supermodel for hope - · pdf fileand wave to 200 people ... hope,” which i had...

A newsletter for cancer survivors, by cancer survivors.Sponsored by The Dr. Diane Barton Complementary Medicine Program.

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Not only was I able to wear a glam-orous gown for the night, I had my hairand makeup done by professionalswhile in my robe in my hotel room atthe W where we spent the night. Takethat JLo! That the two could work simultaneously amazed me, but be-fore long I looked in the mirror andloved the new sophisticated me.

To top it off,two ColumbiaUniversityjournalismgraduatestudents

had seen an article about me forthe show online and came tovideotape the evening and inter-view me. So there I was with myentourage of three old schoolfriends, two people with TV cam-eras and lights, hair dresser andmakeup artist in my tiny New Yorkroom. A star is born!

Now all I had to do was walk and turn and pose and smile and wave to 200 people without tripping or having a wardrobe malfunction. When people on the TV talent

by Loretta O'Donnell

Beyoncé had nothing on me recentlywhen I modeled a gold sequined de-

signer backless gown with train downthe runway during New York City’s Fash-ion Week. I must have been royalty in apast life because acting like a celebrityfor a day came naturally.

Having never modeled before oreven watched the modeling realityshows on TV, I wasa little nervous.But I escaped mybiggest fear thatthe gown wouldn’tfit. I had only seena photo of the gown before the day ofthe event and it was over the top glitzyand form fitting. No margin for errorand no way to wear Spanx with theback cut down to my waist.

Just in case, I brought my owngown as a backup if I couldn’t squeezeinto the designer’s. I was modeling fora cause, a fundraiser for “Say Yes toHope,” which I had recently joined af-ter the cancer in my liver progressed.The timing was perfect as the founderwas organizing the fashion show and I was invited to be one of the womensurvivors from around the country toparticipate.

Supermodel for Hope

The caterpillar who thoughther life was over suddenly

turned into a butterfly!

(continued on page 8)

Loretta O’Donnell

in this issue :

VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 11

About the Dr. Diane BartonComplementary Medicine Program . . . . .8Breast Cancer and Sexuality . . . . . . . . . . .9Life Goes On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9The Diagnose, the Process, the Promise . . .10A Story of Hope and Inspiration . . . . . . . .11

Letter from the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Signature Class Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Complementary Med Programs . . . . . . .4I Have Cancer, Cancer Doesn’t Have Me . . .5A Glass Half Full . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Living Life to it’s Fullest . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

2 SURVIVOR TIMES • Volume 5, Issue 11

Letter from the Editor:

Volume 5, Issue 11 • SURVIVOR TIMES 3

T H E D R . D I A N E B A R T O N C O M P L E M E N T A R Y M E D I C I N E P R O G R A M

JUNE–DECEMBER 2013

Signature Class S E R I E SA FREE series of classes for cancer patients and their caregivers.

YOGA STRETCH FOR CANCER SURVIVORS

Yoga Stretch for Cancer Survivors is especially beneficial for people with flexibility limitations due to a variety ofdegenerative conditions, as well as those recovering from surgery.

DATES: July 2 & 30; August 6; September 4; October 1 & 29; November 5; December 3

TIME: 12 P.M. – 1 P.M.LOCATION: Town Square Building

931 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, NJ 08043

QI GONG

Qi Gong is a modality several centuries old using movement andbreath as a way to increase, harness and move the Vital Energythat is within and around us. It can increase focus, improvebalance and flexibility, increase circulation, and relax you.

DATES: July 9 & 23; August 13 & 27; September 10 & 24; October 8 & 22; November 12; December 10



MEDITATION FOR RELAXATION

Join practitioner Jo Anna Carey and you will be led on ajourney of self-discovery through the deeply relaxing practiceof meditation for the purpose of nurturing and supportingyourself through life’s stresses and joys. Enjoy experiencing avariety of meditation techniques and breathing exercises.

DATE: July 16; August 20; September 17; October 15



Pre-registration is required for all workshops. Please call: 1.800.8.COOPER (1.800.826.6737).

You can also register for these classes online at events.CooperHealth.org

Please note that workshops are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.

LIVE & LEARN

A New Perspective for the Cancer PatientTIME: 11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.

