Pink Hope MD

🎥 WATCH THIS STORY (below): ‘I can’t be out of the saddle;’ Kenosha equestrian receives cancer diagnosis, takes on new hurdles by ‘going flat’

“I can’t be out of the saddle.”
That’s what my patient, Hayley Kolar — a lifelong equestrian — said when breast cancer tried to knock her down.

At 43, she made a bold decision many women don’t even know is possible: she chose to go flat after mastectomy. No reconstruction. No apologies. Just freedom, strength, and control.

As her surgeon, I saw up close how powerful that choice was. At City of Hope Chicago, we believe healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Going flat isn’t a fallback — it’s a completely acceptable option.

💗 Why this story matters:
• Some women want to get back to their passions faster — and that’s valid.
• Some define confidence through movement, not reconstruction.
• Every woman deserves full, unbiased information about all her choices.

Hayley’s courage reminds us: life after cancer isn’t about what you’ve lost — it’s about how fiercely you keep living.

https://www.cbs58.com/news/i-can-t-be-out-of-the-saddle-kenosha-equestrian-receives-cancer-diagnosis-takes-on-new-hurdles-by-going-flat

Tag someone who needs to see this. Share it. Let’s make “flat” part of the conversation.



Pink Hope MD American Cancer Society City of Hope CBS 58 CBS Sunday Morning

‘I can’t be out of the saddle;’ Kenosha equestrian receives cancer diagnosis, takes on new hurdles by ‘going flat’ KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) – As Hayley Kolar rides on her horse, Buddy, she says she’s in her happy place.“It’s where I’m at the most peace,” Kolar said. “You can forget about everything else.

📢 Cancer is striking younger—and we need to talk about it.

My op-ed in the highlights the rising rate of cancer in women under 50. This is a wake-up call for medicine, research, and public health.

Grateful to my team at for supporting this message. Let’s keep pushing for earlier detection, better tools, and equity in care.

📰 Link in bio

💬 Share if this hits close to home.

Check out my podcast episode on Real Pink! Out today!

We are talking about the surgical options for breast cancer and the increasing trend towards ‘going flat’.

City of Hope

Carolyn Bhakta MD on LinkedIn: ‎Real Pink: Episode 223: Reframing the Discussion for Surgical Options… Check out my podcast episode on Real Pink! Out today! We are talking about the surgical options for breast cancer and the increasing trend towards ‘going…

Together again and it feels so good! —at the American Society of Breast Suregons Conference (ASBrS) 2022. Always learning. Vegas, ya’ll!