The roles and responsibilities for Patient Care, Advocacy Support and Breast Care Medical Providers are quickly evolving.
NCBC Ambassadors are leading the charge in advocating for breast cancer screening and detection for women and men across the country, helping to bridge the gap with patients and our interdisciplinary breast care medical teams supporting best practices, education, and communication to serve communities across the country.
Join our Team and be the first to help us advance "Breast Cancer Awareness" into Breast Care Community Partnerships. Click Here!
Meet the NCBC Ambassadors
Beverly Vote
Publisher of Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine
Founder and Co-Chair NCBC Leaders’ and Advocacy Council
Beverly was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 at the age of 38. She felt what most breast cancer survivors feel when first diagnosed; shocked, devastated, overwhelmed, betrayed, afraid and alone. This was before the internet and prior to cell phones as a way of life. She didn’t know where to go for help because at that time breast cancer was discussed only in hushed tones and in private conversations. She learned firsthand the power of sharing our life stories when three perfect strangers reached out to Beverly to share their inspirational stories how they each had overcome insurmountable odds against breast cancer. Beverly knew she had to find a way to bring hope and inspiration to other breast cancer survivors across the country so they too would never feel alone or hopeless again. From that need to help others, Beverly committed her life's work to help change the culture and consciousness about breast cancer which led to a “voice” directing her to begin a magazine for breast cancer survivors. The magazine’s outreach continues to grow and has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America and Hallmark Home and Family. In 2005, Beverly founded the Thrivers Cruise, which has become the longest running cruise event in the world for breast cancer survivors with attendees from around the globe. The purpose of the cruise is to celebrate each other and the milestones in our lives. Beverly is a past recipient of the Yoplait Champion award, Transformational Leader Award presented by the Tigerlily Foundation and 2014’s Pink Angel Honoree. She is also the author of How We Became Breast Cancer Thrivers, Inspirations, and co-author of Faces of Inspiration, and a contributing writer for Chicken Soup for the Breast Cancer Survivor’s Soul, Dancing with Fear: Tips and Wisdom from Breast Cancer Survivors, and The Pink Prayer Book. She and her husband David have been married 50 years and live at the Lake of the Ozarks in Central Missouri. They have two grown children, five granddaughters, and three great-grandchildren.
Leslie Ferris Yerger
Founder of My Density Matters
Author of Probably Benign and Founder of Check Your Chart™
Leslie Ferris Yerger is a Tedx speaker, author of Probably Benign, and a women’s advocate with a laser focused mission. Leslie was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in November 2017 after an ‘all clear’ mammogram and ultrasound, experiencing firsthand the failings of our current breast cancer screening standards.
As Founder and CEO of the not-for-profit My Density Matters, Leslie is determined to empower women to find out their breast density, learn their options, and advocate for themselves to get the additional breast cancer screening they need, so that her story doesn’t become their story. Leslie lives in Hawthorn Woods, IL with her husband John. She has 3 grown children: Evan, Julia, and Megan.
Arlene M. Karole FACHE, CHCP, CMP, MSA
Author of Just Diagnosed: Breast Cancer
Founder of Illumination Associates, Inc.
Arlene Marie Karole, healthcare executive, educator, and author, is an inspired, outspoken leader dedicated to sharing her carefully developed strategies for patient advocacy, survivorship, and patient engagement wherever she sees a need. Her career has expanded over a decade, and leading day-to-day operations in large health systems to becoming a patient within them has allowed her great insight and contrasting viewpoints seeing both sides. She brings a unique perspective to healthcare consumers and teaches them to be empowered. Together with providers working toward patient-centered health care and shared decision-making (SDM), she promotes education along the continuum of care from diagnosis to healing.
Board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Health care Executives (FACHE), she is also a Certified Health care Professional (CHCP) and earned her Master's degree in health services administration from Central Michigan University. Karole is an appointed member of the Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, a member of SHARE national breast cancer organization, and active with the National Consortium of Breast Centers (NCBC), where she serves on the National Consortium of Breast Centers Conference Survivorship Planning Subcommittee (NCoBC) and is a founding member of NCBC's Leadership and Advocacy Council supporting breast cancer leaders and advocates nation-wide.
Karole is the author of Just Diagnosed: Breast Cancer and founder of Illumination Associates, Inc. Passionate about patient engagement and advocacy, she launched an educational platform, amkjustdiagnosed.com, educating patients and caregivers on how to be empowered and take charge of their health. She has been featured in multiple national media publications and is a columnist for a breast cancer magazine. She created the phrase "Own your diagnosis and don't let it own you" to encourage and empower anyone that needs guidance. Learn more about Karole at https://www.amkjustdiagnosed.com/and www.linkedin.com/in/arlene-marie-karole.