LOCATION: Town Square Building931 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, NJ 08043

• Thursday, June 13, 2013: Reinventing Yourself After a Cancer Diagnosis: No matter when; yesterday, or 20 yearsago; a cancer diagnosis is life changing… we will evaluatehow it has changed your life and where you are heading.PRESENTED BY: The Cooper Cancer Institute Behavioral Health Team

• Thursday, September 26, 2013: “In the Country of Illness,”Comfort and Advice for the Journey: Come discuss thisthought provoking book and concepts from author RobertLipsyte. Invaluable advice for patients and for the people wholove & care for them.PRESENTED BY: Dr. Cori McMahon, PsyD, the Cooper CancerInstitute Behavioral Health Team

• Thursday, October 24, 2013: 50 Food Tips that Will Enhance Your Health: Cooper Cancer Institute’s Expert Oncology nutritionist, Alicia Michaux, MS, RD.PRESENTED BY: Alicia Michaux, MS, RD, Outpatient OncologyDietitian, Cooper Cancer Institute

• Thursday, November 14, 2013: Kick Start the Holiday Season… Come Make Something from the Heart: A specialCreative Arts for Healing class offers you the opportunity tochoose from a variety of different projects to make.FACILITATOR: Andrea Meehan

• Thursday, December 12, 2013: Annual Holiday Party: forCancer Survivors only. Please feel free to bring a dessert forall to share. Limited space available, so please register.

Complementary Medicine ProgramT H E D R . D I A N E B A R T O N

Location:Town Square Building, 931Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, NJ 08043

Time: 11:00 a.m. –12:30 p.m.

Dates:• June 19: Personalize Tote • Sept. 11: Create Greeting Cards• Sept. 25: Trendy Jewelry • Oct. 9: Fall Centerpieces• Oct. 23: Affirmation Bracelets • Nov. 6: Decoupage• Dec. 20: Ceramic OrnamentsThis class is free for cancer survivors and there is no cost for materials. Please register for each class so the appropriate number of supplies can be provided. Please call:

1.800.8.COOPER (1.800.826.6737).You can also register online at events.cooperhealth.org.

Therapeutic Massage & Reflexology DaysAttention all cancer survivors: Come enjoy the mindbody spirit benefits of therapeutic chair massage andreflexology.

Dates: June 18; September 10 & 24; October 8 & 22;November 5 & 19; December 10

Time: 9:30 a.m. –1:00 p.m.

Location: Town Square Building931 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees, NJ 08043

2 0 1 3


Bonnie’s Book ClubA story is always better if you have someone to share itwith… what could be better than sharing it with a groupof friends who have read it too?

• June 19: Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmakerby Jennifer Chiaverini

• September 25: The Chaperoneby Laura Moriarty

• October 23: The Time Keeperby Mitch Albom

• November 20: Freedomby Jonathan Franzen

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: Town Square Building, 931 Centennial Blvd.Voorhees, NJ 08043

This book club is for cancer survivors. If you have any questions or need additional information please contact Bonnie Mehr at 856.325.6646

“I have Cancer, Cancer Doesn’t Have Me.”by Tony Serra

Idon’t remember when I heard it, orwho said it, but that’s the way I’veapproached life since I was diagnosed10 years ago.

I was approaching my 60th birth-day and it was time for a colonoscopy.I had no symptoms or problems at thetime, so I was surprised by the results.The test revealed that I had colon cancerand it had spread to my liver. I had thesurgery and started chemotherapywithin a few weeks. My surgeon (Dr.Mark Pello) set up an appointmentwith Dr. Alex Hageboutros at CooperCancer Institute for my Chemo treat-ments. The first thing I asked Dr. Alexwas “How long can I live with this?”He told me that some people havesurvived up to 10 years. So I thoughtto myself that I can deal with that; be-sides, I’ll probably get killed on mymotorcycle before then.

Dr Alex and I hit it off right away. Itold him that I was a car and motorcy-cle nut and my treatment would haveto allow for my touring activities. Heassured me that we could work it out.

In August 2003 Harley Davidsonwas hosting their 100th anniversarycelebration in Milwaukee WI. Since Ihad my surgery in May 2003, I hadabout 10 weeks before the 1200 mileride. After 8 weeks I got the okayfrom Dr Pello for the trip. I’m not surewhat I would have done if he didn’tagree; because there was no way Iwanted to miss the biggest 8 day bik-er party ever. Three days after mychemo treatment, I loaded my up myHarley with my gear and a cooler formy Neupogyn shots I gave to myselfto replenish my white blood cells.Once on the road with a group of mybiker friends, enjoying the ride, thewind and the scenery, cancer neverentered my mind.

Since then we have ridden to NewHampshire, South Carolina, South


Dakota, and all day tripsto nowhere; all sched-uled around my chemotreatments. I wasn’t al-ways feeling well when Ileft home, but after afew miles in the saddle,all seemed right in theworld.

After a few years ofenjoying life to thefullest, I had put on afew extra chins so a fewof us decided to joinWeight Watchers. Tomake things interestingwe decided that we each would give$5.00 to the person who lost the mostweight each week. At theweigh in oneweek I had lost8 lbs. We madesuch a big dealabout the bet thateveryone else there fortheir weigh in would gatheraround to see who won. Everyonecheered as they rest of the guys gaveme the money; all except one buddywho loudly proclaimed “He cheated,he has cancer.” A few people wereshocked, but most of us thought thatit was hilarious.

