I don’t know how I got to where I am today or why. I am no one special. I did nothing outstanding, memorable or noteworthy.

I am a cancer survivor.

There are millions of us out there and my story is not so different than anyone else’s.

I am privileged to be involved at this time in increasing education and awareness and am honored to reach out to our communities.

I have memories of good and bad and some things I don’t even recall during my cancer walk. I am heartened by the ever growing awareness of the need for breast education and breast cancer awareness.

I have talked with teens to in -betweens and even oldsters out there and I am always amazed to hear the misconceptions, the overall attitude of denial that it won’t happen to me, or lassez faire, what difference does it make, we all have to die sometime.

I have been given an opportunity to reach out and help.

Will I make a difference?

I don’t know, that falls on you. Can I impact you enough to have you become informed in the understanding of preventative health strategies and improvement through prevention and awareness? I often hear that it won’t affect me, I am not old enough.

What is old enough? Twenty-three? Thirty –four ? Fifty-six? Eighty?

I know of women in all these categories that have had breast cancer.

When you are newly diagnosed, you loose all sense of equilibrium and what you are hearing does not always clarify the situation or answer your question, but in fact may add ten more.

Reading is essential to learning, but listening and reinforced teaching over and over helps to peel away the confusion. I am grateful for those patient individuals that told me over and over again the same answers that I needed to hear.

Cancer is one of the most complex human diseases and no one should do this walk alone. Even as a healthcare provider, I was lost.

My husband and I walked out of the hospital and to the car with pure bewilderment at what had just transpired. I heard, do this, don’t do that and I was overwhelmed. Decisions, choices, discussions, I felt like I hovered over the room as it whirled around me. T