Roles Are Reversed for 2026 Steppin' Out in Pink Survivor Advocate

Roles Are Reversed for 2026 Steppin' Out in Pink Survivor Advocate

No one can fully be prepared for a breast cancer diagnosis-not even Janette Dawson, who was about as prepared as she could possibly be.

Dawson is a 34-year employee of Emplify Health by Gundersen, and for the past 19 years, she's been a social worker who connects with patients who've been diagnosed with-of all things-breast cancer.

However, last April, her world changed. After having helped hundreds of people navigate the intricate journey through breast cancer-from the initial shock to the financial hurdles to the treatments to the emotional toll it takes-fate had chosen her number. And as much as she knew what to expect while living with the disease, her work couldn't totally prepare her for what lay ahead.

But for the courage she showed through it all, and for her life's work helping others with breast cancer walk their journey, Dawson has been named the 2026 Steppin' Out in Pink survivor advocate.

By the Book

Being in the field and knowing the importance of early detection, Dawson, 60, has made getting a mammogram part of her yearly routine-so much so that when the doctor mentioned that she saw something unusual last year and needed to follow up, Dawson didn't think much of it. She'd had repeat mammograms-and biopsies-in the past.

"(My doctor) said we'll get you in as soon as possible, and I said, oh, I'm not worried," Dawson said. "But she said, 'I am.'"

Without hesitation, Dawson told her two adult daughters the news right away-which is what she encourages her patients to do-so they had all the information she had. She went through with the biopsy, and it confirmed what she had suspected: cancer was in the lymph node. Another biopsy revealed cancer in her breast.

Now, her coworkers became her caregivers, and they jumped in right away. After meeting with her doctor, Dawson opted to take four months off work to undergo chemotherapy and a bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction.

Following her recovery, Dawson returned to work part time and started three weeks of radiation treatments. She resumed full-time work in October 2025 with a clean bill of health and she continues to see her providers every three months while on endocrine therapy.

"The risk of potential recurrence crosses my mind, but I'm trying hard to focus on living life and the aspects I can control," she says. "One of my most common statements is that I'm no different than any other woman who walks through the doors."

There was no family history whatsoever.

A Reversal of Roles, a New Sense of Empathy

For those six months, Dawson saw and felt what her patients did, and she was supported through her journey by someone adept at what she does, going through the same steps that she leads her patients through. But because of her work, she felt a sense of peace.

"Emotionally, I kind of felt like I had walked this journey with so many individuals and that maybe it wasn't as scary because I already knew and had all the confidence in my team."

Physically, however, it was different. Dawson thought she knew what to expect-that maybe treatment wouldn't be so bad, based on what she's seen. But there were parts she wasn't expecting.

"The physical healing and the physical toll were more challenging than what I anticipated," she says.

But throughout it all, Dawson learned what it meant to be resilient through a major health crisis and to trust her healthcare team. She also learned she didn't-couldn't-know it all.

"I didn't know as much as I thought I did, to be completely honest," she says. "Being able to put myself in my patients' shoes has a whole new meaning."

"I now know what it's like," she adds. "And when it's appropriate, I do share that experience if I feel it's going to be helpful to them."

A Passionate 'Pink' Supporter

When Dawson assumed her role as social worker for breast cancer patients, she saw a gap. The Children's Miracle Network helped kids (and their parents) with financial burdens, but there was no such safety net for adults, who she's seen delay chemotherapy because they couldn't afford anti-nausea medications.

She was given an opportunity to change that. She helped with a kick-off fundraiser that was held in honor of Paula Tower, a former mammography technician who died of breast cancer in 2007. The money raised would go toward creating what's now known as Paula's Purse, a fund that supports cancer patients and their families who need help with basic necessities while undergoing cancer treatment.

That first fundraiser in 2007 brought in $11,000, and this summer, Paula's Purse is on track to reach the $1 million mark in patient support. That growing total over the years has been bolstered by Steppin' Out in Pink, as $50,000 raised at the event each year goes to Paula's Purse.

But, besides that connection, Dawson's is more emotional-even territorial. She says many of those at the event's survivors breakfast that morning could've potentially been a patient of hers if they were treated at Emplify Health by Gundersen-those who went through treatments 19 years ago to others who are in the midst of it today.

"It is always kind of a mama bear experience," she says. "Even like with the advocates who are speaking, are they okay, do they have people here? It was a chance to reconnect with all these people."

Now, she's the advocate.

"It was very touching to be asked," Dawson says. "Also feeling very comforted knowing the group making the decisions felt that I would be a good candidate to share how my experience as a breast cancer survivor has impacted my life just like the hundreds of people who will be at Steppin' Out in Pink. Ultimately, we are no different from each other."