A lot of people fighting cancerseem to start appreciating the littlethings more. They try to get closer tofamily and friends. They find enjoy-ment in traveling and communing withnature. They reassess their prioritiesand try to concentrate on what is real-ly important in their lives. While thatapproach works for many, it just didn’tfit with my personality. I have alwaysknown that I have been blessed with afantastic family and group of friendsand I didn’t want to behave any differ-ently just because I have cancer. Idon’t treat them any differently andthey don’t treat me any differently be-cause of my illness. If they have anyquestions about the disease or itstreatment, we discuss it openly andhonestly just as though we were talk-ing about the weather.

I don’t want to sound as if I’m nottaking this seriously because I am. I

also feel that if Idon’t try to keep my life

as normal as possible, I wouldn’t betrue to myself.

I also feel very fortunate to havefound a treatment center like CooperCancer Institute that has made mycondition much easier to bear. I creditthe doctors for putting a treatmentschedule in place that has been suc-cessful for 10 years. I am extremelygrateful to the administrative andnursing staff for putting up with myantics and making me feel welcomeand important when I arrive. I can’tsay enough about the efficiency, coop-eration and professionalism thenurse’s show to all the patients. LoriTritschler, an outstanding nurse seemsto have drawn the short straw when itcomes to treating me, but when theneed arises; all of the others fill in sothat nothing skips a beat. I travel 120miles (round trip) to get treated atCooper Cancer Institute in Voorhees.There are other places that I could goto that are much closer, but leavingCooper is not an option. The doctorsand nurses have kept my cancer incheck for 10 years. I guess that makesme a survivor.

Tony Serra

by Ricci Sheridan

On July 20, 2012 I was diagnosedwith Stage IIIB Triple Negative, in-

vasive and aggressive breast cancer.Words cannot describe the devasta-tion I felt. As a 42 year old wife and

mother of two young girls with nofamily history of breast cancer, fiveprior “clear” mammograms and anegative BRCA gene, there was norhyme or reason as to why the nearlysix centimeter tumor had developedon my breast. I thought my life was

over, that I had beengiven a death sen-tence. I existed in azombie like state fornearly two weeks be-fore I landed in thecapable, caring handsof the physicians atCooper Cancer Insti-tute. Among myamazing team of doc-tors was (and contin-ues to be) a guy bythe name of DaveMoore. I first metDave when he bound-ed into the infusionroom while I was un-dergoing the first of

eighteen chemothera-py treatments. Afterhe introduced himselfas a therapist with thebehavioral depart-ment, I begrudginglysaid “hello” and pre-tended to be interestedin the services he wasoffering. In betweenfeeling sorry for myself,I filled out the question-naire he left with me thatwould allow him to get toknow me a little better.And so I answered ques-tions like “when are youmost happy?” with an-swers like “when I do nothave breast cancer.” At thetime, I felt that cancer hadnot only robbed me of myhealth, but of my humor, mybeauty, my spirit and thewonderful life I had known.For some reason “Divine inter-

Ricci Sheridan and Dave Moore

A Glass Half Full

by Maryann LaMaina

Ihave always considered myself a luckyperson. I have been so lucky to bemarried to my high school sweetheart,Tom, for 41 years. We have been blessedwith two wonderful children, Jenniferand Tom, a great son-in-law and twoadorable grandsons who are the lovesof our lives. I'm fortunate to have mytwo parents who have been married for66 years, my mother-in-law, my sisterand brother and their families who alllive close to us in southern New Jersey.

In the summer of 2010, however, mylife hit a bump in the road. We were ona trip to Charleston, South Carolinawhen I began to not feel very well. I waslethargic, had no appetite, and was los-ing weight rapidly. When we returnedhome, I scheduled a colonoscopy to dis-cover I had a mass on my colon andheard those three terrifying words for

the first time: “You have cancer.”My first instinct was to meet with my

family and to research the disease aswell as health care facilities where Icould get the best care possible. In Au-gust, we scheduled an appointment withDr. Mark Pello, who is a gastrointestinalsurgeon at Cooper, to discuss my treat-ment options. Dr. Pello informed me thatan immediate surgery on my colon wasnecessary. We also knew from a CAT-scan that the tumors had spread to myliver. At this time, I was still working as afull-time special education teacher withautistic children, so I thought it would beimportant to set up my classroom forthe new school year before my surgery,never realizing it would be my last timein the classroom. I have since retired. Myclass of children always made me feellucky to see their happy faces and it re-minded me of how they always triedtheir best. It was difficult to come to the

realization that I needed to help myselfright away if I was going to fight this dis-ease, but I think in a small part they in-spired me to try my hardest.

My surgery was successful, but itconfirmed that I had stage IV metastaticcolon cancer and that I would need tostart chemotherapy in six weeks.Everything happened so quickly that Ireally had no time to dwell on it. I wasso lucky to have the support of all myfamily and friends to keep me smilingand laughing.

