March 2002 is but a blur. That was when I was diagnosed with stage IIB breast cancer. I was only 43, and my daughter was only 6. It was going to be a tough fight, but I had a lot to fight for. There was so much of her life ahead of us, and I wanted to be around for it all! I had a lumpectomy, and sentinel node surgery. It had spread to 9 lymph nodes, so I had to have very aggressive treatment. I was also Her-2 positive, which means I have a greater chance of recurrence. After 8 rounds of chemo and 33 rounds of radiation, I found that I won the fight and I remain cancer free 7 years later. No matter how dark and difficult the journey seems, there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.

Cheryl Freeman
Cape May Court House, NJ