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The Spies Who Love Me

I found a lump in my left breast in July 2013 and after a Mammogram and a biopsy, I was diagnosed with IDC on August 9 2013. I was devastated, I spent two days in tears and then spent hours researching my options . My mother and grandmother both had breast cancer and I decided to have a double mastectomy. I chose to have Autologous Reconstruction at the time of my mastectomy. This option was not available to me where I live in Florida and I would have to spend 3 weeks in New York.
A group of my friends launched "Operation Comfort and Love" and this Mission would make sure that my family and I were not alone through this process. The love I felt was overwhelming. When we arrived at the hotel 2 days before surgery there was a parcel and a note waiting for me.When I checked into the Hospital there was a big poster and cards to put up in my room. Later in the week they sent gift cards, flowers and a beautiful You Tube video with inspirational messages.When we left the Hospital and arrived at our condo,our "home" for the next 2 weeks, there was a care package waiting for me. My kids flew up that day, and the package was full of treats and activities that we could do as a family for the week. I felt their love and drew strength from them every step of the way. They planned a meal train and had friends sign up to deliver meals to my family for 6 weeks following my surgery.
It's now 8 weeks since my surgery. I am recovering well and don't need Chemo. I will forever be grateful to the "Spies Who Love Me". It raised awareness amongst all of them for early detection, and planning every step of the 'Mission" changed all of their lives forever.

Gillian Staikos
Sarasota, FL

My Biggest Fight

Cancer runs in my family. I lost my dad to bladder cancer in 1999 and my mom to breast cancer in 2010.
During the summer of 2012 I knew there was something in my left breast but I brushed it off as a clogged milk duct from nursing my youngest son.
After putting it off for several months, I finally went to the doctor and had my yearly exam. After my appointment, the doctor sent me to get an ultrasound and a mammogram. After another week of tests, scans, and a breast biopsy, on November 16, 2012, I received the phone call I had been dreading. The test results were in and it didn't look good. I spent the next several hours crying and praying. Another ultrasound, a bone biopsy, and a few days later, I finally had a diagnosis: Stage 3 Breast and Stage 4 Bone-Only Cancer. The cancer started as a mass in my left breast and spread into my lymph nodes, into the bones across my back and down into my left hip. My oncologist started me on a cancer pill, and radiation therapy for my hip. Radiation helped my hip but the pill didn't do anything so he started me on a chemotherapy infusion, and so far it has been working because the tumor is shrinking and the cancer hasn't spread much, if at all.
Now here we are, almost a year since my first cancer diagnosis and I have had more surgeries and procedures during this past year than I have my entire life. I have had CTs, MRIs, PETs, Ultrasounds, Biopsies, Blood Work, and enough chemotherapy and medications to overdose a horse, but I keep fighting. I would not be able to do this without my husband, our daughter, our two sons, and all of our friends and family that have been so supportive through all of this past year.
I continue to fight because I can and I will continue to fight as hard as I can for as long as I can because I am Strong and I Will Beat This!!

Stephanie Finn
Glendale, AZ

Dina Rodgers

My name is Dina, I was 37 when I was diagnosed with stage 4 Breast Cancer. I found out. 2 days before Thanksgiving! I am the mother of two, a daughter & a son. Both are teenagers. I am a widow, my husband was killed in 2003 from a motorcycle accident. So the very thought of me possibly dying was weighing heavy on my children's mind as well as mine. My whole family is very close, so I have the best support group one could ask for! When I first started chemo, I was so worried about losing my hair, we really didn't have a lot of money to spend on wigs, especially since the one I wanted was like. $600! My family & friends put together a fundraiser and we made enough for a couple of wigs, hats, & scarfs!! I do have a boyfriend whom takes great care of me. & my kids. On top of the cancer, I'm also dealing with Fibromyalgia! My Onocoloogist says I'm in remission, but the cancer that I have is so aggressive we have to be even more aggressive. So our plan is for me to continue to do chemo every 21 days for basically the rest of my life! I was concerned about my body being able to handle it & my Onocoloogist assured me that there are other kinds of chemo we can try should the one I'm on would happen to fail. So with God's help, as well as my family, I will continue to "FIGHT LIKE A GIRL" until there's a cure!

Dina Rodgers
Warsaw, IN

10 year survivor with stage 4 breast cancer

My daughter dedicated this video in honor of me and all who have endured the wrath of cancer.
Please take the time and watch this , and please remember that no matter how hard the road may seem, never give up hope, I am living proof.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AaUIWsouSCM&feature=share&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DAaUIWsouSCM%26feature%3Dshare

Jenny
Wellington, FL

What is it about the age of 49 for my family?

In April 1992 at the age of 49, my mom was diagnosed with aggressive Adenocarcinoma after undergoing a simple lumpectomy. She struggled with the chemo but nothing helped and she continued to decline. In July, they decided to try a new chemo which put her in a coma for 2 weeks. We lost her in August. At that time, we were informed to make sure to get regular check ups and mammograms. Through the years I was diagnosed with fibro-cysts disease. So each year I went through the dreaded pap smear, mammogram, and ultrasound. Interestingly enough, insurance would not pay to have both on the same day, so it ended up out-of-pocket. As the years went by, periodically I had to have numerous lumpectomies. Each time wondering what would be the result and thankful - nothing. In January 2013, I turned 49 and it really hit home and what I realized was I still had so much life to live and yet my mom's time ended with so many things left undone. I had my yearly mammogram which resulted in another precautionary lumpectomy. When I went back for my follow up, expecting the same news of a negative result, but this time was different. I went in and heard cancer. It was devastating news to hear. Immediately my mind went back to hearing that same diagnosis for my mom. What is it about the age of 49 in this family? The first lumpectomy led to a second and finally bilateral mastectomy. You try your best to plan ahead and prepare but the toll that all of the surgery and chemo takes on your body is unbelievable. Then joint pain and a medicine that adds to that pain that you have to take for 10 years. So, all of this started in February and I am still in this fight. I have 2 more surgeries to go but the fight goes on. It goes on for me and for everyone else that is fighting and will fight in the future. We have to find a cure... Support you local Cancer Society.....

