›› Fearless Females: Jenny Saldaña

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer on January 4th 2006, at 34, it was almost a relief, justification that I wasn’t crazy; since I had been told for over a year that I was too young and that it was ‘only a cyst’. Before I heard the words that would forever change my life, I had settled into becoming a corporate drone, looking forward to my three weeks of vacation and every personal day I could get.
 
I have a degree in theatre and had written a play in 2001 that won one of 5 spots in the 2003 National Latino Playwrights Festival in Fort Worth TX.  I was convinced that I was a one hit wonder since I hadn’t written anything else and couldn’t find a muse no matter where I looked.  When I heard “you have cancer” my unlikely muse was born as well as the courage to leave the corporate world and pursue my dream of a career in theatre. 

I decided to document my breast cancer journey with a comedic play entitled PINK:  The Chronicles of BC Jenny.  With the help of Latino Flavored Productions, Inc I have been able to take my play to colleges all over the country to bring awareness to the subject of young breast cancer.  PINK also won 3rd place in 2008 Met Life Nuestras Voces National Playwrighting Competition at the Spanish Repertory theatre.