Share Your Story

3 Years later.....

I was diagnosed with stage II Ductal Carcinoma in April of 2007. After a lumpectomy and a second surgery to get more of a margin around my tumer, 8 chemos, and 35 radiation visits, I'm still here!! I had great support from my three remarkable daughters, my two sisters and my two brothers and many dear friends. Something like this sure puts things in perspective. Life really is precious and I have learned to not sweat the small stuff so much!

My heart goes out to those facing this ordeal currently and for those that have gone through this. I truely believe that things happen for a reason, it will make you stronger and remind you of what is really important. Live life, live strong and be proud to call yourself a survivor!

Deborah Carroll
Amherst, MA

My Journey

March 10th, 2009 I heard the words you have cancer. I was surprised I have no breast cancer in my family and I justed turned 37 years old. I had 6 months of chemo, a masectomy and the 25 rounds of radiation. I still have herception treatments every 21 days and I am on my way to reconstruction. I would not every want to relive the last 12 months of my life but I have recieved so many blessings that if it was not for the cancer I am not sure I would have ever discovered all of them. My friends have been nothing short of amazing...taking me to treatment, looking after my kids. The families at my school made supper every night for my family for 8 months. The support I have recieved has been overwhelming. I can never thank the people who have help me enough but I can pay it forward. In the last 8 months with the help of family and friends I have raised $10,000 for breast cancer research. Each day I know that I am one of the fortunate ones that can say "I am a breast cancer SURVIVOR!"

Alana Doucette
Dartmouth, Canada

Giving back......

I am a registered nurse working in preop surgical services....having a lot of the surgeons, nurses, nurse anesthestists, and anesthesiologists as my friends were such a comfort to me when my journey started back in September 2007. I went for a diagnostic mammogram as I felt a 'ridge' in my breast and was assured by my doctor that this was just routine. I found out that day that I had 2 sites that needed biopsies and were probably cancerous....I was shocked! I had Stage II cancer and went through numerous surgeries with reconstruction as well as chemotherapy.
Now, in taking care of patients with stories just like mine I feel I can give back to them my experiences and help them to know that they can get through this difficult time in their lives; just trust in God as well as friends and family---that's what it's all about.....

Doreen
Raleigh, NC

Could not believe it!

My story starts on October 3, 2009. That's when I got the call at work with the results of the biopsy. I had Invasive Ductile Carcinoma at age 39. After meeting with the oncologist, I found out I was at Stage IIIb. I was, to say the least, shocked. There is no family history of breast cancer so I really didn't think I'd have breast cancer. I have gone through 6 months of chemo and just had a bilateral masectomy. I am on my way to recovery and hopefully have beat the cancer. With the help from my friends, family, and God I have been able to keep a positive outlook.

Dawn Stewart
Indianapolis, IN

I have never seen such Bravery & Strength

My daughter, Jody, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. We thought that all was well when she finished her treatments and it was--- for a little while.
In 2008, she was diagnosed with triple-negative cancer and given 2-3 years to live. We were devastated. She has suffered through chemotherapy and radiation without any complaints. I can't remember how many times she has lost her hair.
Jody decided to continue to live as normal as a life as she could. She attends her 14 year old daughter's soccer games, volunteers at Girl Scouts, visits her 20 year old son in college, plays Euchre with friends once a month and works part time at a real estate office and attends her church.
She turned 50 years old in February. She had a wonderful birthday celebration. However, her stamina is waning, but she perseveres. Scrubbing the floor takes all of her strength, so she lays down to rest in between chores. She knows that she needs to eat to keep herself healthy, but she suffers from nauseau when cooking. Her husband is out of town a lot with his job, so most of the time at meals, it's just Jody and her daughter.
We are waiting for her to be admitted in a trial for triple-negative cancer. There are many tests and so much paper work to do before the trial begins, but she is hopeful. We all are.
I live 13 hours away from here and am taking care of my 96 year old Mother. I feel so helpless. I am her Mother and I should be with her to protect her and help her, but I am unable to, yet Jody always assures me that, "It's OK".
She is so brave. She is my strength.
Please pray for her.

Anonymous
Saint Joseph, MO

My beautiful mother

My mother was a fighter. A strong-willed, independent and stubborn woman. She was diagnosed at age 36 with breast cancer. At the time I didn't understand what it meant. I was only 9 years old. I just knew my mom was sick and had to take care of it. For the next ten years she fought cancer, went into remission, fought it again but ultimately the cancer won.

I miss her every day. Sometimes, even though it has been almost 9 years since she passed, I think about calling her and realize I can't. I want to tell her about what is going on in my life, the old friend I bumped into, the new friend getting married, life!

In the past four years I have run 4 marathons. With each one I try to raise money for cancer research. I want to make sure people go get themselves checked out, that they check themselves out! It's important and should not be overlooked!

This past year my best friend lost her father to cancer. I had thought about getting a tattoo for my mother and my best friend and I went together to get memorial tattoos. My mother always said she would return as a bird. I think she liked the idea of being free. So now I can look down at my wrist and think of the strong, beautiful, amazing woman my mother was and be reminded of all she gave to me even though she was taken too soon.

