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Wind Beneath Our Wings

In 1961, age 37, mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had 3 young girls at home. A biopsy under general anesthetic confirmed the diagnosis and a modified radical mastectomy was done the next day. Mom was also pregnant with her fourth child.
At that point she was concerned only for her family. She prayed for the baby's survival and to live long enough to arrange for her children's care should she not survive.
She did survive, as did the baby. He was born preemie, weighing a little more than 2 pounds and was 12 inches long. Though he had his share of health issues, he is alive and well today.
Dad's job required continual travel so when mom came home from the hospital she had to handle her house alone. She was tired, scared and in pain. She cared for us while carrying her son. She used a wringer washer, hung clothes to dry, kept house and stoked an old coal furnace. She learned humor and aceptance, which made recovery and living easier-a philosohy she believes still today.
At that time there were no support groups, no prosthesis, No "Reach for Recovery." You didn't talk about breast cancer then, it was a death sentence, not polite conversation. Her will to live and her love for her family sustained her.
She has since lost her mother and youngest daughter to breast cancer, and her father and husband to other cancers. She was there for all of them.
Mom will be a 50 year survivor in March 2011, giving hope and encouragement to other women facing this disease at each annual Relay for Life and other activities.
She is an inspiration, a true survivor.
She is the "Wind Beneath Our Wings."
Lovingly submitted by her children- Her LIfe!

Cheri Jackson
Port Huron, MI

My Story

I had missed a few mammograms, due to whatever reasons, but I promised my husband that I would have a physical this year...2010. I went in Aug. 2010 for my Mammogran and was called back for another image. From there, was told I needed a boipsy.. Probably wasn't anything, so I really didn't think that much about it. I was scheduled for a sterotactic biopsy on Aug. 30th. I could not believe when I was told I had cancer. DCIS in the right breast. It is small calcifications that were scattered all throughout the breast. I went for an MRI for the left breast and was told the areas looked the same. Needless to say, they sent me to an Oncologist and I was told I needed bilateral mastectomys... I had never been so shocked, or overwhelmed in my life.. I had the double mastectomys on Sept. 22nd, 2010 and started reconstruction surgery right away. My plastic surgeon is wonderful and has made this event beareable. Because of the type of cancer, no radiation, or chemo was needed..just removal. Praise God!!! I am going back to work tomorrow, Dec. 13, with final implant surgery in January of 2011. The reconstruction was, and is hard to go through. I still feel like it is so much better than going through all of the treatments. My wonderful husband has been with me through the whole ordeal. He goes to every appointment and will continue to give me strength and courage through the rest of the procedures. Ladies, Mammograms are a MUST!! My cancer was found by Mammogran, no lumps,etc...Please schedule your appointments!

Andrea
Gaffney, SC

Touched by an Angel

I must admit I was not the best for self examination, so when I woke myself up feeling a lump in my right breast I was unsure, my regular mammogram appointment had already arrived in the post for three weeks time so decided I'd wait for that and tell them of my discovery. Of course quiet quickly a follow up appointment arrived where I had another mammogram, ultrascan and biopsy. Two days later I went for the results but deep inside I knew-- it was positive-- when I saw the surgeon he had difficulty finding the lump [only obvious with my arm raised and I sleep with my hands under my head] his comment was you were so lucky to feel that! Within three weeks I was admitted to hospital where I had a "wide excision" to remove 1 cancerous, 1 pre-cancerous tumour and 10 lymph nodes removed at the same time this was followed by 6 chemo sessions 25 radio therapy 8 of a different radio therapy 33 in total and 18 of the [at the time] contraversal Herceptin. I am still on arimadex and alive. I am so grateful to all the nurses and doctors that over that period were there for me I made a lot of friends and sadly lost some who weren't as lucky as me. My phylosophy is enjoy now, move forward and don't be afraid to talk about it and in so doing maybe help others to come to terms with this devistating news and let them know there is hope I still don't know what woke me like that but I feel something did! and it saved my life."Guardian Angel" perhaps who knows??. .

mandy rance-matthews
st. austell,, United Kingdom

Hopes and Dreams

Today is my twelve year anniversary since my mastectomy. I did not know then that I would live to see my last child graduate from high school, my son graduate from art school, my daughters in their wedding gowns, my first grandchilds beautiful face, my two sisters lives lost to breast cancer... I did not know that my life would change into a more colorful world of meeting beautiful people on the same path or to pursue my dreams to be an artist. Today I wonder why it took breast cancer to force me to take a look at what I was neglecting in myself for so many years. My wish to all beings on this day who have been touched in one way or another by breast cancer is to follow your hopes and dreams and don't let anyone or anything get in your way. My self portrait was my first painting and it reflects my changed body, my fears, and my life blooming into a new world of wonder. Breast cancer changed my body and in return gave me the courage to follow my hopes and dreams.

