Tinley Park woman turns family cancer experience into a message of hope

Cancer has touched Janet Pearson’s family in ways that are difficult to forget.

Several of her aunts, cousins and friends have had breast cancer. Her father died of bladder cancer at a young age, and all six of his siblings also had various types of cancer.

Those experiences left Pearson with questions.

She wanted to understand what contributes to cancer risk and, perhaps more importantly, whether there were things she could do to improve her own health and the health of her family.

That curiosity eventually grew into a passion for nutrition, disease prevention and educating others about healthier lifestyle choices.

Now the Tinley Park resident is bringing that message to the community with a little help from some drums.

Pearson is helping organize a Sept. 17 breast cancer awareness event in Harmony Square from 6 to 8 p.m. The event is part of the Let’s Beat Breast Cancer Campaign, a global effort focused on educating people about lifestyle choices that may help lower the risk of breast cancer.

And Pearson wants people to remember the message long after the music stops.

“The drumming is what makes this event unique,” Pearson said. “We want everyone to make some noise and ‘beat the drum’ for breast cancer prevention.”

The Tinley Park High School and VanderCook Music School drumlines will perform during the event. Community members also are encouraged to bring their own percussion instruments and join in.

The evening will combine music with personal stories and information about prevention. Breast cancer survivors and thrivers will share their experiences, including how lifestyle changes and integrative approaches have played a role in their health journeys.

The Tinley Park mayor also will present a mayoral proclamation recognizing the importance of cancer awareness and prevention.

Pearson hopes the event will make an important health message approachable, especially for younger people.

“We hope the experience will be fun and memorable, especially for young people, and that they will take home the message that there are positive steps they can take for their health,” she said.

Pearson’s interest in nutrition began decades ago.

She started working in Chicago right out of high school and took business courses at a junior college in the evenings while working. In the 1980s and 1990s, she began researching healthier foods to prepare for her family.

As she learned more about the connection between certain foods and cancer risk, she began making changes at home.

She eliminated red and processed meats, including hot dogs, bacon and deli meats, from her family’s diet.

Her interest expanded in 2014 after she attended a keynote presentation by Dr. Kim A. Williams, who was chief of cardiology at Rush Medical Center and president of the American College of Cardiology.

“His presentation in 2014 helped me understand the important role that lifestyle factors can play in our risk for chronic diseases,” Pearson said.

From there, Pearson continued studying research involving nutrition, cardiovascular health and cancer. She became particularly interested in whole, plant-based foods and the role healthier lifestyle choices can play in long-term health.

Today, Pearson is a board member of Plant Based Nutrition Movement, a Building Healthy Communities Leader with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and co-author of The Family and Scout Guide to Plant Foods.

She co-authored the 395-page guide with Mary Anne Kiel, MD, a lifestyle medicine pediatrician. The book was created to help families, youth and scouting communities learn about whole plant foods in a practical and engaging way. It is currently available digitally through Plant Based Nutrition Movement, with a print edition planned for fall 2026.

Pearson also hosts monthly plant-based potlucks and restaurant meetups in the local area for people interested in learning more about healthy plant-based eating.

For Pearson, sharing that information is ultimately about giving people choices.

“I was inspired by the idea that there is a message of hope that we can share with our community,” she said. “There are lifestyle choices we can make every day that can support better health and may reduce our risk of breast cancer and other chronic diseases.”

She believes that message is especially important because many people may not realize how lifestyle and cancer risk can be connected.

“Too many people are unaware of the connection between lifestyle and cancer risk,” Pearson said. “I want this event to help change that and give people practical information they can use.”

Pearson is quick to emphasize that her message is one of hope rather than fear.

“This is a message of hope,” she said. “It is never too late to make healthier changes, and the earlier we establish healthy habits, the better positioned we may be for good health later in life.”