After I recovered from surgery, I metwith my oncologist at Cooper CancerInstitute, Dr. Alex Hageboutros, and hisentire team, and my family and I imme-diately loved them and felt so confidentbeing in their care. A few days before Istarted chemotherapy, my daughtergave me an inspirational frame byRalph Waldo Emerson which says“What lies behind us, and what lies be-fore us, are tiny matters compared towhat lies within us,” which I still keepnext to my bed.

Living Life to Its Fullest



vention,” perhaps I de-cided to meet Dave ona weekly basis withthe hope of him help-ing me find a way topick myself up off thefloor and climb out ofthe depths of despair.Our first couple of ses-sions I sat mostly numband cried while Davetaught me about medi-tation and mindful think-ing. I remember tellinghim that I wondered if Iwould ever be happyagain. Although therewere times when I didn'twant to get out of bed andget myself to that appoint-ment, I quickly began to re-alize that I always (always!)left our therapy sessionfeeling better. After nearlythirty Monday mornings

spent with Dave, I am armed

with the “tools” necessary to endurethis difficult journey. He has taughtme an entirely different way of think-ing and about the power of beingpresent and positive. I truly believe Iam a different person, well; maybeI'm the same person with a profound-ly different outlook on life. I no longerlook at the glass half empty, but lookto fill it with a Stella and down it whilesitting on the beach, basking in thesun and drenched from the waves. OnFebruary 20, 2013, exactly sevenmonths after my diagnosis, I was ableto tell Dave that I am “cancer free”after my post-operative pathology re-port determined that my tumor andlymph nodes had a pathological com-plete response to the chemotherapydrugs. While my family, friends anddoctors celebrated the news, I quietlywondered how I could ever repaythose who helped me win this battle. Idecided my payment would be to payit forward, to help someone who iswhere I was seven months ago. I

wished aloud to Dave that I could walkthrough the infusion room and polite-ly beg those being treated to utilizethe services of the behavioral team atCooper. So, this is my walk throughthe infusion room. I would not bewhere I am today (mentally and physi-cally) were it not for the benefit ofhaving met Dave Moore during mydarkest days. I have taken back myhealth, my humor, my spirit (and somesay my looks!) with his help and allthat he has taught me. I will be forev-er grateful to have had him on myteam and for the opportunity to takeadvantage of Cooper's integrated ap-proach to my treatment. Together, wekicked cancer’s ass.If you are interested in Behavioral

Medicine Services please feel free tocontact either Dr. Cori McMahon directly at 856.673.4264 or callthe clinical service line at856.673.4254.

I have been com-ing to Cooper CancerInstitute in Voorheesnow for two and ahalf years, every oth-er week, and it hasbeen a great experi-ence. The oncologyinfusion nurses andstaff are the mostcompassionate, dedi-cated and hardwork-ing individuals I haveever met. They havemade my journey somuch easier by al-ways being comforting and encourag-ing. I am so lucky to have them as partof my care. In addition, my husband andI look forward to seeing all of ourfriends at chemotherapy on my “chemoweeks.” We have made such specialfriendships that we try to all sit togeth-er and support each other, comparestories and just laugh. The first week,we met Bonnie Mehr and her Tea Cart

through the Dr.Diane BartonComplementaryMedicine Pro-gram, and weredelighted by hertreats and herhappy welcom-ing face. What awonderful wayto treat thechemo patients!In the beginningof chemothera-py, I couldn't eatthe treats, but

Tom loved them. Now my appetite isback to normal and it is fun to see whatis on the cart each week.

I have been so lucky to tolerate thedifferent chemotherapy drugs so wellso far. I've had to have a few changes inmy chemotherapy the past two and ahalf years, but I have worked through itwith the excellent care by my doctorsand support of my friends and family.

My friends always commented toTom and I before I was diagnosed withcancer that we lived life to the fullest.We loved traveling with our family,summers down the shore, date nightSaturday and day trips every Sundayalong with all our other social engage-ments. I’ve come to realize that I canstill live life to the fullest on those“non-chemo weeks.”

Those days are full of meeting familyand friends for lunch and dinner, shop-ping, spending time with my grandsonsand overnights at bed and breakfasts. Ilove keeping in touch with my fellowteacher friends and family on Face-book. My family and friends have beenso supportive and helpful in this newphase of my life.I once read years ago that: “Yester-

day is a memory, Today is a presentand Tomorrow is a gift.” And now,even living with cancer and goingthrough this journey, I have learnedthat I can still appreciate that presentevery single day.

Tom and Maryann LaMaina


About The Dr. Diane BartonComplementary MedicineProgram

The Dr. Diane Barton Complementary MedicineProgram enhances the quality of life and

wellness of individuals touched by cancer — in-cluding patients, their caregivers and family.

It utilizes therapies that focus on mind,body and spirit while supporting mainstreammedical care. The complementary therapies of-fered through CCI are designed to lessen thepain, stress and anxiety associated with cancer.Therapies also assist in managing the side ef-fects of traditional treatments such as radiationand chemo-therapy. While complementary ther-apies cannot cure cancer, many patients havefound them to be helpful in managing and cop-ing with their cancer. While traditional medicineand healthcare treat the illness, complementa-ry medicine therapies help promote wellness inthe whole person.

