EGP Oceanside event to support Robyn Fink's battle with triple-negative breast cancer

his Columbus Day, EGP Oceanside will invite the community to its eighth annual Fall Fest, which combines family fun with heartfelt purpose. This year’s event, on Oct. 14, will be dedicated to supporting longtime Oceanside resident Robyn Fink, who is battling Stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease.

Coming as it does during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Fall Fest will serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of community. Scheduled from noon to 6 p.m. at the Long Beach Road restaurant, the event promises a day filled with activities and live entertainment — music, raffles, crafts, a pumpkin patch, face painting and more. A ’90s alternative rock cover band, El Scorcho, and Matt Wahl and Red X 47 Band, will perform. Proceeds will help support Fink’s ongoing medical treatments, which have proven to be a heavy financial burden on her and her family.

Each year, the fest benefits a local family facing challenges. For Brianna O’Hagan, EGP Oceanside’s general manager, organizing the event in Fink’s honor was a no-brainer.

“We’ve been doing this Fall Fest for eight years now, and each year we choose someone in the community who could really use the support,” O’Hagan said. “This year, Robyn’s story truly touched us. Robyn and her family are regulars at EGP, and when we found out what she was going through, we knew we had to do something to help.”

Fink, who turned 40 this year, was diagnosed in March 2023. What followed was an intense and challenging medical journey. After five months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy last September, five weeks of radiation and six months of immunotherapy, she thought she had overcome the worst. In December, she was declared to have “no evidence of disease.”

In June, however, just as Fink was preparing for reconstructive surgery, doctors discovered two new bumps at the site of her incision. The cancer had returned, and instead of reconstruction, she underwent additional surgery to remove the tissue expanders and excess skin.

The mental and emotional toll has been even greater, she said, than the physical challenges.

“The fear of leaving my children behind is the hardest part,” Fink said. She and her husband, Dan, have two children, Harper, 9, and Landon, 7.

Robyn has relied on a holistic approach to help her psychologically. “I can deal with the physical aspects, but mentally, it’s a daily battle,” she said. “Having my family lift me up has been essential.”

The Finks have lived in Oceanside for 10 years, and EGP Oceanside has always been a special part of their lives. “It’s been our favorite restaurant since it opened,” she said, noting that they celebrate Harper’s birthday there every year. When O’Hagan, reached out to Robyn to tell her that this year’s Fall Fest would be in her honor, she was overwhelmed with emotion.

“I was in Buffalo, undergoing treatment, when Brianna called,” Fink recounted. “I burst into tears. It was such a meaningful moment. My husband and I have always been the type to help others — we never wanted to put our hands out. But to receive this kind of love and support from our community, from a place that means so much to us, was overwhelming.”

O’Hagan said she hoped the event would not only raise funds for Fink’s treatment, but also bring the community closer together. “This event is about more than just raising money,” O’Hagan said. “It’s about showing Robyn and her family that they are not alone, that Oceanside is behind them every step of the way.”

Fink remains hopeful about her medical challenges, and Dan constantly reminds her how strong she is. “Whenever I’m down, he lifts me up and tells me, ‘You’ve got this. Whatever we have to do, we’re going to beat this,’” Robyn said.

Their children understand that their mother is going through something difficult, but she and Dan have chosen not to share the full gravity of the situation with them.

“We didn’t want to scare them with the details, so we’ve framed it as Mommy doing everything she can to be as healthy as possible,” Robyn said. “They’ve been incredibly supportive in their own way — especially my daughter, who tells me, ‘You’re still you, no matter what.’”

Looking ahead to the Fall Fest, she added, “I’m just so grateful to everyone who is coming out to support us. It means more than I can put into words. To experience this kind of love during the hardest time of my life is something I will never forget.”