Our Story

At age 30, Kristian Bayan was diagnosed with breast cancer. She wanted to do everything in her power to beat cancer.  She went through her journey, many questions came up and when she looked into the hospital resources, she was underwhelmed by what was available. In her journey to recovery, she had many questions as any cancer patient would. However, she was underwhelmed by the hospital’s resources.

Then Kristian turned to friends and other AYA cancer survivors for support, hoping they could answer her questions and fill in the gaps that the hospital couldn't. She was introduced to a Certified Nutritionist as well as an Empowerment Health Coach through the recommendation of multiple friends. She was backed by three remarkable doctors, a certified nutritionist passionate about helping cancer warriors make custom dietary changes, as well as a health coach committed to helping others overcome their health challenges. With all the answers Kristian sought, she was confident she could fight and win her battle against breast cancer.

Kristian was thankful for the amazing support she received, but she realized that not every patient had the same support system. Cancer has a devastating impact on the development of young adults at a crucial point in their lives. Many are just beginning to live on their own, pursuing careers, and starting families. They may not have the financial resources or support networks available to them that older patients do. Many will stop working for long periods of time and deplete their savings in order to focus on their health. Others will continue to work while also going through treatment because they have bills to pay. 

As a way to support other patients, Kristian created a simple shirt fundraiser to benefit a local breast cancer nonprofit. With the help of several sponsors and backers, the event dubbed “Pink Strength” grew into a fundraising event. When Kristian realized what she was capable of doing, she moved forward with her application to start an official nonprofit.

At Pink Strength, we believe young adults are entitled to the support they need during these difficult times and everyone deserves access to the best care available. Our goal is not only for you to survive cancer, but also for your life outside of treatment to be just as rewarding and fulfilling as it was before diagnosis.