OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Pink Lotus Project is a local organization that works to support women like Clarissa Irvin, who was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago.
"I went to see the oncologist and they said it was breast cancer. They did the biopsy, fast advancing breast cancer and to receive the news it killed me, devastated, scared didn’t know, 'Wow. Do I have a month to live or what can be done?' Everything happened so quickly," Irvin said.
She adds that while family members have supported her, it's great to be able to turn to someone who's actually gone through it. That's where Pink Lotus Project comes in.
The organization was started by Tisa Hardin-Partridge, a nine-year breast cancer survivor. She said when she was diagnosed she just wanted to talk to someone who knew what it was like. Now, she is that person for many Black women in the Omaha community.
Pink Lotus Project works to help provide holistic services for survivors.
"I wanted to create a space where that was taken care of, where we can find therapists that look like us and we would be able to confide in and attach to and build rapport with and break down some barriers to treatment. It’s definitely needed when you get diagnosed. So, encouraging women to get set up and not just for breast cancer diagnosis, but anything they have going on in their life," Hardin-Partridge said.
For years the group has been meeting in churches, libraries and community centers, but now they've moved into a permanent space they can use to continue their mission.
"That was critical, to have a one-stop-shop where people can come talk and vent, get support they need. A lot of times we were meeting at different community centers but now people know there’s one place they can go to get the help they need," Terra Johnson, a breast cancer survivor and a volunteer for Pink Lotus Project said.
Pink Lotus Project is now located at 2001 N 35th Street.