Toni Camarata
Arcata, CA

My Hope

At 42 I never thought about Breast Cancer until 1 morning getting dressed and I found a lump. I did not dwell on the fact I had cancer. Instead I was grateful I was alive and had such great doctors.
I do not let cancer have me. I continue to be Thankful for each day that I have with my Family and Friends and would not change a single thing in my life.
Stay positive, stay strong and continue to fight.
It stinks that I have cancer, but I can not change the fact that I have cancer, all I can do is fight it and beat it.
Life is short, live each day to the fullest.

Dawn Lawrence
Millville, NJ

Just A Year Ago...

"I have so much to be thankful for this year. Thanks for everyone's support during my treatment. One year ago Josh shaved my head for chemo and this year I ran a 5K Turkey Trot!"
These are the words posted on my daughter's Facebook page just this past Thanksgiving... Candice was 35 years old, a mother of a 1 1/2 year old little boy, and she goes in to get her baseline mammogram only to find out she has breast cancer.
Well a year has gone by, she had chemo, then a double mastectomy, and reconstructive surgery. Her hair is growing back, her son is growing up, and we expect Candice to be with us for many years to come...
She truly is my inspiration.

Jacqueline Vollmer
Lake Ronkonkoma, NY

The dreaded day

My story began in January 2010. I had been scheduled for my mammogram in Decembe of 2009, but due to califications, I was scheduled for a sonogram and another mammogram in Januay of 2010. Needless to say, I ended up having three biospies done on the same day and eight days later, my world fell apart. I was forty seven years old, no beast cancer runs in my mother's side of the family, and it was the scariest day of my life.
I opted for a lumpoctomy and sentinal node disection. Needless to say, the cancer was not all removed. I ended up having my left breast removed in March. I did not have any chemo or radiation therpay, and am still cancer free. SInce the removal of my beast, I have also started reconstuction and have come a long way with in a years time.
I have the love and support of my family and friends to see me through all this, but the fight is constantly going on for others, Thank god my cancer was diagnosed early enough, due to having scheduled mammograms. Its very important to get them done.

Lesley
Groton, NY

Supportive Husband...

My DCIS was discovered early by mammogram in 2006. After 18 years of biopsies (both sides) and at least ten ultrasounds, I finally had a confirmed cancer. My surgeon recommended a mastectomy of the right breast due to scattered calcifications. We elected to just end it with bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. Because of that decision, I did not require either radiation or chemo. My husband and I traveled 3 hours for every trip to Indianapolis and almost 4 hours for every trip to Columbus for surgeries and reconstruction. He made every trip a treat with a special restaurant, shopping center or hotel. Thank God for my husband. On the day they told me I was cured, he stopped at a diamond center (at my request) and my diamond earrings are the trophy for my recovery. My husband is the real trophy.

Diane Manley
Leesburg, IN

My Mother

My mother was a lovely lady she was the world to me, my dad, and my two brothers whole but she was especially my youngest brother whole world because he was just a baby when she was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time and she fought the battle for 2 years and won and we thought the awful battle and i mean it was an awful battle there were fights and tears and many battles between me and her and her and my dad. Don't get me wrong I love my mother with all my heart but it was a hard two years and then it got even harder because even though she went into remission for two years she wound up getting her cancer again and it was another battle for another two years but unfortunetly she lost her long battle with cancer in 1996 i was thirteen and my brothers were 6 and 11 and my dad was 42 and my mom was 38 and i am not telling this story to try and discourage any one because this was over 14 years ago i am telling this story to let people know that there are all kinds of stories with the battle with cancer whatever kind of cancer it is. so i hope that even though my story was negative i do want to say that it was a long and hard battle but it made everyone invovled stronger and more closer together in the end.

Amy
St.Charles, MO

My story

I was 11 years old when cancer touched my life, I lost my Mom to cervical cancer, and the whole world changed for me. When I was 19, a week before my wedding to the man of my dreams, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. He won that battle, but a year later my Dad passed away from liver cancer. Two years after that, my husband had a recurrence of his Hodgkin's, another battle that he won after two grueling years of treatment.
Things were smooth for a while, then when I was 36 I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. A week after that horrific date, my older sister lost her battle with Ovarian cancer. I won my battle with Breast Cancer after a year of treatment, but there is nothing worse than a female losing all her hair!
When I was 47 my husband lost his third and final battle with his cancer. It seems that I am the only one who has survived in my family.
I do quite a bit of volunteering for the ACS, as I am TOO familiar with what people go through during treatment, I've learned more than I ever wanted to know! One doctor asked me if I was a nurse, as I was telling him what size needle to use!
The bottom line is NEVER GIVE UP! My son was 8 when I was diagnosed and leaving him alone at that young age was not an option. The human spirit is as much a cure as chemo and radiation. Attitude is everything!

Kathy
Yukon, OK