Photo: Nadia Miller, Executive Director of Pink-4-Ever, Inc.
At the young age of 21, Executive Director of Pink-4-Ever, Inc. Nadia Miller, had no idea breast cancer would have such an impact on her life. Although Miller’s grandmother and aunt were diagnosed with breast cancer, the seriousness of the disease did not hit home until Miller’s oldest sister lost her life battling breast cancer.
“She made it look so easy,” Miller says, as she speaks about her oldest sister. “When she began her radiation treatments and started losing her hair, that’s when it became real for me,” says Miller.
Two years after her sister lost the battle against the disease, Miller was diagnosed with breast cancer. Miller says, “Although my sister had breast cancer, I didn’t know much about it. I began to educate myself after I was diagnosed.”
Miller had to undergo numerous surgeries. Her first surgery was the removal of the left breast (the cancerous breast). Following her partial mastectomy, Miller began chemotherapy treatments. Because of the genetic history of breast cancer in Miller’s family, Miller had her right breast removed to prevent any future breast cancer scares. After having a mastectomy, chemotherapy treatments, a total hysterectomy and numerous reconstructive surgeries, Miller has been cancer free for five years!
Miller is the inspiration behind the organization that addresses the needs particular to the African American community. Miller is a five-year breast cancer survivor, who turned a family’s health afflictions into an organization that provides standardized educational programs, support, empowerment and hope.
After the death of her sister to the disease and during her personal fight to survive breast cancer, she recognized a lack of awareness and support in local traditional organizations. In 2008, Miller with the facilitation and coordination of her brother John M. Miller founded Pink-4-Ever Inc. in order to ensure that the minority community especially women would receive comprehensive information, support and resources regarding breast cancer health and prevention.
When asked how “Pink-4-Ever” came about Miller said, “I will always have these scars to remember where I came from.” Hence the name, “Pink-4-Ever.”
Miller’s primary motivation was to create a movement among the minority community to dispel myths about breast cancer and to create and environment where “Its Ok To Talk About It” (breast cancer).
Miller has been Chairperson of the Circle of Promise Committee; she is the first African American Honorary Race Survivor for the local Susan G. Komen Indianapolis Affiliate. Miller earned a degree in Business (2009) from Indiana Wesleyan University. Leading by example, Nadia Miller continues to make a difference and lives by the Pink-4-Ever Inc. slogan: “It’s Ok To Talk About It.”
Click HERE to check out Nadia Miller sharing her story on Religion in the News:
