Support the Fighters
Admire the Survivors
Honor the Taken

My Guiding Lights

I grew up with a One-Titty Bitch, as my Nana Betty would self proclaim.  She sure was a hoot, held no punches and didn't believe in spoons full of sugar.  Aside from knowing that she often opted not to wear her falsey and once threatened to throw it at a man who was staring too long, I never really knew much about her cancer journey, as it took place before I was born.  Despite clearly being a survivor, her prevailing glory-tale was her 35 year dedication to sponsoring over 400 troubled souls in the AA community.

Attending her 25th anniversary meeting and listening to the vastly diverse group of members gush over the impact she had on their lives, will forever remain one of the most impactful experiences of my life.  I could honestly write a volume of books, detailing how much respect and admiration I have for her and will forever be grateful that I had a front row seat to all of her insightful wisdom.

Next up is my Aunt Carol.  She was a young mother of three who had always been a gentle free spirit.  With the support of loving family, friends, and faith, she too went on to become an endearing role model to her granddaughter.  She was easy going and fun prior to her diagnosis, but beating the cancer really elevated the zest for life she frolicked to.  It pains my heart to write of her in the past tense, as she was a remarkably warm and caring soul who was called home too soon.

You may think that having breast cancer survivors on each side of the family, would prepare you for the likelihood of another looming battle, but it doesn't.  You may also imagine that if your Grandmother beat cancer 40 years ago, and your Aunt beat it 20 years ago, the next warrior will as well, and that too is not always the case.

When my younger sister Kate was diagnosed, weeks after her 30th birthday, the news was shocking.  She was a new mom, a new wife, and a new homeowner, who had always been an active, full of life goof Ball.  Based off of our family history, there was no real alarm in imagining the worst-case scenario.  With strength, youth, and purpose on her side, no one was surer than her that she would get through this and like the warriors before her, go on to live a deeper, more meaningful life.

This is where I wish I could tell you that she joined the odds and was able to beat this horrific disease.  Unfortunately, different odds were working against her.

On top of having an aggressive form of breast cancer, my sister was also like 1 in 4 million who were immune to chemo.  Despite, being in the hands of the best doctors in the country - shout out to Dana Farber - they were left with no sufficient way to slow the cancer down and my vivacious little sister was robbed of the beautiful future she had just begun.

Nothing could have ever prepared us to envision her daughter not growing up with her, or the daughter I was carrying not ever meeting Auntie Kate.  Her prognosis was a grim whirlwind, where everything they tried fell flat.  She STILL never gave up HOPE that they would figure something out.

Her will to keep fighting is why I am emphatically committed to doing my part in helping find a cure for the this terribly indiscriminate disease.  In trying to cope with my sister's absence, I found myself working directly with mastectomy patients.  I was a Market Manager for a Custom Breast Prosthetic company.  The market I managed was.. east of the Mississippi.

All day long for the last three years, I helped these battle torn women, try to just recover a little sense of wholeness.  What I learned from them is that every journey is unique.  Every patient had different circumstances.  Breast cancer does not care how big your house is, how old you are, what skin color you have, if you have children, or if you are an A or H... IT DOES NOT CARE!!! Which is why we have to.

I will never get over the loss of my little sister but helping over 7,000 survivors take a leap in their emotional healing has cushioned my grief.  I know that my angels are proud of me and I use their strength to pour into these warriors.

There's an old Chinese proverb,.. and I am going to swap tree for cure..

"THE BEST TIME TO FIND A CURE WAS 20 YEARS AGO, THE SECOND BEST IS TODAY!"

Or as my Nana Betty would say...

For as long as I have breath in my lungs, I will continue to support the Breast Cancer Community.  I trust the FUTURE is FEMALE and we will find a CURE.

Cheers to my Ardent Angels - I miss you!