About the Founder
Hello Everyone!
My name is Ashleigh Brown and I am the Founder/Creator of the Pink P.A.I.R. Project!
I was born and raised in Newark, DE and I currently live in Laurel, MD. I am a Christian, “tall girl”, music enthusiast, animal lover, higher education administrator, and a Breast Cancer Survivor. As a Breast Cancer Survivor, I strive to educate and empower individuals of all ages about Breast Cancer awareness. Cancer is HARD, and everyone processes and experiences it differently. For me, my faith, my support system, having a positive mindset, and sharing my story has had a TREMENDOUS impact on my journey, my life, and my healing.
I was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in March 2017, at the age of 33. My treatment consisted of 15 rounds of chemotherapy, a lumpectomy, and 30 rounds of radiation. I "rang the bell" on December 5, 2017. I am blessed to say that I have been "cancer free" ever since!!! I have an incredibly supportive oncology team within the Breast Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore, MD) and the Maryland Proton Treatment Center (Baltimore, MD) that has handled all of my treatment and care since my diagnosis. Even though I am “cancer free” and have finished hormone therapy (October 2022), I will continue to get annual scans and see my medical oncologist on a regular basis. Survivorship is a DAILY journey and I take it one day at a time.
After completing treatment, I wanted to get involved in the Breast Cancer community immediately. I soon realized that I did not give myself time to truly process my experience, so I took a step back and just focused on my healing. In 2019, I started thinking about what I could do during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) to help other Breast Cancer Survivors/Thrivers. I enjoy being creative and had recently made a Chemo Care Package for a young woman in chemotherapy for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. The process of shopping and putting the basket together was very therapeutic for me, and I was so happy to be able to bring a little bit of joy and support to this young woman in my own way. This was my aha moment!
Since 2019, during the month of October, I have collaborated with my oncology team to identify someone currently in treatment who needs extra support, and I have provided them with a Chemo Care Package. In 2020, my nurse suggested that I start some type of "pay it forward" campaign to get other Breast Cancer Survivors/Thrivers involved. I started brainstorming, and with support from family and friends, the Pink P.A.I.R. Project launched in October 2021! I hope this will allow Breast Cancer Survivors/Thrivers (as well as caregivers, family, friends, loved ones, and those wanting to provide support) to connect, support one another, and share their love and light! I am so excited to share this journey with all of you!