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cindy

i am writing this in memory of my neice cindy loggins who had triple neg.breast cancer. who was a champ she done everything possiable to beat the deiase. we lost her april 9th she fought for 2 and a half years.she left behind 3 preious little girls. she was 33yrs.old. the doctors told her she was a champ. it is so sad when you want to live but the odds are against you. i pray someday they will find a cure for this terriable deiase. so mom,s can live to see thier babies grow up. our hearts are breaking .wemiss her so much. i pray that anyone who can get on this site will click on, so somebody else has a chance to live. she was most defianttley our hero. the angels came and took her home but our hearts are breaking. so young so sad. her mom is so sad, it is heart breaking i pray everyone will learn about the breast cancer site and do thier share to help people in need thank you so much.

marie hightower
mt.airy, GA

THE GIFT

As you may guess I'm the one with no hair. This was taken just before my last Chemo treatment and just before radiation. The group of ladies are from our Cancer Resource Center in Bend Oregon. The young man is our staff partner for Relay for LIfe and the gal beside him is a two time lung cancer survivor and my caregiver.

In May of 2008 I had found out to my suprise I had breast cancer. I had not had a momogram in 3 years since I had no insurance. I found out about the free momograms and since my family has a history I thought I had better get one. The rest of you know what happen next.

I am on the road to recovery and staying involved with Relay for Life.. For the last 8 years I have been involved in getting funds to help with research and educations. I am now going to be walking my 2nd survivor lap, it is my goal someday no one will have to hear those words You have cancer. Stay well my sisters and may the rest of your years be cancer free. Power to the Pink.

Carol Gray
La Pine, OR

Mother and Daugher Survivors

My mother is a 7 year breast cancer survivor. She was 81 when they detected her cancer. She just celebrated her 88th birthday this year and she is the most amazing person in my life. She has shown us with her own actions, how to go on living no matter what tragedy life handsyou. She has lost two children, one grandson and her husband of 63 years. We lost my 25 year old brother in a car accident about 2 months after we were told my sister has brain cancer and they gave her only six months to live. So, through all this tragedy my mother has been the glue that keeps us all together. She nursed her daugher through chemotherapy and six years and then lost her in 1986; all the while coping with the death of her son. On 4/09/2006 our father passed away. This is just a brief summary of what my mother has endured in her life time. The strength, love & support she has shown thru all of this has helped me deal with my own life challanges. I was diagnosed in November of 2005 with breast cancer. I was a two year survivor when in February 2008 I was told I had uterin cancer & had to have a complete hystorectomy. Then in April of 2008 I was told my breast cancer had come back and I had to have a mastectomy. My mother was so worried about me that all I could say to her to let her know I would be alright was that, "if she could handle all she has in her eighties, I could handle this in my fifties". I am so fortunate to have her as a mother and a friend. Everyone needs a mother like her!

Carol G.
Lakeland, TN

Hope Faith Love and Courage

I began my battle on June 15, 2000 at the age of 27 when my oldest son was in kindergarten. I also had a 4 year old daughter and an almost 2 year old son. I had no family history and no typical signs of breast cancer. My family Dr said I was fine and for 6 months he just kept passing off my pain as something from nursing my youngest. I kept going to the Dr every week until I got to be a bother to him and he sent me for an ultrasound. That is the day I will never forget, I was diagnosed with stage 2 Infiltrating (invasive) lobular carcinoma or ILC. After 4 lumpectomies, chemo and radiation, I was cancer free, or so I thought. Then routine blood work showed my bone marrow count was dangerously low and since I have a rare blood type, the Dr had a brilliant idea, get pregnant, have a baby and use the umbilical cord blood to have a transfusion, so after a lot of prayers, crying and arguing, on May 4, 2004, I had my 4th child Faith Diane. My bone marrow count is still good, but my journey through cancer has not yet finished. In 2006 the breast cancer had metastasized into an astrocytoma of the brain. This type of cancer is inoperable, but I'm still here, so for that, I am grateful. Unfortunately, the Dr's just found a spot in my stomach which I will have to battle again, but I have Faith and hope. I have been through years of chemotherapy and radiation, and I probably take 15 pills a day. But to my family and I every day, is special. I just hope someone reads my story and gets checked out. Better safe than sorry!

Chanda
Santa Paula, CA

She is a true inspiration!

My mom (65) was never sick, never missed work, and very rarely took a day off. Three years ago she began having pain in her lower back which emitted down the leg. She visited the doctor and told the family that they found osteoporosis and were going to attempt to do some treatments via laser on her lower back along with a prescription. We had no reason to doubt this even when I found out she was seeing an oncology doctor, stating it was due to the treatments but denied having cancer.

