As Comforting Pink Sisters grows and funding becomes available, they will be able to assist more women going through cancer treatment by not only providing them with care packages but also with lodging, transportation to/from treatment, childcare as well as well as other support services.
Additionally, Anabelle has been advocating for women’s health for several years now. In 2019, Anabelle met with State Rep. Vance Aloupis Jr. to advocate for increased funding for early detection of breast cancer, and in August of this year met with Alina Garcia, Aloupis’ successor to continue this effort.
If Anabelle’s proposed legislation goes through, more women will have access to mammograms which leads to early detection which then saves lives.
Anabelle believes everyone should have access to information about cancer resources that can support you emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually, socially and financially.
If you want to learn more about the resources available to women going through breast cancer treatment, go to www.comfortingpinksisters.org.
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