In addition to the therapeutic benefits, tak-ing part in complementary medicine therapiesempowers participants — providing survivorswith an opportunity to take a positive, activerole in their care and treatment.

All therapies and programs offered throughthe Dr. Diane Barton Complementary MedicineProgram are available at no cost and are opento all cancer patients and their caregivers, re-gardless of where they receive their treatment.These programs, lectures and activities offerpatients access to social, educational and sup-port opportunities. Programs are offered week-ly throughout the year. Our outpatient comple-mentary medicine programs include:

•Restorative Yoga•Therapeutic Chair Massage •Meditation for Relaxation•Qi Gong•Body Movement Classes•Behavioral Health Workshops•Creative Arts•The Tea Cart (brought to outpatients while receiving chemotherapy)•Educational Seminars•Horticultural Therapy

This program is wholly funded throughphilanthropic support. As the reputationand demand for our programs and servicesgrow, so does our need for funding. If youare interested in learning more about TheDr. Diane Barton Complementary MedicineProgram or would like to make a donation,please contact, Bonnie Mehr, Program Manager, at 856.325.6646.

Supermodel for Hope(continued from page 1)

shows say they’re just going “to havefun with it,” I always thought how canyou be so calm in front of all thosepeople, I’d be a nervous wreck. I hatepublic speaking but my alter ego tookover when I was introduced and Isashayed up the aisle dipping and piv-oting, waving to my friends and son,and becoming one with the supermod-el gown.

I was then able to say a few wordsto the audience about my cancer andhow the beatlivertumors.org groupand its founder helped me with infor-mation and support for the next phaseof my treatment. The best part wasmeeting all the women like me whohad come from near and far to saythank you and give others hope. (And Igot to keep the gown!)

When we are feeling down fromcancer, we never know what good for-tune may await us around the corner.After getting bad news that my chemowas no longer working, I received avery uplifting phone call from Burling-ton County that the Freeholders

planned to create a new CourageAward for my cancer fight and volun-teer efforts. That was a big moralebooster when I needed it and a shinysilver lining to my black cloud.

It also gave me something to lookforward to as I invited friends, familyand former co-workers to the presen-tation. I am fortunate to have a greatsupport network and had about 60people attend the happy occasion.One friend said, “If love could curecancer, you would be the healthiestwoman in the world!”

I have been writing about my expe-riences since my diagnosis over threeyears ago, so, writing my thank you re-marks came easy. I used to dislike pub-lic speaking but have become coura-geous and wiser in many ways includ-ing no longer being self-consciousabout speaking, especially when I canhelp others.

After talking from my heart, I re-ceived a standing ovation, which was avery heartwarming moment that I willalways remember. The best part isthat the award will be given annuallyin my name to others leaving a lastingproud legacy for my family.

Loretta O’Donnell recently celebrated receiving a CourageAward with her son Mike, husband Bill and daughter Laura. A stage 4 colon cancer patient since 2010, she received theaward for her continuing battle and volunteer work fromBurlington County Freeholder Director Joe Donnelly (picturedat right). The plaque reads “Who, in the face of adversity, hasdemonstrated extraordinary strength of character, has emergedas an outstanding role model for others, and has touched and inspired us all.” The award will be given annually in her name.


by Judith Marquez

My experience at the 2013 LatinoKomen Conference was indescrib-

able. As a young Latina breast cancersurvivor I felt more than privileged toshare the sexuality issues I faced duringmy battle with breast cancer. As Ilooked out to the hundreds of Latinwomen in the audience, I knew thenthat all I had been through had notbeen for that of myself but that of oth-er young women who might possiblyhave similar experiences. I was nervousto share such intimate details but thisexperience was no longer that of myown but one of life’s situations thathappen for a greater purpose. This pur-pose is to empower women to be com-fortable in their own skin regardless ofthe opinion of others. Sexual inter-course during breast cancer strippedme from any and all that made me feellike a woman. My partner at the timewas so uncomfortable being intimateduring my experience with breast can-cer that I was subjected to having sexwith my wig on. After feeling as thoughI needed to hide behind a wig, I re-moved myself from that situation alto-gether and focused on the beauty with-in and not the acceptance of a man. Ishared this eye-opening experience todisplay to women; young women in par-ticular that self worth is key in confi-dence. As women we must learn to in-

Breast Cancer & Sexuality

From left to right: Lorelei McGlade, Alishia Wrubleski, Judith Marquez,Dr. Cori McMahon, Evelyn Robles, Dr. Generosa Grana, Ramona Sanabria.

