Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
LEHI — A woman in Lehi is hosting a Pink Sync event where breast cancer patients can find community and be connected to mental health resources.
Cami Kapp was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in the middle of 2022. She said she felt extremely lonely while fighting cancer and going through long days of chemotherapy treatment.
So, Kapp started reaching out to the other patients receiving treatment in the hospital so she could get distracted from her own problems by focusing on them.
"I was so amazed at the women that were there," Kapp said. "Hearing the hard things that they were doing and the positive outlooks they had, it was just amazing to me, and it was also strengthening to me. It helped me so much."
Eventually, Kapp had to switch her treatment day and started missing the other patients she used to talk to, so she began searching for a support group. While she found several cancer support groups, she couldn't find one dedicated solely to breast cancer survivors.
"I couldn't get myself to go to those. I don't know why," she said.
Kapp thought about inviting the women she knew over, but she didn't have the energy to do it — and that's where the idea for Pink Sync was born.
"Time went on and I thought, 'You know what? I'm going to make an event where we can go, we can get support from each other and we can also have experts there to teach us how to handle emotional stress and mental health problems,'" Kapp said. "There's all these events for breast cancer awareness and breast cancer fundraising — which they're both very important, but I kept thinking what about all the women already diagnosed and in the fight; where's the support for us?"
Kapp decided to create a conference where women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer "can better learn to take care of themselves, to fight with strength and grace," she said.
Kapp wished she had an event like Pink Sync to go to when she was first finishing treatment, where women could gather together to find support in their loneliness while being connected with experts and resources.
After calling several hospitals and searching for a location with no luck, a representative for Utah Valley Hospital in Provo told Kapp said they would love to host the event. Pink Sync will be held in the conference center of the Sorenson Building at the hospital located at 395 Cougar Boulevard.
Kapp connected with leading breast cancer surgeon Dr. Jennifer Tittensor, who enthusiastically agreed to come speak at the event.
"She has been the No. 1 supporter of this event from the get-go," Kapp said, "and then it just started snowballing from there."
The conference will be on Friday and will include a group of 12 presenters made up of oncologists, radiologists, plastic surgeons, dietitians, exercise advisers, mental health experts, a fatigue specialist and someone who will talk about how to deal with losing hair from chemo.
Kapp said many cancer patients feel lonely while going through treatment because their life has been turned upside down and they can't do the things they normally do. After treatment is finished, patients don't get to see the nurses and doctors they're used to seeing every day, so many are searching for someone who understands and this event helps fill that void.
A "pre-pink" mingling event with refreshments will begin at 5 p.m. and is followed by the main session of the conference at 6 p.m. Three breakout sessions will follow, where attendees can choose from a variety of topics to learn more about such as mental health, emotional resilience or cancer-related fatigue management.
"Cancer affects every single aspect of your life: relationships, finances, everything. And most of us are just hanging on by our fingertips and making the most of it," Kapp said. She hopes this event can connect women with each other to provide support and help.
The Pink Sync will have 10 vendors who sell specialized products such as clothes for those who have had mastectomies, an areola tattoo artist, survivor retreats, health care resources, wigs, emotional management programs and a house cleaning company that services homes of cancer patients for free.
"That's why I wanted to create this event that is a gift for all these women that never wanted this, never wanted to be a part of this club. But they're part of it and they're making the most of it," Kapp said. "They have a team of medical professionals that are fighting to keep them alive, but meanwhile they're still trying to manage life. This is my gift to them, and I have lots of wonderful people helping me."
It is free to register online for Pink Sync, and every participant will receive a swag bag of items donated by companies. Kapp said she is amazed at the generosity of people in Utah to help women who are fighting for their lives.
"When you have cancer and you're faced with your own mortality, and you're given your chances of living, you start to think, 'Have I done everything I wanted to do?' I felt like I wanted to do as much good as I can while I'm still here," Kapp said. "We need to support (breast cancer patients) so they can keep living the best way they possibly can while they're fighting."
Kapp will undergo an intense reconstruction surgery at the end of October, but she said she hopes Pink Sync becomes an annual, regular thing even if she isn't around to see it. She also wants Pink Sync to expand to other events such as Pink Sync in the Park where families of survivors can come to find community as well.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Kapp encourages everyone to reach out to those they know who are fighting and let them know they are not alone.
"It's a lonely thing to go through. You are isolated a lot. So just reaching out and saying, 'Hey, I'm thinking about you, can we do something?'"
Kapp said it can mean the world to someone fighting cancer. She also said hugs can work wonders for survivors.
