Please note that all event times are in Central Time.
This webinar is in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is in collaboration with:
Susan G. Komen®, National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), For the Breast of Us, RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center and After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD).
Event Type: Virtual (Zoom Session)
Who Can Attend: This free educational webinar is well suited for parents, caregivers, friends, family, school professionals; anyone who wants to take away practical, evidence-based ways to talk to kids about breast cancer.
Cost: Free
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pickles Group is collaborating with a number of national leaders and organizations to bring you a free live webinar and parent panel focused on the unique experiences of parenting with breast cancer.
Telling kids about a parent or guardian’s cancer diagnosis can be hard. At the same time, research shows that open, age-appropriate conversations with kids about their parent’s illness helps to decrease their worry, stress, and anxiety and promotes their social-emotional wellbeing. Our Chief Clinical Officer, Kelsey Mora, CCLS, LCPC, is an expert in supporting families through illness.
Register for this webinar to learn how to talk to kids about breast cancer, and hear from a panel of families sharing their lived experience navigating parenting with breast cancer. You'll also receive a free digital copy of our Pickles Family Cancer Support Kit, and a recording of the webinar to watch on your own time.
Panel Moderator:
Eleonora Teplinsky, MD
Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky is a board-certified medical oncologist specializing in breast and gynecologic oncology. She is the Head of Breast and Gynecologic Medical Oncology at Valley Health System in Paramus, NJ and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her clinical and research interests focus on young women with breast cancer, cancer survivorship and the use of social media in oncology. Dr. Teplinsky serves on the medical advisory board of Living Beyond Breast Cancer, is a frequent media contributor and speaker, and is the host of the INTERLUDE Podcast where she shares the stories and experiences of those who have been affected by cancer. She is working on her first book, Beyond The Pink, to be published by Balance, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, in September 2026.
Panel Members:
Beth Alvarez
Pickles Group, Cancer Survivor Spouse & Parent
Beth’s husband, Matt, was 33 when he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in March 2020. Their two daughters are now 6 and 8 years old. For a long time Matt had relatively few side effects from treatments, so their day-to-day life had not been very impacted. In the Spring of 2025, Matt started IV chemotherapy and cancer has been impacting the day-to-day life more.
Julie Turner
Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Cancer Survivor & Parent
In May 2023, at age 36, Julie was diagnosed with what first appeared to be stage 1B breast cancer but was soon confirmed as de novo metastatic breast cancer — stage 4 from the start. My subtype is triple positive (ER/PR+, HER2+), with limited bone spread (oligometastatic). She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and shares her life with her husband, Zach, and their son, who is 21 , and two daughters , who are 16 and 10. Julie is being treated with curative intent, though it will be lifelong. With no family history or genetic markers, the diagnosis was a shock to her. Her treatment has included chemo, double mastectomy with reconstruction, radiation, thyroid cancer surgery, targeted infusions, and daily medication. Side effects like fatigue, GI issues, and “chemo brain” are tough, yet her scans show no evidence of active disease (NEAD) — the closest she can be to cancer-free. Julie founded Pick Me Up Creations, blending handmade items with advocacy, and work with Pink Ribbon Gals, supporting those with breast cancer pre- and post-treatment. She also serves as a Living Beyond Breast Cancer Young Advocate and a research advocate with Atrium Health Wake Forest.
Melanie Neystel
NBCF, Patient Services Coordinator
Melanie is from Maryland, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. , where she lives with her husband and two children. At 38 years old, she was diagnosed with Stage 2a Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Her daughter was 9 (3rd grade) and her son was 6 (Kindergarten). She had a bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders, Carbo/AC, Red Devil, Proton Radiation and Implant Reconstruction.
Monique Morris
ABCD, Mentor and Sisters Network Southeast, WI Member
Monique is a 3-year breast cancer survivor from Milwaukee, WI. She was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in 2021 at 31 years old. Her diagnosis came six weeks after her wedding and her son's first birthday. She underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple surgeries while working full-time and navigating being a new mom and wife.
Paula Schneider
Susan G. Komen®, Honorary Vice Chair, Cancer Survivor & Parent
From 2017-2025 Paula served as president & CEO of Susan G. Komen and was responsible for day-to-day operations, strategic direction, and was accountable for the world’s largest breast cancer organization. To date, Komen has invested more than $3.5 billion in these critical areas, advancing its mission to save lives and to prevent and cure breast cancer. As a breast cancer survivor, mother of two daughters and having lost her own mother to metastatic breast cancer, Paula’s work is personal as she brings a unique combination of business expertise and real-world perspective to Komen’s mission. In September 2025, Paula became an author, publishing the children's book Love Stays Strong alongside Penguin Random House. Inspired by her own experience with breast cancer, the book is about the strength of a family’s love, especially during times of illness.
Registration:
Please register to
1) receive your free digital copy of our Pickles Family Support Kit
2) receive the webinar Zoom Link
3) submit your questions in advance. Questions must be submitted by noon CT the day before the webinar to ensure we have time to address the group’s priority concerns.