Denise Newton Whitlow
Roxboro, NC

Survivor Strong- diagnosed twice at 26 and 31

I'm Kelli. I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in 2009 at the age of 26. No family history and I genuinely thought I was too young for breast cancer. I was mistaken. Fast forward through 3 surgeries including a bilateral mastectomy and 6 months of grueling chemo including a 2 month dance with the red devil, and I was declared NED (no evidence of disease) at the end of the year. In September of 2013 I felt an increasing loss of sensation in my arm. An ultrasound revealed a mass around the sentinel lymph node biopsy site. A biopsy confirmed the cancer was back. PET scans showed involvement in my internal mammary node but no distant metastasies. Still, good news all things considered. My wonderful boyfriend at the time, Zac, stayed with me through surgery to remove the 4 cm tumor in my axilla and held me up as I began chemo. We married on October 18th (not the original plan, but we were so in love so why wait?) I have 5 weeks left of chemo left then begin 6 weeks of radiation and need to consider having my ovaries removed. One more lost season fighting thus dreadful disease but I have so much to live for. I want my young stepdaughter to see my determination to get well. Next Autumn (that's also her name) we'll have a beautiful ceremony and I'll get to wear a fabulous wedding dress (light pink, of course.) I'll dance with my husband..with my father, and my old friend NED. That's what I'm fighting for. Our first year together will have so so much to celebrate.

Kelli Parker
Bella vista, AR

my rock my mom

10 years ago I was 40. I told my mom I was going for my first mammogram. She said she needed to go too. Unbeknownst to us after that dreadful day she was diagnosed with breast cancer. They did a lumpectomy and radiation and she was told she was good. She didnt have a good feeling and asked for her slides. She went with them to Sloan. She was told she still had cancer. More radiation and then a masectomy would follow. The night before the surgery she said bye bye boobie. What a sense of humor. String willed too. They took out her lymph nodes also. She told them to double her dose of radiation because she had to pick up her granddaughter at school. My mom was raised in an orphanage and raised three children by herself as well as helping me raise my daughter. She is sm inspiration to me and her tenacity and strength are immeasurable. Lucky not to have chemo. I thank God and my mom for saving herself. For all those who fight with trepidation stay strong and keep up and never give up hope. God bless you all!! And mom hands up to u and hats off for ur bravery. Love u p.s. Her name is Ann and she is a curly redhead like little orphan Annie and my hero!!

debbie
staten island, NY

MY BREAST CANCER JOURNEY

my story started in febuary this year i found a suspicious lump under my right arm which then lead me to the doctors surgery she didnt seem too worried but referred me to the breast clinic for further tests mamagram and ultrasound and biopsies with the results in 2 weeks time in march i heard the words no one wants to hear i had breast cancer i had my op in april followed by 6 rounds of chemo and now a years worth of the heceptin drug followed by tamoxifen for 5 years i remember saying to the consultant i have a loving family and 3 young boys to fight for i am a fighter this will not beat me i will survive you just get on with it i am now a stronger person than before of course i have my bad days who dosen't but im very positive.

julie powell
portsmouth, United Kingdom

My mom

My story is about my mom. She was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer just weeks before my brothers wedding. She and dad decided not to tell anyone until after the big day. When I found out I was floored. Really? My mom sick? This can't be happening. She's too strong to be sick like this. Little did I know exactly how strong she was. After her diagnoses she was scheduled for a consult with her onocologist. He told her she needed to get her affairs in order because she only had 6 months to live. She looked him right in the eyes and asked "did God come to you and tell you I will die in 6 months? Who the hell are you to tell me how long I will live?!?" The dr thought it was just too much for her to take in, I mean who wouldn't be devastated at this news? My dad assured the dr that she was in her right mind and knew exactly what she was saying and feeling. After rounds with chemo and even a procedure where coils were wrapped around her tumors (the majority of her cancer had metastasized to her liver and was inoperable) she suffered myopathy and neuropathy but never gave up. The 6 months turned into a year then Two and three and right after her fourth year after diagnosis she passed. I don't know how I would ever react to news like my mom received but I sure hope I have the strength and fight she had. Even now she is my strength when life gets tough and I only can think what my mom did and what she would do and I pray for the strength she possessed.

Misty Bonner
Wellsburg, WV

It's A Family Thing

My mother and her three sisters always went for their mammograms together. My mother had breast cancer first, age 53. She joked when they all went the next year that her mammogram should be half price, since she had one removed. That year her youngest sister was diagnosed. Then 10 years later mom had to have the second breast removed.
The year after my mother's second surgery, I started having my mammograms, you guessed it, I too had cancer, at 46, I choose to have a double mastectomy, not wanting to worry about it like mom had for 10 years. Mine was found early, SO, I feel very lucky.
Mom died at the age of 83 from radical breast cancer cells in her colon. This is another test I will start having now, Since this is "A Family Thing".

Karen Yoxall
Miami, OK