Michaela Idhammar
Denver, CO

Cancer could not keep me from my rescue work!

The diagnosis of cancer came as a shock, as it does not in any way run in my family. I fell in 2007 while walking a dog, was knocked out, laying on big stones that caused my right breast to bruise horribly. A year later in 2008, I had cancer in the spot that was bruised. It was a huge lump when it was found, was diagnosed as papilary carcinoma and removed. One lymph node was affected marginally, so I did 1 round of chemo & the full radiation treatment. My hair fell right out with only 1 chemo, but that didn't stop me from wanting to still help save my beloved Akitas no matter how bad I looked or felt. Here I am in the picture, no hair & looking sickly, but helping to save an Akita from his chain in a home in MD. I had to have other people driving me around, I was sick from the radiation & unable to concentrate all the time -- but cancer was NOT going to stop me from saving my Akitas!! I had to sit on a scooter to be interviewed by ANIMAL PLANET for DOGS: 101 due to my treatments & side effects, and I looked terrible with a bandana on -- but I was still able to talk about my beloved Akitas to help save them! CANCER CANNOT WIN!!

Kathy DeWees
Palmyra, NJ

Cancer Among Friends

I was diagnosed with stage I infiltrating ductal carcinoma in 2008. I am otherwise healthy, and somewhat neurotic about keeping most of my diet organic, and my environment "green." At first I wondered if anyone is safe. On the brighter side, if I hadn't been so careful, I may have gotten it sooner and worse.

I found my lump 3 years before they felt a biopsy was necessary. Although they "watched it" it was barely visible on any test. By the 3rd year I insisted on having it removed. Everyone was surprised when it was cancer and not the cyst as suspected. I am fortunate that it had not spread more than it did.

During that detour in my life, keeping a blog, gardening and art projects kept me centered and connected. They were and still are the best vehicles to carry me to the heights and depths of this journey.

A year later, a friend's mammogram found a lump; the doctor said it was small and they would "wait and see." Remembering my story, she insisted on a biopsy. Over a series of tests, they found multiple cancer sites and she needed a mastectomy.

This year, our mutual friend's annual mammogram showed suspicious spots. She elected for a biopsy; they were pre-cancerous and she had a lumpectomy.

I believe that every challenge in life brings an opportunity to learn and help others who follow. This belief kept my heart and mind open during the months of surgeries, chemo and radiation, and continues to help me support others going through that difficult period.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough to get your annual mammograms, and be proactive if you find a lump. Talk seriously to your doctor about a biopsy, find out what it is, and don't "wait and see."

Laurie Andreoni
Folsom, CA

Cancer....that was the least of it

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, that was not the worst thing happening in my life at that time. Oh no baby, try being completely new to the South Bend area and sharing a small apartment with my husband, son, mother, two dogs, one guinea pig and one gerbil. Can you spell zoo?

But make no mistake, there ain’t no flies on us…we managed to find a house and move in before I started treatment. And because nothing comes between me and a great garage sale…the morning after my first chemo I was tromping around our new neighborhood sampling the sales. In the weeks that followed, I didn’t let my lack of hair or steroid-inspired round face keep me from meeting my neighbors. And as the summer heated up…off came the hat. Sure, some people looked at me like I was nuts, but what the heck. To me, nuts would have been wearing a wig when it was 90 degrees!

When I finished chemo and radiation, my husband and son bought me a guitar to celebrate! I dress in pink and call myself Breastaban!

Remember, life is a dance…and if you can’t shake what your mama gave you…then shake what the doctor left you!

Toni Fowler
Granger, IN

Truly Blessed

On July 14, 2009 I found a large lump in my right breast. The Good Lord sure wanted my attention.
That is when I had my first meltdown, I cried so hard my eyes were swollen shut and I could neither breath in or out through my nose because it was so full of snot, I had to blow for an hour. How can one nose produce so much snot? The Dr. confirmed that it was a lump to be concerned with and made me an appointment for a Mammogram (oh yeah!) and an Ultrasound. They found Cancer (my second meltdown)
With my wonderful Husband and my Awesome Mom, we talked with my Surgeon and she told me I had Stage II Breast Cancer. That morning I prayed that it be something small, something easily fixed. So Stage II wasn't that bad. But after the Dr. examined me and looked over some other tests, she told me that she might just be able to consider me Stage I. THANK YOU LORD!!! The lump I found was a defiantly a blessing in disguise! So after talking over my options with my husband and Mom, we decided to go with the Lumpectomy, my Cancer was found early and the mass was small.

The Lord was truly with me on my Cancer Journey and was with me every step of the way. I only had to have 4 Chemo treatments instead of 8. And I didn't get all that sick, lost all my hair (head to toe) but it was not as bad as it could have been. Radiation on the other hand, not a fun time. By February I was Cancer Free!!!

"Fighting the Fight...Till I See HIS Face"

Rae Ann
California, MO