Community Corner
JohnstonPatch Meets... Marissa Levesque, Founder Of Pink-Surance
Marissa Levesque is the founder of Pink-Surance, an organization geared toward funding genetic testing for women at high-risk for developing breast or ovarian cancer.
Marissa Levesque is the founder of Pink-Surance, a non-profit organization focused on supporting the education and empowerment of women who have or at risk for breast cancer.
Levesque personally went through a preventative treatment, having a bi-lateral mastectomy after finding herself positive for breast cancer from a simple blood test.
“After sharing my history and my story, others started sharing their history and their story,” said Levesque. “After they shared their story, they often followed up with ‘I would get tested, but I don’t have health insurance’”
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Because the average cost of these blood tests cost $3,300, genetic testing is not available to all women. They are often left footing the bill on their own — or never knowing the results.
When asked to break down her organization's purpose to its most basic function, Levesque responded: “I want to fund testing for women based upon financial and medical need, to raise awareness and promote learning about how to stop this [breast cancer] in its tracks.”
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Levesque also said she is coordinating with a group of genetic specialists, doctors and surgeons who are onboard with Pink-Surance. They support Marissa as mouthpiece for prevention and believe in putting a face on an often faceless disease.
“They [the doctors] are coaching me on the medical background so I can speak at seminars and they will speak with me,” Levesque explained.
This will also raise understanding for prevention as the ultimate cure, and to allow insurance companies to understand that genetic mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 can occur at any time, Levesque pointed out.
Levesque said she aims to create awareness in younger generations, who often put off testing for breast cancer until their 30s, mistakenly believing they are too young to worry about this disease. Genetic mutations can manifest at anytime, and it is important to test early and often, especially if there is a family history.
Pink-Surance will be holding its first fundraiser on May 29, made possible by . The fundraiser will be a motorcycle run and a custom car and bike show at the .
“I want women to be able to end the battle before it begins and I’m going to help them,” Levesque shared.
For more information, please contact Marissa Levesque at marissa.pinkSurance@hotmail.com.
