After a hurricane-mandated reschedule, we celebrated Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Halloween at our annual Pink Tea Party, sponsored by AdventHealth. This traditional tea party, hosted at the ette hotel, featured education on breast health and cancer treatment and prevention procedures from the expert doctors and nurse navigators at AdventHealth Celebration and Kissimmee, emotional stories from survivors and warriors, and a creative and moving hat contest.
Dr. Jeremy John, a Breast Oncology Surgeon with AdventHealth, spoke about best lifestyle choices for breast health, and early detectors. AdventHealth reminds us that early detection is the key to beating breast cancer and they offer 30-minute mammograms with highly-specialized radiologists who screen more women than any other team in Central Florida.Two of AdventHealth's nurse navigators, Alejandra Ricaurte and Cecilia Oteng, explained the hands-on, caring approach that AdventHealth's team takes with patients once they have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
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Jessica Fairbanks, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2026 and is currently cancer-free, spoke about her journey with the disease and her experience as an oncology patient at AdventHealth. Nick Abreu, who just this month lost his significant other Diana to the disease, shared her story of fighting hard until the very end, his appreciation of support from her friends and community, and lessons learned along the way.
The beautiful setting for this emotional event was the ette hotel, a boutique hotel on Sherberth Rd. off W Highway 192, right here in Kissimmee. The ette hosts an afternoon tea every Sunday from noon to 4:00 pm, and we were fortunate to get a taste of it as we celebrated breast health awareness, survivors, and those we have lost in the peasceul setting of their Missoni-lined garden escape . Attendees each chose a tea from the ette's extensive list by Mariage Frères, curators of the most sought-after and flavorful teas in the world. Tea was accompanied by finger sandwiches and pink-themed desserts.
Attendees were asked to wear a hat or fascinator and many took this as a challenge to create meaningful designs that celebrated everything from early detection to lives lost to personal battles. Two winners took home tickets to the Disney Parks. Additional attendees took home staycations at the ette for correctly answering trivia questions about out hotel host!
Thank you to sponsors AdventHealth, ette hotel, Florida Technical College, and the Tompkins Family Foundation for making this important event possible.
Breast Cancer Awareness
Christina was raised in St. Cloud and holds degrees from the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida. She joined the Chamber in April 2015. As Director of Administration, she manages the Area Council’s events, sub-committee meetings, projects, and board engagements.
