Success Stories!

AnnieMc

Hey ladies,

In April 2004, I was diagnosed with stage 1 IDC ER/PR/HER 2 -.  I had a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation.  In November 2005, I had a recurrnece of DCIS in the same breast,so I had a unilateral mastectomy.  I have been NED ever since and just ran my first marathon in 4 hours and 18 minutes. 

Anne 

Jayne_in_UK

I love this thread. I find it very inspiring as I am getting towards the end of active treatment. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories.

Anne congratulations on running that marathon in such a good time!

My neighbour Carole's mother, Molly, was diagnosed with bc at the age of 67. Not sure of type or stage. After her initial treatment she took Tamoxifen for 28 years!!!! She didn't really have any side effects and didn't want to stop taking it. She died of something totally unrelated to bc at the age of 95. Well they do say you know you are cured when you die of something else.

marlenet

My friend at work had bc, a year after she had  in the other breast. ( not sure what kind or grade) Well she is 9 years out and 3 of her 4 sisters all had bc and are all doing fine today!

Nico1012

Bump.

kim40

I went Christmas shopping last night and I met a woman who was d/x with Stage 4 BC ten years ago!!!  She is healthy and happy!!  I hugged her!!  She gave me so much hope!

cakeisgreat

Love it!  thanks for posting kim40!

Anonymous

I love this thread.  My dad was diagnosed non-hodgkin's lymphoma when he was 89...Breezed through the chemo and rad treatments with great spirits and he is now healthier than I am at 95. So whenever I start feeling sorry for myself, I think of what Dad had gone through.

Marie

Jayne_in_UK

Wow! There certainly are some inspiring stories on this thread. Thank you ladies for sharing them.

A work colleague of mine told me some more details of her own experience yesterday. She was diagnosed with BC 15 years ago at the age of 42. She had 3 lumps in the same breast and lymph node involvement. She found one lump herself after seeing on TV the correct way to do a self exam. Anyway she had a mastectomy and chemo, then 2 years later she did reconstruction. No rads or hormonal treatment. Now, 15 years on, she is healthy and hardly ever thinks about BC.

cakeisgreat

I heard a new success story today!  My daughter's friend's grandma had stage 1 cancer 25 years ago.  Had mx and no rads/chemo.  doing well!  Also, her friend had stage III and is NED 8 years!

Carmelle

Happy Holidays to all! So many success stories shared and hopes brightened.

Jayne_in_UK

I received a letter with my Christmas card from my Aunt Stella yesterday. She is my late Dad's step sister and I did not see a lot of her when I was growing up. We do keep in touch now though and I had written to her about my diagnosis. She wrote back that in 1979 she found a lump in her breast that turned out to be BC and had a mastectomy. In 1980 she found a lump in her other breast and had a second mastectomy. 30 years on she remains healthy and active. Reading her letter really made my day!

jillyG

bump

shadow2356

I love these stories. I had my second (of 6) TCH treatment Monday. I am not feeling great today. Reading these stories makes me know I can do it!

Thanks

meg8000

I will add a story of a wonderful lady I met during chemo yesterday.  Originially dx Stage IV, she went 6 yrs NED, until she got mets in her intestines, which was removed, and I think she did stem cell transplant, then went 11 years NED, and now has more abdominal cancer, so she is back for chemo again. What a wonderful attitude and bubbly personality. I just know she will do well!

jacgrehanjul

Check out these survivors dancing to I Will Survive in a Flash Mob!  We did this dance during a survivor party at my hospital, and we planned it ahead with the dancers but the other people there didn't know what was happening.  The two women up front are one of the physician's medical assistants and an OR nurse; they choreographed the dance.  The rest of the women dancing are survivors, a couple of breast cancer docs and nurses and a social worker.  One young woman learned that day that she had brain mets but came and danced anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETiL4NPJE-g

marlenet

What wonderful stories!    Wishing you all a healthy and happy life!  loooong  life!

Diana63

Bump, bump

Diana63

Bump again

Anonymous

What does NED mean when you post on here?  Something about diagnosis? 

Anonymous

Shelly56 - No Evidence of Disease.  This is a wonderful thread.

marlenet

Diana63

Bump for newbies  lets keep the good stories coming. I am 2 1/2 years out now, IDC, stage 3, grade 3. 

marlenet

Congratulations Diana63.

A co-worker is 15 years out! NED...Another co-workers mother is 30 years out!

swest

Bump!

Nico1012

This thread needs to be bumped. Often.

Nico

wallycat

If anyone reads Prevention magazine, go to page 7.

A 4 time cancer survivor has a great short column.  Diagnosed at 30, she had 4 recurrences, the worst of them to brain and liver.  She went through lumpectomy, two brain surgeries and had 31% of her liver removed and is now 7 years NED! 

Maryiz

I love, love that one, wallycat.  These are the stories we really need.  Maryiz

focusedonacure

Focused on a Cure is a non-profit organization that shares survivors' stories through their portraits. We have a survivor portrait exhibit that travels through our community. Last year we raised over $10,000 for local breast cancer research in North Carolina.

 If any of you are interested in sharing your story with others to inspire and spread awareness, please contact us at renda@irresistibleportraits.com.

 www.facebook.com/focusedonacure

Diana63

Bump.  

Carmelle

bump