Stephanie Robin: "I Never Know If I Am Closer to Life or Death — I Need to Celebrate Life"

Stephanie Robin, a breast cancer survivor, mother of two, and co-founder of Think Pink Rocks — a Boca Raton-based organization focused on early detection and BRCA gene awareness — spoke with Premier Guide Miami's Daedrian McNaughton about her stage II diagnosis, the cancer's spread to her lungs, her treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering, and why she turned her battle into a star-studded annual concert featuring artists like Akon, Ray J, and Queen Latifah.. Premier Guide Miami sat down to find out what that means — and what comes next.

"I never know if I am closer to life or death. I need to celebrate life." — Stephanie Robin.

Stephanie Robin, a breast cancer survivor and mother of two, took her battle with cancer and turned it into an educational tool and support group for women and men affected by cancer. Like her mother, Robin was diagnosed with breast cancer and carries the abnormal BRCA gene. She co-founded Think Pink Rocks, a Boca Raton-based organization focused on early detection and BRCA gene awareness for breast and ovarian cancer.

Stephanie Robin: I was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer and two years later the cancer metastasized to my lungs. After 14 months on a new treatment, the cancer returned to my lungs again. I am currently undergoing treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, treated bi-monthly. The tumors in my lungs have decreased in size by over 90%.

PGM: That is an incredible amount of burden for one person.

Stephanie Robin: I think that attitude is everything. I could lay in bed and feel sorry for myself, but I choose to be physical. My goal is to be around to raise my children. My children were 2 and 4 when I was first diagnosed. I said, no way am I going to let my children lose their mother. I workout constantly to stay in shape emotionally and physically. My mission is to raise money for breast cancer awareness and to make sure that everybody out there knows about their family history, the BRCA gene, and how important it is to have self-exams and to be your own health advocate. You just have to fight. I fight every single day to make sure I save my life, and other lives as well.

On the BRCA gene and her mother: "My mom was diagnosed twice and nobody told her that there was a gene. Had they told her, I would have been screened four times a year instead of once a year. The cancer would have never gotten the chance to grow to 5 centimeters, let alone travel to a lymph node. I would have been screened way ahead of time."

On Think Pink Rocks: "The Think Pink Rocks event started as a luncheon. After the cancer returned in my lungs, we decided we needed to celebrate life and reach more people — hence the Think Pink Rocks concert." The annual star-studded event has featured entertainers including Akon, Ray J, and Queen Latifah. For more information visit www.thinkpinkrocks.com.

For more upcoming events across South Florida, visit the Premier Guide Miami Events Calendar.