October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and WNYC's Community Partnerships desk is talking with people from our region who've been touched by the disease for their insights and inspiration. Queens resident Anna Kril is a two-time breast cancer survivor and founder of a breast cancer support organization called SHAREing and CAREing based in Astoria.

The transcript of Anna Kril's story has been lightly edited for clarity

My name is Anna Kril. I am a two-time breast cancer survivor and a lifelong resident of Queens County.

29 years ago, I founded SHAREing and CAREing, which is an organization that addresses cancer issues, especially breast cancer. I was diagnosed in 1993, a young woman with two lovely little girls, and that should have never happened. There was no family history. I fell below all the guidelines of mammography screening. In fact, I even had to pay for my own mammography screening because insurance refused to cover it. If we go back to the 90s, at that time, no one spoke about breast cancer. There was a stigma associated to breast cancer. It was not a topic you discussed.

Queens County is a very multiethnic community. There are still many communities and we're seeing more and more influx of new immigrants that still feel that way. And the fact that we are so open now in discussing breast cancer, in urging people to go for mammography screening, doing breast self-examination, I think when they're hearing all of this, it reduces the barriers that they face.

To have a network of other individuals who have survived the experience you're just about to begin to embark on is that ray of hope you need. It provides you with the strength and encouragement to know, I can get through this. And they also share their experience in a positive way. In a way that helps to guide you, to be able to speak about your fears and concern. And they can share their experience so that you are not afraid. And you know what questions to ask your physician when you need to.