March 13, 2008 while at breakfast with my daughter and father, she began convulsing. Rushed to the local hospital unconscious but agitated for the next 9 hours. A brain scan came back with a huge mass. They transferred her to the University of San Francisco where we were told that she had been diagnosed well over a year ago with breast cancer and it had metastasized. The cancer was now in the bones of her chest, her lower back, her spine and the deural lining of the brain. Over the next 8 days in a semi conscious state she was given the prognosis of 3 weeks with no treatment at all and with everything available a year.

She spent the next 10 days with radiation to the entire head and has been on chemotherapy every week since April 2008. She is now back working part-time and walking around with the help of a walker for long distances. She remains positive and thankful for the time she has had. When we asked why she had repeatedly told us she did not have cancer even though several had asked her, she stated, "If I didn't say it aloud, it wouldn't be true!"

She remains happy and thankful for every day!

Stephanie
Manteca, CA

An Advocate for Mammograms

As I have no family history of breast cancer, early detection is my savior. I am now a breast cancer survivor with hope of being there for my family now and in the future. Here's my story on entering the world of breast cancer. On 18 Sep 09, age 50, I had my annual mammogram which indicated microcalcifications in my left breast. My GYN scheduled a stereotactic biopsy, done 28 Sep 09, which indicated atypical lobular hyperplasia. I was then referred to a surgeon who explained that surgery was necessary. Agreeing, I had surgery on 3 Nov 08 with pathology indicating lobular carcinoma in situ which is a marker for cancer and putting me in a high risk category for developing cancer at a later date. My surgeon reassured me I didn't have cancer; however, he recommended an MRI and breast specific gamma imaging, done 8 Dec 08, to ensure my right breast was unaffected and to establish a baseline for both breasts. These tests brought bad news as they indicated a small solid mass in the right breast. Ultrasound biopsy, done 30 Dec 08, indicated atypical epithelial proliferation causing concern with my radiologist and surgeon. Surgery was recommended immediately on my right breast and was performed 9 Feb 09 with pathology indicating ductal carcinoma in situ. Unfortunately, this time the news was cancer. I was informed that radiation treatments would be necessary with a follow-up with an oncologist who I will see on 24 Apr 09 and who will most likely place me on medication. Between 18 Sep 08 and 24 Apr 09, I had were multiple mammograms, two biopsies, two lumpectomies, an MRI, breast specific gamma imaging, and 35 days of radiation. And, I have survived these various procedures/surgeries and I will continue to survive breast cancer.

Brenda
Hampton, VA

Surprised to have Breast Cancer

I had a normal mammogram in the summer of 2007. I went on vacation to come home and find that I needed to return for a different type of mammogram that would show more information. I then was instructed to see a surgeon because they had detected a turnor in my left breast. I had 3 lumpectomy;s to get all of the cancer from my breast. I then had 7 wks of radiation. That was very successful and it all disappeared. I was really shocked that it had happened to me. I believed it could only happen to other people. BUT I FOUND THAT IS NOT SO !!!!! All women at any age should be very careful and get mammograms to prevent this from happening to them someday. It was very scary for me. I am now a 1 yr survivor of which I am very happy.

Connie Conner
Middletown, DE

Why I Surport Breast Cancer --------

The reason why i surport breast cancer is i am one of them that has breast cancer and i am a three year surver so far and i am going to be that way for a very long time because i want to be around for my two boys besides my oldest is getting married next year and i am going to be there for him and for my youngest for a long time

so what if i have a rod in my back and arthriteus and seizers
i will be there for them i raised the for 13 years on my own from the day their dad had died .
i love my boys and they need me every day to talk to when they are sad scared or just want to talk they where there for me and i am planing to bethere for them for a very very very very long time where i get to see my great great great grand kids

Teresa
Maple falls, WA

God is good...all the time!

At age 52 I was diagnosed with breast Ca without metastasis, thus my choice was lumpectomy with radiation. I took Tamoxifin for 5 yrs. Following that I entered a double blind clinical trial for Femara. 2 yrs later I was diagnosed with my 2nd battle with this dreaded disease.(good points for Femara as I was taking the placebo). The treatment plan was mastectomy with chemotherapy. I am thankful for each day that I have been able to hug 4 more grandchildren since my original diagnosis. Please encourage your friends, daughters, all women to do self breast exams & get a annual mammogram; learn about women's health. Show them the Breast Cancer Site & the "click" to help others. Be a mentor to those with this diagnosis as they run their own race. No matter how long the race God is good....all the time!

Sherry Weaver
Mount Gilead, OH

20 years and counting

In January 1989, a mammogram detected a mass. The needle biopsy confirmed that it was breast cancer. A lumpectomy was performed and the tumor was aggressive. Radiation, chemotherapy and eight years of Tamoxifen followed. I had the support of family and friends which helped me endure the treatments. With the help of God, I celebrated 20 years of being cancer-free on February 16, 2009.

Sandra Gustafson
Conshohocken, PA