Darlene Brinker

Darlene Brinker is a freelance writer and communications consultant living in Wayne, Pennsylvania. A California native, Darlene received a B.A. in History from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from UCLA before moving to seek fame and fortune in New York City’s advertising world. On the birth of her first baby, she traded the glitz of Madison Avenue for the glee of Sesame Street and has worked independently from home (now the suburbs of Philadelphia) ever since.

Darlene was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer in November 1999, had a lumpectomy shortly thereafter, and was treated with chemotherapy and radiation. "My first reaction was to control the situation myself. I quickly learned that the subject is too big and too emotional for the lay person to do it justice. Reading all the books, browsing the Internet, getting second and third and fourth opinions was a daunting task—and there was no guarantee that my effort would increase my chances of survival. Meanwhile, I had a son, a daughter, and a husband to care for, plus commitments to keep at work, church, and the kids’ schools. Just as I didn’t want cancer to take over my body, I didn’t want learning about it to take over my life."

Marisa Weiss was one of her doctors, and when Darlene heard about breastcancer.org she decided it was "just what busy women need—a single source of reliable information, advice, and support. I am delighted to join the Consumer Advisory Board and look forward to helping to make this website serve the varied needs of women with breast cancer."