still these principals in ourselves. Thesilence that filled the room as thewords flowed from my mouth displayedthe impact my experience had on thewomen in the crowd. I was a young 25year old during my experience so I was

still trying to figure out who I was andmy place in this diverse world. Youngteenage girls gathered after the eventto ask me questions and take photos.Speaking at this event made me realizethat young women are well aware ofthe sexual issues that could possible occur during breast cancer, but now willbe a bit more prepared. Now, 5 yearslater at the age of 30 I will always beable to look back and relate to youngwomen who are caught in the same sit-uation. I have no problem sharing mystory with anyone willing to listen andlearn from my mistakes. After this expe-rience I have become an even moreconfident woman regardless of all theimperfections breast cancer has left behind. Today, young women are oftenjudged on their physical appearance. I hope to be a representation of youngbreast cancer survivors living life to thefullest with the acceptance of life’schanges. This experience helped turnme into the woman I am today and Iwould never change a thing. I am proudto be a young Puerto Rican breast can-cer survivor.

find enjoyment even in simple andmundane experiences.

When I was done with my chemotreatment in the summer of 2005, Dr.Grana suggested that I attend the Live& Learn lectures offered by the Dr. Di-ane Barton Complementary MedicineProgram at Cooper Cancer Institute.She felt that I’d benefit from the lec-tures and get additional support. Hersuggestion turned out to be one ofthe best pieces of advice I’ve ever re-ceived. For the next several years, Iparticipated in all the classes that

by Teresa Kao

Many cancer survivors think thatcancer is the best thing that hap-

pened to them. Many also think thatcancer made them a better person.When I was first diagnosed with can-cer, I’d get upset and feel guilty when Iread or heard these sentiments be-cause I couldn’t relate to them at all.But now some eight years later, I canappreciate these sentiments muchmore. Even though I can’t say thatcancer is the best thing that hap-pened to me or that cancer made mea better person, I do feel that my can-cer journey has given me some newperspectives and insights. I recentlywent on a trip with some friends. Af-ter we got home, my friends told methat I seemed to enjoy the trip themost. I think it’s probably because I’velearned to live in the present momentwith a beginner’s mind. In doing so, I (continued on page 12)

Life Goes On…Teresa and

grandson, Oliver.


by Tanya Tuten

Icame from a family who wasstrong in faith and in thepower of prayer. I rememberin 1997 frequently seeing myGrandmother lying across herbed praying when she was re-ceiving chemotherapy forbreast cancer. My grandmoth-er was a strong woman offaith who talked to God aboutany and everything. In 1998, Iwent from being raised inknowing who God was, to mehaving a personal relationshipwith Jesus Christ for myself.My faith in God grew in such a way thatI believed what the Word of God saidwhole-heartedly. Since then, my life hasbeen driven by my faith, and prayerwrapped in the power and grace of God.

On August 23, 2011 there was anearthquake that shook the East Coastand that wasn’t the only thing that I feltshake that day. I received a phone callstating that I tested positive for triplenegative breast cancer; and a week lat-er I was told that I was stage IV and ithad spread to the liver. I was hurt andconfused because I just knew in myheart that my purpose in life wasn’t ful-filled yet. I called my Mom and gave herthe news that I had received and we didwhat we knew to do and that was toPRAY. There was a peace that cameover me and even though my situationdidn’t look good I was quick to remem-ber that, I walk by faith and not bysight. I knew from that point that therewas a process that I would be requiredto go through and it wasn't going to beeasy but God's grace would be suffi-cient. God was with me and he was ful-ly in control. My husband, children and Iall stood on the scripture, “I Shall Liveand not die to declare the works of theLord.” I started chemotherapy Septem-ber 2011 and my first PET scan after Istarted chemo was in December. ThePET scan didn’t show any cancer in thebreast or the liver and every scan I’vehad up to date hasn’t shown any evi-dence of cancer. God is Amazing!

My mother has been my # 1 support

radiation because of our fam-ily history. Now, 15 years latermy Mom was diagnosed withstage IV breast cancer in theopposite breast and hadspread to the liver and ab-domen. My Mom has alwayshad my back but now we areback to back supporting oneanother in the good fight offaith! We both are being treat-ed at Cooper Cancer Institutein Voorhees, NJ. Dr. MarjanKoch is our oncologist andmy mom and I both love thecompassion and dedicationDr. Koch has show to us and

our families at such a difficult time inour lives. The nurses in the infusioncenter Rock! My nurse is Lori and myMom's nurse is Meg and we are alwaysin competition to see who will finishfirst. We laugh and joke around and attimes have been referred to as doubletrouble while walking to our seats. Theentire staff has truly been heaven sentand we wouldn't rather be anywhereelse.

Many things have changed for usover the last 18 months; but there isone thing that has never changed andthat is our faith in God to do exceedingand abundantly above what we can askor think… we have defied expectationsbased on our diagnosis.

