BOCA RATON – Jamie Lober of Boca Raton has put women’s health back on the map. A few highlights of Lober’s involvement over the years include serving as President of RAISE (Raising Awareness in Sexual Encounters), being the spokesman for World AIDS Day, organizing health fairs that targeted the Hispanic community and leading V-day events.
Asked what the V in V-Day stands for, Lober responded “victory, valentine and vagina.” She goes on to tell that V-day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and that after a week of workshops the best part is the performance of The Vagina Monologues at the end. “Sure some people are going to judge this but women’s health is my passion and I figure if I stick with what interests me at least one person is always going to be pleased,” said Lober.
Acknowledging that she is well-aware that some people are not fond of the high esteem and recognition she has earned for her age, Lober said the success has been the best revenge and they better get used to it.
With her book Pink Power: We Girls Can Do Anything! flying off bookshelves across the country, she has given the cause a lift like it has never seen. “Having dedicated years to speaking on women’s health and sexual health issues, I sought to empower women to take control of their bodies and know their rights, like to be free of harassment, coercion and violence and the concept of pink power was one way to do it,” said Lober. The book is based on the Girls’ Bill of Rights and each right has a corresponding chapter filled with wisdom, emotion and personal experiences. “The biggest thing I would encourage girls to do is to build a positive self-concept as early as possible because while you may not realize it originally, what you think of yourself is much more important than what other people think of you,” said Lober.
As one of the youngest to run for mayor at age twenty-one, Lober was forced to see attacks, smears and betrayal but also received her fair share of praise and discovered the meaning of true friendship. “If Cinderella went back to pick up one shoe she would not have become a princess so you cannot look back and have what if’s which is why I tried to do what I wanted when I wanted and I am glad I did,” said Lober.
In a city that she describes as competitive and filled with greed, favors and resentment, she maintains her integrity as she continues to climb in her field of health communications. “Everyone could benefit from my book on self-improvement and the sooner people learn to be tolerant and realize that counting other people’s sins does not make them a saint, the better off our community will be,” said Lober.
Most recently serving as a well-liked and respected mouthpiece for rare disease awareness day in Washington D.C., Lober feels having a high profile has been inescapable for the types of initiatives that interest her. “I am still dealing with rumors in my day-to-day life and it is great because I am finding out so much about myself that I did not even know,” said Lober.
Thousands of healthcare professionals, researchers, advocates and legislators have backed Lober’s efforts but she explains that the following is not what she truly wants. “I want to be a leader particularly in the area of healthcare but I do not believe real leaders generate followers, they generate more leaders and that is what I strive to do,” said Lober.
Lober makes a push for more funding toward the National Institutes of Health rare disease program at every opportunity and insists that miracles are happening there.
While Lober cannot pinpoint who propelled her to partake in a life of service or come out with a tell-all book, she tells that her grandfather gave her some direction in life. “His service in WWII and countless stories about world adventures sparked my interest in literature, foreign language, history – and making some history of my own,” said Lober. Lober’s grandfather always believed in her and encouraged community engagement and civic participation. Women should follow suit – though perhaps not when it comes to elections. “Given that a Republican would have won every single presidential election since 1950 except Goldwater if only men had voted, I cannot say everything is better with women participating; they should do their homework first,” said Lober.
Lober feels that her grandfather could easily see her being recognized for the everlasting, powerful, crowd-favorite voice she has had on women’s health but that he would be surprised at the sacrifices and commitments she has made as a result of being her father’s most effective advocate in his fight against cancer. “I have dealt with heartbreak, deceit and other stones that have been thrown at me since moving to Boca Raton which definitely hurt but over time I have figured out that I have to either build walls or bridges and must choose wisely,” said Lober.
Lober names longtime friends and her parents as the forces that propel her to continue the work she is doing. She says the people she likes best are loyal and make her happy without her having to impress them. As for avoiding the rock-throwers, Lober believes they are everywhere and you cannot always hide. “Many instances come down to deciding whether to walk away or try harder and there may be some chapters that are not closed in my life but to those who throw rocks, all bets are off,” said Lober. Lober also identifies music as both a motivator and coping tool. “I sing and rap, dance and play the piano so I suppose you could say I am a triple threat,” said Lober. Provided that she has earned a Spanish major and has been a strong leader in the Latino community for over a decade, it does not come as a surprise that Lober says she loves Latin music. “There is something about the instruments, rhythm and language that is appealing,” said Lober. She goes on to say that rap is her favorite genre because it is the realest. “I love Lil Wayne because he is so creative, a lyrical genius and does not care what other people think,” said Lober. Questioned about the rap culture and if it has negatively impacted society, Lober is quick to respond.
“You cannot judge what people do or say until you have walked a mile in their shoes so no, I think all music is about people telling their stories,” said Lober.
Most recently, Lober has lent her name to women’s health as she stands behind the American Cancer Society – South Palm Beach Chapter as their Public Relations Chairman for Making Strides against Breast Cancer. “I do all of this for my dad because when we learn about one cancer, we have the potential to find clues that apply to many,” said Lober. Strides is a signature 5K walk in which teams fundraise for breast cancer research. “Given that Florida has the second highest incidence of breast cancer in the nation, this is an event everyone should attend because it is a very real threat,” said Lober.
Putting on her educator hat, Lober urges women to know what is normal for them. “Know your baseline for what your breasts look and feel like and point out any changes to your gynecologist,” said Lober. This does not mean it is necessary to have a precise method that you use to examine your breasts each month.
“The monthly self-breast exam recommendation has been controversial and although I think it is a good idea, I think a better message at this point in time is self-awareness,” said Lober.
Lober notes that women between ages 29 and 39 should have a clinical breast exam every 1 to 3 years and those above age 40 should have one annually. She adds that those above 40 should have a mammogram. “Out of all of the gynecologic exams I would have to say mammography must be great because no instruments are inserted into your body and no dyes are injected,” said Lober.
Lober speaks assertively and is heartfelt and sincere in everything she says. As to whether she will continue to be front and center on women’s health issues in years to come, she does not offer a concrete answer but it is safe to assume absolutely. “I will continue to go to bat as long as I keep hitting home runs,” said Lober.
