“Almost immediately,” recalls Brinker, “doctors reported an increase in women asking for screenings. Many women who had hidden or denied a lump in their breast found the courage to take action. News coverage brought the words ‘breast cancer’ out of the shadows and into the public discourse.

“Betty Ford opened the door for so many women, myself included, encouraging us to deal honestly and openly with this disease at a time when breast cancer was swept under the rug. She inspired me personally to do everything I could to keep pushing that door open. She made it possible for me to understand that I was not alone, that I could be part of ending suffering from a disease that is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.