Share Your Story

NEWLY DIAGNOSED AT 60 on 6/9/14

I was told that I have two areas of cancer in my ducts in the right breast. don't know the fancy name for it but it's stable and not spreading and one spot hasn't turned into cancer yet the DR said. There was so much information given to me all at once that I had to "just be quiet" and alone to absorb it all. for me, I've decided to have the double mastectomy because I have had a biopsy in my left breast a couple of years ago, so it would make sense for me to take care of that breast too and eliminate wondering if cancer will come back in that breast. This cancer thing is scary but I want to enjoy my later years healthy and happy. my tits were flat and pointed to my toes anyway, so what the hell? stay strong sisters as I will on this incredible journey.

Regina Lee
burien, WA

I AM STRONG BY DEBBIE JANOE

FROM SON ADAM RIFF

After working incredibly hard to rid herself of diabetes, losing over 60 pounds, Debbie discovered a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with an aggressive breast cancer just four months after having a mammogram that was clear. Devastating and to me just seemed so unfair

Debbie worked so hard to fix one health problem and then to have such an incredibly dangerous new one appear was so disheartening. Cancer she was diagnosed with his grade 3 which means it was an aggressive form. We knew this is going to be a battle and we were all afraid but Debbie showed an incredible amount of strength and positivity. Within two weeks she was in surgery followed six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by 30 rounds of radiation and she is now undergoing a phase 3 study of the E75 cancer vaccine which requires shots and scans constantly over the next three years.

Debbie was on Medicare when she was diagnosed and Medicare requires the patient to pay over 20% of her hospital, radiation, chemotherapy and everything else she's had to have to fight this. Now she is over $20,000 in debt from medical bills. She is considering bankruptcy and after everything she's gone through I would hate to see that happen. I'm hoping that we can help her avoid this so that she can get back to her normal life and as a thank you for all the inspiration she gave to us throughout this.

LOVE ADAM

DEBBIE JANOE
BOCA RATON, FL

My Journey

I am in my early 40's and live alone. I am single and have one child out of state in our wonderful military. My story starts like this:...I felt a lump in my right breast in July of 2013. I had a mammogram and received a phone call several days later from a surgeon. She did an ultrasound of my breast and a biopsy the same day, July 25th 2013. She took six pieces of this "mass" and sent it to pathology. She said, "do you want to know the raw deal or not?" I said "give it to me, I'm ready and I'm a soldier". She said, "ok, I give you a 50/50 chance that is is cancer. I waited for five days and she called me at home and gave me the news that I had Invasive Ductal Carcenoma and Estrogen and Progesterone both positive. The numbers they use to gather a formula stated I was a number 3=3=3=9 and it was very aggresive. I also had my dna sampled and I do not carry the "gene". I underwent two lumpectomies within this two week period and also received the news that it had spread to my lymph nodes. One was positive for cancer. This gave me stage 2. I underwent 3 months of chemotherapy and lost my hair two weeks before Christmas. The chemotherapy lasted until the end of February 2014. I then started 30 days of radiation, everyday, except for weekends. I started all of this treatment November 2013 and it ended April 2014. I had physically very minimal side effects. I was afraid of the concept of weight loss, because I stay at around 140 lbs and I'm 5 foot 7. My scans for mammogram won't be completed until August. So, basically I won't know if my treatment worked until then. I have no choice but to keep my mindset that I am cancer free and a fighter. I will win. I am extremely optimistic. I am a survivor. I have hope. I have faith in God. With love, Judith

Judith Gillespie
Louisville, KY

survivor

In 1987 I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer, beyond stage 111. I praise God everyday because 27 years ago the Dr's gave me 3 - 6 months to live. For anyone who is going through cancer don't give up. I was very scared but I had to rely on my faith in the Lord. I fought hard, prayed everyday. I would write over and over thank you Lord for I am totally healed. I wanted to get that into my head and to let the Lord know I was showing my faith in him. It is now going on 28 years that i have been healed. SO please don't give up and put your faith in our Lord and Saviour!