We will continue to stand still andsee the salvation of the Lord!

person and my personal nurse. She hasnever missed a doctor’s appointment, achemo treatment, any procedures orintercession on my behalf. Duringchemo treatment she makes sure I’mcomfortable with a pillow and blanketand sits there patiently until I’m done.A year after my diagnosis my Momwent from sitting next to me while Iwas getting treatment to sitting in herown chair receiving her own infusionalong side of me. In 1997 my momtreated for stage 1 breast cancer andunderwent a lumpectomy, chemo, and

I shall live and not die to declare the works of

the LORD. Psalm 118:17

Tanya and her mother, Robin.

Emily Moy and SydneyCohen of Voorhees gener-ously donate a $115.00Shop Rite gift card to TheDr. Diane Barton Comple-mentary Medicine TeaCart that supplies bakedgoods and refreshmentsfive days a week at ourVoorhees chemo infusionsites. These local teen“heroes” decided to selltheir outgrown clothingand books to raise themoney. Their goal wasmake a positive differencein their local communityfor cancer patients.

For more information please contact Bonnie Mehr, Manager, the Dr. Diane Barton Complementary Medicine Program at 856.325.6646 or [email protected]. You may mail your ShopRite gift card donations to: Attn: Bonnie Mehr, Cooper Cancer Institute, 2017 Piazza Main Street, Voorhees, NJ 08043.

The Diagnose, the Process, the Promise

faces their own set ofchallenges – this wasmine.

I believe ‘there’s al-ways a positive from anegative’. I believe mycancer diagnosis came atthe right time in my lifewhen I was able to face ithead on with a positive attitude. I further believethat God did not give methe cancer; he cried with

me the day Ifound out andthen he gave methe strength Ineeded to chargeahead. I didn’thave bad days –just bad hours butdoesn’t everyone?!

Honestly, I looked for-ward to the days in thechemo room. The staffmade me feel like a queen

as I sat wrapped in a warm blanket,feet up, personal TV (without havingto watch cartoons) and wonderfulconversation with nurses, doctors,counselors, visitors and other pa-tients. They were the people withwhom I shared my joy, thoughts,tears, jokes and prayers; since myhusband and I had decided from thebeginning not to tell anyone but closefamily. We wanted to keep life as nor-mal as possible for the children with-out having them hear of others talk-ing about cancer and not truly under-standing it.

During this time, I wrote a bookcalled My Mommy Wears a Wig. Iheard of so many people in thechemo room expressing how difficultit was to discuss hair loss especiallywith children. So, my book talks aboutmy experience with my then 5 yearold daughter. I made it into somethingfun, something to mark the beginningof getting ‘rid of the bad stuff in mybody’ in order to get better. The storyis told from a child’s point of view andincludes talking about the disease,wig shopping and then wearing the

wig. It has lighthearted humorand laughter while presenting its topic in a child friendly way.

I often tell people about a ladywho saw me in church and asked whodid my hair (which was really my wig).I told her that a friend of many yearsrecently gave me a new style (and shetruly did but she’s the one that cut allmy hair off). The lady had walkedaway but came back and asked if shethought my friend would do her hair. Ismiled and kindly responded that sheworks from home only working for established clients. She turned butcame back to me a 3rd time and saidshe would pay anything to get thesame cut and coloring as I had. Myonly thought was, ‘wow, how bad wasmy hair before this!?’

I am now a 6+ year survivor andelementary education teacher whilecontinuing to be a wife and businesspartner with my husband, Jeff, andmother of now 11 year old daughterand 9 year old son. I now happilyspend my time at my daughter’sdance competitions and horse shows,my son’s soccer and baseball games,teaching religious education, cubscouts & 4-H and just spending timetogether as a family.

You can find my book at: www.authorhouse.com and www.barnesandnoble.com


A Story of Hope and Inspirationby Amy Link

Ialways knew I would get breast can-cer. For me, the question wasn’t if, it was when. When I was eight yearsold, I watched my mother lose herbattle with breast cancer at age 33;my maternal grandmother had died 2 years earlier of the disease whenshe was in her 50s.

In September 2006, my questionwas answered. I was a wife and moth-er of 2 young children, Grayson Rosewho was 5 and WheatonAlexander who was 2. I found a lump on my rightbreast and another undermy right arm.

The next six weeks in-volved meeting with aCooper genetics counselor(Dana Farengo-Clark), hadgenetic testing, underwenta mammogram, ultrasoundand lumpectomy, and ulti-mately received the ex-pected diagnosis of breast cancer. Ihad been seeing a surgical oncologistsince my early 20s from Kennedyhospital (Dr. Richard Liscewski) as apreventative measure since I knewmy destiny. He was a blessing whoalso recommended Dr. GenerosaGrana. Because of him, I was put intothe gifted hands of Dr. Grana and theCooper Cancer Institute oncology department.

As soon as I knew it was cancer Isaid, ‘take them off. I don’t’ needthem anymore.’ I had already breastfed both my children so they haveserved their purpose. After the opera-tion, the genetic test results cameback, confirming that I had a muta-tion in my genes that significantly increased my chances of developingbreast and ovarian cancers.

