Pink Hope MD

“I can’t be out of the saddle.” 🐎
That’s what my patient, Hayley Kolar, said when breast cancer threatened to take her out of the ring.

At 43, she made a bold, deeply personal decision — to go flat after mastectomy.
No reconstruction. No apologies. Just freedom, strength, and control.

As her surgeon at City of Hope Chicago, I watched her define healing on her own terms.
💗 Going flat isn’t a fallback — it’s a completely acceptable option.

Every woman deserves full, unbiased information about all her choices — whether that means reconstruction, partial reconstruction, or none at all.

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

🎥 Watch her full story on :
👉 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 hear this. Let’s make “flat” part of the conversation.

🎥 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.

📍This isn’t your grandmother’s cancer.

🎙️ LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW
Cancer in young women is rising—and no one’s talking about it loud enough.

I joined to talk about the real numbers, real stories, and real women behind the trend. This hits home. I see it every day.

🔗https://omny.fm/shows/joan-esposito-live-local-progressive/wcpt-820-interview-carolyn-bhakta-m-d

🚨 CANCER IN YOUNG WOMEN IS ON THE RISE 🚨
This isn’t your grandmother’s breast cancer. I see women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s—too often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told to “wait and watch.” We can't afford that anymore.

🎙️ I went LIVE on WCPT 820 - Chicago's Progressive Talk to discuss this urgent trend—and what every woman (and every doctor) needs to know.

💥 We covered:
• Why more young women are getting cancer
• Why late diagnosis is still happening
• How YOU can advocate for earlier, smarter care

📍 Listen to the full interview here:
👉 https://omny.fm/shows/joan-esposito-live-local-progressive/wcpt-820-interview-carolyn-bhakta-m-d
📢 Please share this. One share could literally save a life.

City of Hope

WCPT 820 Interview: Carolyn Bhakta, M.D - Joan Esposito Live, Local & Progressive Joan Esposito is joined by Carolyn Bhakta, M.D., oncoplastic breast surgeon at City of Hope. Catch "Joan Esposito: Live, Local and Progressive" weekdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/live-local-progressive). And find the Joan Esposito (Full Episodes) podcast on...

📢 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.

I recently joined a panel of experts for a webcast discussing the alarming rise in cancer diagnoses among women under 50.

Our conversation sparked important dialogue—and media coverage, including this story from WBBM Newsradio.

Grateful to be part of this critical conversation and to raise awareness around early detection and prevention.

Click to listen!

Muck Rack | For journalists and public relations Use Muck Rack to find journalists, get press for your story, monitor the news and report on the impact of your PR. Journalists can build portfolios and accelerate their careers.

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…

An article I wrote recently published in CURE magazine-- check it out!
Reframing the Discussion for Surgical Options-- Women are Choosing to 'Go Flat'

Reframing the Discussion for Surgical Options after Breast Cancer — Women are Choosing to ‘Go Flat’ After undergoing a mastectomy, women can either proceed with reconstruction or "go flat," but one expert says that the correct decision is what’s best for the patient.

Susan G Komen- Race for the Cure 5K event at Soldier Field, Chicago.

We race for Hope, and all of our loved ones!

Pink Hope MD

Advancing treatment and care in breast cancer— American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS), Wynn, Vegas, 2022.

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