Jo Anne Johnson
Krotz Springs, LA

3yrs of turmoil and life changing experiences

I thought my life was finished in 2011 when I was faced with the death of my son..also the same year I separated from my husband..in 2012 I got divorced... Just me and my then 12yr old daughter things were great until Jan 2013 and I was diagnosed with breast cancer it devastated my family it was tough I had chemo and I was really I'll with it I was at the stage I wanted to give up..but fir my daughter my parents and sisters I kept going I had 1 mnth of radio therapy and 1yr of herceptin.. my treatment lasted 17mnths and I'm now facing the extreme side effects of tamoxifen and have went into a depressive state..my herceptin ended 31/5/2014..my daughter is my rock she kept me going I look back and thank god I'm here.. I have to wait till October before I get the all clear... And me and my daughter just done the race for life today and she made me very proud she helped me massively and has given me something to keep fighting... We have never been able to grieve for my son because so much has happened but hopefully now we will be able to....

Anonymous
edinburgg, United Kingdom

Fighting & Winning!

I was diagnosed last year w/breast cancer. I just finished my last radiation treatment yesterday. This has been a very long battle; but hopefully the hard parts are all behind me. I will continue fighting the good fight, and with the grace of GOD I will continue winning this war against cancer! ;))

Wanda R. Terrell
Flint, MI

Pray for Perla...

Perla faces a big challenge: A few weeks ago she was diagnosed with aggressive breast & liver cancer. Family and friends funded the amount to pay the first medical tests, but now she's had to leave her 3 daughters in the care of her husband and her mother; and she is in a private clinic in Tijuana undergoing specific medical treatment.

There are many needs, both for her treatment, and for the economic support of her daughters.

Perla Zapata
Monterrey, Mexico

A frightened wife

Whilst having a 'cuddle' one morning, I felt some lumps in one of her breasts.
They're nothing , she said, but I was worried. One day, she had to go to the doctors with a sore throat. When she went in to see the doctor, I spoke to the receptionist, telling her about the lumps.
The result was a visit to hillingdon hospital's cancer centre where Mr Kaplin, after investigation removed the infected breast and prescribed a three years course of tamoxifen. Her lymph glands were clear.
Ten years have passed and, although she has put on weight as a result of the medicine, I still have my wonderful wife
I can never thank Mr Kaplin and his team of specialists enough?
We never did find the cause of her sore throats

Anonymous
London, United Kingdom

My Journey into the unknown.

I feel brave enough today to share my story. On the 5th of April I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
I've had a lumpectomy and six lymph nodes removed.
I'm recovering well and the pathology report came back with the news it hadn't spread to my lymph nodes,
which is great.
Unfortunately the tumor was slightly larger than first thought,I went back into hospital to have more breast
tissue removed.
I've had great support from family, friends and work colleagues. Although I've been surprised when some close
friends that have not known what to say so have kept their distance.I don't want sadness or sympathy but
support,encouragement and positive people to help me through this journey.
This week I will start chemotherapy. I will have four rounds over three months.Then radiotherapy for six weeks.
This scares me a little as I really don't know what to expect. I feel lucky that I found it early,considering I was
meant to leave on a trip around Australia with my family and friends for eight weeks...this is a whole different
journey for me. I know I can get through this,as have so many women have lost their battle with breast cancer.I
consider myself quiet lucky to have acted quickly when I discovered the lump in my right breast. although I left
it at first soon as I realized it was still there ,I went straight to my Doctor. Early detection is the key.
In a week or so I'm shaving my hair off before cancer has a chance to take it from me.
I hope that by sharing my story women who have started treatment,in the process of,or competed their last
round of chemo can help me with your inspirational stories.
I'm a wife and Mother of two beautiful children and I'm 41 years old.

Donna
Melbourne, Australia

I'm holding hands with God all the Way.

Had a mammogram in November 2013 and they found abnormality. So, I had to have another mammogram and ultra sound. On that day in Jan. 2014 I was told I had breast cancer. Biopsies results showed Invasive & In Situ Carcinoma in my right breast & Lymph nodes. I felt that my golden years were tarnished with some kind of joke after all I'm 75 years young. On Feb. 6 I had a mastectomy and they remove 8 lymph nodes. Two had cancer & the other 6 were clear. I took Dexamethasone 24 hours before Chemotherapy. I guess the worse was the nausea that reminded me of when I was pregnant with my twins. I was in the hospital for a month. I couldn't drink water without throwing up. This time there were NO babies just a part of my body removed. Like I told the doctor, "They already did there job" Because of the invasive Carcinoma in my lymph nodes that spreads like bamboo I have to have 36 rounds of radiation. My faith is strong, God is my refuge and I have the greatest support group of friends and family. I will survive. One thing that makes me smile, even though I have no hair and grey finger nails. My husband still says, " I love you"

Christine Lopez
San Antonio, TX