Sisterhood of Survivors
Breast cancer survivors from age 27 to 89 tell their powerful stories of beating the dreaded disease
By Alice Keesing
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Tracey Idica
Tracey Idica, 48
Lightning does strike twice. Tracey Idica knows this to be true. After winning her fight with breast cancer in her 30s, she was shocked when a mammogram revealed another, new lump in 2000 when she was 40. Idica fought back her fear and took up the challenge a second time.
No matter how hard it was, Idica knew she couldn’t leave her daughter, Brianna, without her mommy. During her first bout with cancer, Idica had set herself the goal of seeing her then 3-year-old daughter graduate from high school. On June 6 next year she will do just that.
Like other survivors, Idica learned how the human touch of others can be so powerful on the road to recovery. She still remembers meeting Rell Sunn when she was going through radiation at Queen’s. Sunn smiled at Idica, who was sitting with Brianna, and told her, “She’s your wave.” Sunn talked about how the ocean gave her strength and how the waves kept her going when she thought she couldn’t go on. Brianna continues to be her mom’s wave.
When I learned I had breast cancer I ... was terrified. I realized I had to know and understand breast cancer as my enemy and to know how to fight it. Being an English teacher, research has always been a part of my life. I went to Borders and bought every book I could find. I also researched doctors. I wanted the best. Dr. Clayton Chong is my oncologist. I’m so grateful to him.
When I needed answers I turned to ... two books that were especially valuable were Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book and Kathy La Tour’s The Breast Cancer Companion. The American Cancer Society’s Reach to Recovery program was another incredible source of hope for me. When a woman who had survived breast cancer came into my home, I realized that survival was possible. The society’s Aiea staff members were also amazing. They helped me with more information and even had wigs available to borrow.
What got me through my treatments was ... my faith. I went back to church after neglecting my spiritual side for too long. My rosary has never been used as much as it was then. My family was also supportive. My husband Darrell had to be strong and tried his best to understand what I was going through.
If I could share one thing with other women it would be ... take care of yourself and trust your instincts. Early detection increases the survival rate for breast cancer, so get your annual mammogram. If you are a young woman and feel something is wrong, insist on follow-up. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too young, too healthy or too strong for breast cancer. Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. It can affect any of us.
It’s also important to laugh and smile. Cancer is hard. Losing your hair is hard.
But you can get past it and your hair will grow back! Being able to laugh was so important for my recovery. Coming out of surgery, still under the effects of anesthesia, the first words out of my mouth were, “Is it cancer?” My surgeon confirmed that it was. The next words out of my mouth were, “Should I return my new bathing suits?” I had bought them at the Liberty House Zooper Sale just before my diagnosis. I kept them in the bags with their tags on - just in case I had to have a mastectomy. Even at that point I was a practical woman!
The best thing about life as a survivor is ... knowing how lucky I am to be alive. In the daily routines of life, too often we forget to cherish being alive. As crazy as it sounds, having breast cancer was one of the best things that has happened to me. It reminded me to celebrate life.
Cheryl Lathan
Cheryl Lathan, 58
Cheryl Lathan fought her battle with cancer to the beat of a different drummer. When she was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2001, she turned away from the traditional medical establishment and sought alternative treatments. Just several years before, Lathan had watched her daughter’s boyfriend lose his own struggle with testicular cancer. She was horrified by the effects of his treatment. It was a path she did not want to travel.
After a successful lumpectomy, three oncologists told Lathan she needed chemotherapy and radiation. She decided against it, pursuing other methods of treatment instead. In her ongoing quest for answers, Lathan joined the board of the Turning Point Cancer Center (turningpointcancercenter.com), a local organization that promotes an integrative approach to cancer care where Western medicine is complemented by other methods such as acupuncture, meditation and energy treatments.
When I learned I had breast cancer, I ... cried. It’s such a big shock when you’re diagnosed with a major disease and you don’t feel sick at all - I never felt sick, except for some fatigue in the afternoons. And I’d always been healthy; I jogged and I was a vegetarian.
When I needed answers, I turned to ... the Internet, where I found Ralph Moss at ralphmoss.com. He was my godsend. He used to work at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, so he knows what goes on in the cancer field. His website has information on specific cancers and treatment choices. He’s also written a lot of books about cancer research and treatment - I read Questioning Chemotherapy while I was still in the bookstore!
What got me through my treatments was ... I refused the frying and poisoning and turned to alternative forms of treatment, where I found two fabulous doctors, homoeopathist Fred Lam and naturopath John Turetzky. John worked with me on my diet. Your diet is of the utmost importance, I cannot stress that enough. I had been a vegetarian for about 30 years, and my naturopath said that just by looking at me he could tell I needed meat and fat. There is a fantastic book by Sally Fallon called Nourishing Traditions. She talks about how we actually need animal fats and cholesterol for our growth and health. And, of course, I have my family. There’s a saying I love: “When you have wisdom, you know you’re nothing. When you have love, you know you’re everything.”
If I could share one thing with other women, it would be ... never put all your treatment eggs in one basket!
The best thing about life as a survivor is ... being a board member for the Turning Point Cancer Center and helping others deal with breast cancer.
Ann Jones
Ann Jones, 67
One of the striking things about this group of women is that they have done more than just survive. Many of them have taken the fight beyond their own bodies, reaching out to other women, spreading the word, lending support and leading the fight against breast cancer.
After her own journey with breast cancer 10 years ago, Ann Jones got active. She has helped countless women with their own battles; she has traveled to Washington, D.C., as an ambassador for the American Cancer Society; and she has sat on a Department of Defense peer review panel looking at research proposals. The future in the fight against breast cancer? It’s looking awesome, Jones says. “I wouldn’t want to be a cancer in the future,” she chuckles. “Because it’s going to be knocked out.”
When I learned I had breast cancer, I ... was shocked and very uncertain as to what I should do - lumpectomy or mastectomy. I needed to feel in control of the cancer and got as much information as I could find. I also sought a second opinion. This made me comfortable with my decision to have a lumpectomy followed by radiation and chemo. Once my decision was made and the date for surgery was set, I was in control of the cancer and not the other way around.
When I needed answers I turned to ...
a wonderful book called Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book. It was very easy to read and gave me answers to all my questions. I also turned to my husband’s cousins, two of whom had had breast cancer. There are several very good websites available, too. Even now I go to the National Institutes of Health web-site to learn more about what is going on in research and clinical trials. The American Cancer Society has a good information phone line at 1-800-227-2345.
What got me through my treatments was ... my family. They were so supportive. Cancer is a family disease because it affects all those who care about the person with the disease. I prayed and I imagined the radiation and chemo attacking the cancer cells. I continued to work as a teacher while undergoing the different treatments, and I really believe that this helped me concentrate on something other than myself and the disease. Children have a wonderful way of putting things in the proper perspective. I couldn’t be down around them.
If I could share one thing with other women it would be ... that they must place themselves first when it comes to their health and have a mammogram once a year. This is really important. Mammograms do save lives. Do not wait and do it every other year, as some recommend. A year can make the difference between life and death. No woman needs to die from breast cancer if they take advantage of early detection. Get a yearly mammogram.
The best thing about life as a survivor ... is the 11 grandchildren who have been born into our family since my diagnosis. They have joined with the two we had pre-cancer to fill our lives with so much joy and happiness. Having cancer has brought people into my life that I would never have met; taken me places that I would never have gone; and given me opportunities that I would never have had. Life as a survivor is wonderful.
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