After a double mastectomy, I wentthrough chemotherapy, radiation andbreast reconstruction, and a year lat-er, I decided to have my ovaries re-moved because of my gene mutation.I didn’t see my cancer diagnosis as adeath sentence. I just considered it abump in the road of life. Everyone

Amy Link

Life Goes On…(continued from page 7)

Ingredients:

• 1 mango, peeled and diced

• 1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno

• 1/3 cup diced red onion

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeno, redonion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mixwell. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Mango Peach Salsa

From the Desk of:Alicia Michaux MS, RD, CSO

Expert Oncology NutritionistCooper Cancer Institute

were offered. In addition to Live &Learn, I also went to Art Therapy,Music Therapy, Restorative Yoga, Qi-Gong, Gentle Stretching, Mindful-ness Meditation, Guided ImageryMeditation and Cooking classes. Ialso went to Bonnie’s book club andlectures on nutrition, aroma thera-py, feng-shui, etc. These classeshave introduced me to many newconcepts and ideas, and have broad-ened my mind. I’ve learned manytools to deal with anger, fear, stressand the turmoil in my life. I’m morecognizant of the body, mind andspirit connection and the benefit ofmindfulness. I’ve also made friendswith many fellow survivors. Theirspirits, strength and courage are in-spiration to me. We have this cama-raderie because of our shared can-cer experiences.

Life goes on whether we’re in ac-tive treatment or in remission…But friendship and shared goodnews always brighten our days.

When Two Heads (Cancer Survivors’) Are Better Than Many by Louise Flannery

As a cancer survivor I learned tolisten to my intuition and investi-gate symptoms and this has trans-ferred over into all aspects of mylife. Therefore, when I smelled anodor, I smelled an odor… and I wasgoing to leave no stone unturneduntil I got to the bottom of it...

The saga began one night in the middle of January. I awoke sometimearound 4 a.m. and smelled an odd odorin my bedroom. Thinking it was the hu-midifier that I ran every night, I turned itoff saying to myself I’ll clean it out andchange the filters in the morning. I wentback to sleep. But the odor persisted thenext night. It got worse over the weekend and I asked some friends who werevisiting on Sunday if they could detectany unusual odors but the answer wasno. It smelled like exhaust fumes to me. I slept with the windows open eventhough the temp was about 20 degrees.

You can imagine my surprise when I had the heater man check the furnace

first thing Monday morning and it wasOK. I was sure the culprit was the fur-nace since I was smelling the odorthroughout the house. (He couldn’t smellanything.) Now what? I smelled the odoroff and on for the rest of the week andthen on Saturday it got worse. I calledthe gas company who determined itwasn’t a gas leak and suggested I call theFire Department. I was stunned — Callthe Fire Department? I had visions ofsirens screaming and the neighborhoodin an uproar. I wasn’t that desperate yet.

I went to bed that night and then wasafraid to go to sleep so I called the FireDepartment — no sirens but flashinglights. Two very nice firemen respondedin full regalia and came in with a meterto check for gas and Co2 but everythingwas negative. Plus they couldn’t smellanything. I was really frustrated by thistime and was starting to think I must bein the Twilight Zone. The fireman gaveme a virtual pat on the back (think JohnWayne in one of his Westerns saying“There, there, little lady”) and told me toget some sleep as there was nothingharmful in my home. HA!

I consulted the manager of my com-plex who obligingly found out none of myadjoining neighbors were having any prob-lems with unusual odors. By this time, Iwas beside myself, fearing for my safetyand that of my cat. We were breathing infumes and nobody (including a lot of ex-perts) could tell me what the problem was.

I was sure by this time that everybodythought I was imagining things.

The odor seemed to be worse in theevening and at night so my upstairs neigh-bor (a fellow senior citizen and cancer sur-vivor who had been very supportive) toldme to call her when I smelled the odor andshe would come right down no matterwhat time it was. I called her around 11 p.m.and at first she couldn’t smell anythingand then there we were standing in mykitchen at midnight wondering what in theworld it could be and she said the magicwords “I’m starting to smell the exhaustodor and your refrigerator hasn’t stoppedrunning since I’ve been here.” Eureka! Allthe pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Ihad started to suspect the refrigerator butit was still keeping the food cold eventhough it was 20 years old but apparentlyit had been running almost all night unbe-knownst to me. Also I had received an un-usually high electric bill a few days previ-ously. I then removed the food and pulledthe plug and NO MORE ODOR. What a re-lief! My cat & I had been inhaling exhaustfumes for 2 weeks and I was grateful wehad not been harmed.

There was a happy ending. I wentout shopping the next day and boughta new refrigerator which was deliveredand set up the following day. I was sograteful to my neighbor for helping mesolve the puzzle. I gave her a big hug,took her out to breakfast and praisedmy inner voice and intuition!


supermodel for hope - · pdf fileand wave to 200 people ... hope,” which i had...

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