The Rivkin Center’s education program provides free ovarian and breast health education parties (workshops). Instructors educate women about their breast and ovarian health and cancer risks.
Say hello to Riley Rose, one of our instructors and former University of California, Berkeley campus ambassador.
ABOUT RILEY
Where are you from?
I am from sunny Orange County, California! I am a born and raised Southern California girl.
What should people know about you?
I recently just graduated this past spring (May 2020) from the University of California, Berkeley! At Berkeley I received my Bachelor’s in Integrative Biology, with an emphasis in Human Physiology. Through my major, I had the privilege of completing an Honors Senior Thesis where I studied the effects that stress has on female fertility. I am currently in a gap year where I have moved back home–yay for home cooked meals–and I serve as a Rivkin Instructor, tutor high-school students, and work for a family medicine physician. In August, I will be attending medical school, and I cannot wait!
What do you do for fun?
I love to be outdoors! It’s nice to get outside since everything seems to be via Zoom nowadays! I love to golf, ski, play pickleball and tennis, roller blade, and go to the beach. At night you can find me curled up watching a Stand-Up special on Netflix (Nikki Glaser is my fave), watching something on Bravo, or begging my parents to play some sort of board or card game with me–I’m competitive and like to play games, what can I say.
What is your favorite mantra?
“Knowledge is Power”– When I was 17 I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). I have always wanted to have children. Therefore, when my doctor told me that infertility could be a potential side effect of my PCOS my world turned upside down. I dove into research–I wanted to learn everything I could possibly do to live the healthiest life to set myself up for success with pregnancy later down the road. I discovered that the more I learned about my PCOS, the less scared I became. Understanding my disease empowered me. Understanding the mechanisms behind why my body behaves differently, and what I can do to treat it, made me feel like I had power over my PCOS–my PCOS didn’t control me. With that life experience, I adopted the mantra of “Knowledge is Power” and repeat it to myself every day. The more we know about things that frighten us, the more power we have to combat that fear. I am so thankful that I get to live out my mantra every time I instruct a Rivkin Party. I’m incredibly passionate about Rivkin’s mission to teach individuals about Breast and Ovarian Cancer in a fun, frank, and fear-free way, and I am so thankful that I get to be a part of it!
Where do you go to find inspiration?
Rivkin’s INCREDIBLE survivors! I am so fortunate to be a part of an organization that is filled with so many incredible individuals. You can’t work for a Breast & Ovarian Cancer non-profit and not be a good human–it’s just impossible. Each of our survivors has such a unique story, and I have had the privilege of hearing so many of them. They all went through the trials and tribulations of cancer, but did it like champions. Their passion to share their story and educate others on their experience is incredibly inspiring to me. I am so lucky to have these amazing women in my life!
Where’s your happy place?
My happy place is Havasu Palms. For most of you who are probably unfamiliar with the magical place, it is a small, isolated trailer park on Lake Havasu. My family has a place out there and we have been going there for as long as I can remember. My favorite childhood memories are at The Palms. In the wintertime my family likes to off-road through the desert terrain, and during the summer and springtime we spend all our time in the water. It’s a no-frills kind of place, and that is what I love about it so much. You forget cellphones exist out there, and your biggest problem is deciding whether you want to spend your day sunbathing on the dock or wakeboarding behind the boat. I’ve grown up out there, and some of my closest friends also have places out there. It holds a special place in my heart, and I can’t wait for it to get warm again so I can put on my bathing suit and jump in the lake!
HOW RILEY GOT INVOLVED
How long have you been involved with the Rivkin Center?
I joined the Rivkin team in December of 2018 as a Rivkin Campus Ambassador. I was a campus ambassador my Junior and Senior year of college and I loved it! After graduation, I became a Rivkin Education Instructor.
What inspired you to get involved?
I attended a Rivkin Party as an attendee when I worked for Berkeley’s Student Health Center. From the moment I heard Rivkin’s mission, I knew I NEEDED to become involved. With my passion for Women’s Health and Health Education, I feel like I finally found an organization that was speaking my language! I am forever grateful to that first Rivkin party for introducing me to Rivkin, as it has become such a special part of my life
What is the most important thing you want attendees to learn at a Rivkin EDU party?
Well in a perfect world–EVERYTHING! We have so much incredible educational content. But, if I were to pick, the most important thing I want attendees to learn at a RIvkin EDU Party would be the importance of the phrase “Know Your Body.” I truly believe that knowing your body is the key to early detection–plus it is empowering!! Everyone has a different normal, no two bodies are the same. Therefore, knowing your normal helps you keep an eye out for anything that might be different. The quicker you are able to notice a change, the quicker you can do something about it!