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MyHopeBag
MyHopeBag Member Posts: 8
edited June 2014 in Who or What Inspires You?

We are a non-profit organization that provides bags of HOPE to women with breast cancer. One of the things in our bags is a collection of survivor stories. We have had such positive feedback on the stories... so many women have been encouraged and inspired by them.

If you'd be interested in sharing your story and giving HOPE to another woman just beginning her breast cancer journey, we'd be honored to include it in our book. You can find out more about us and what we do by visiting our website at www.myhopebag.org.

On behalf of all staff and volunteers at My Hope Bag, CONGRATULATIONS! Surviving breast cancer is no easy thing... we know! But you did and you are all the stronger for it. We wish you many more healthy, happy years.

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  • CoolBreeze
    CoolBreeze Member Posts: 4,668
    edited February 2012

    Well, not all of us will.....

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  • 1Athena1
    1Athena1 Member Posts: 6,696
    edited February 2012

    You write :"On behalf of all staff and volunteers at My Hope Bag, CONGRATULATIONS! Surviving breast cancer is no easy thing... we know! But you did....."

    From that I have to wonder if you've any idea about breast cancer. 

    Not everyone will survive breast cancer, so be careful to give false hope for a disease with no known cure that up to 25 percent of those affected die from.

    I believe in hope, but not false hope. Maybe hope that you will bear your burden as best you can...that is more realistic.

    If you had looked around this forum, you would see plenty of threads with condolences for our dead (known here as "angels"). It's hurtful to those who have lost loved ones to assume that everyone survives, as you do with your post.

    I will share a hope: that we don't keep having to read information that assumes no one dies from this.

    For example, see this snippet from the National Cancer Institute's site:

    US Mortality From 2004-2008, the median age at death for cancer of the breast was 68 years of age4X Close
    Table I-13 (). Approximately 0.0% died under age 20; 0.9% between 20 and 34; 5.7% between 35 and 44; 14.9% between 45 and 54; 21.1% between 55 and 64; 19.8% between 65 and 74; 22.3% between 75 and 84; and 15.3% 85+ years of age.The age-adjusted death rate was 23.5 per 100,000 women per year. These rates are based on patients who died in 2004-2008 in the US.
    Diagnosis: 3/2009, IDC, 3cm, Stage IIb, Grade 3, 3/8 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-

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  • jackboo09
    jackboo09 Member Posts: 920
    edited February 2012

    I agree with Athena's post. Success stories are all well and good but unfortunately they are not the full picture. The tone of this post just didnt sit right with me. I found it somewhat patronizing and I actually think that the idea could be a little misleading for the newly diagnosed. With BCO there are positive stories but there is also no hiding the ugly nature of this truly horrific, unpredictable disease.

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  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 1,536
    edited April 2012

    hello there and yes I am a 18 yr breast cancer Survivor, and I am here often to Inspire others who are going thru now, I remember the fear and dreaded doom I experienced and want others to know that it is ok to have those feeling it is quite normal but after your cry and pity I want them to fight, to have HOPE and always!!!!!!!!!!!!!! stay Positive,my tips. I also wrote a book about this and how I went through this as I planned my wedding to my wonderful and supportive husband, The book is called," The Healings Of Breast Cancer", A Physical And Spiritual Healing Of My Body And Soul, can be purchased on Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble, at publisher(xlibris.com) and some proceeds have been sent to American Cancer Society. I know this is why I am still here to make a difference in others going thru Lives. msphil(idc, stage 2, L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on Tamoxifen, God Bless Us ALL.   

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  • MyHopeBag
    MyHopeBag Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2012

    Athena, 

     We never said that everyone survives breast cancer. We work with dozens of breast cancer patients and all too often experience a loss of a beautiful person to this ugly disease. And yes, we 100% know about breast cancer... TOO much, in fact, as the majority of the women operating this organization are either going trough breast cancer currently or have survived it. 

     The purpose of our post, as clearly indicated, was to obtain SURVIVOR stories... stories of HOPE and ENCOURAGEMENT for other women currently going through their treatment. This section of the forum is where you share survivor stories and again, as we mentioned in our post, that is what we are looking for. 

    We appreciate your concern. We understand you must be going through a difficult time yourself. But please do not be angry with us. We have never foolishy quoted nor believed that ALL women survive breast cancer. We are an organization, again, run by patients/survivors of breast cancer, completely committed to bringing HOPE to women facing their seemingly darkest hours.

     We wish you the best during your treatment... if there is anything we can do to support you, please reach out. That's what we're here for.

    ~*~ My Hope Bag ~*~ 

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  • MyHopeBag
    MyHopeBag Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2012

    Jackboo,

     Again, this section of the forum is regarding survivor stories... and that's all we asked for. We never once quoted that everyone survives breast cancer. That simply is not the case. We apologize if you misunderstood this section of the forum and/or our post but do appreciate you voicing your concerns. If there is anything we can do to support you in your journey, please feel free to contact us. 

     ~*~ My Hope Bag ~*~  

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  • MyHopeBag
    MyHopeBag Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2012

    MsPhil, thank you for sharing your story. We'd love to be able to include it on our site and share it with the women we support. There is a "share your story" button on our website (www.myhopebag.org). If you could take a minute to share your story there with as much detail as possible, we would be honored to share it. Feel free to look through the other stories on our site if you aren't quite sure what to include or not.

    Again, thank you for being so open and willing to share you're story. It will absolutely encourage anyone who reads it. Oh, and we'll look for your book... would love to read it!

    ~*~ My Hope Bag ~*~  

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  • 7of9
    7of9 Member Posts: 833
    edited April 2012

    Waiting for more survivor stories...yes I am haunted by the "What ifs" as my husband calls them...we are all going to die someday, but HOPE is the key word, hopefully not for a long while yet...especially those younger who dream of marrying, having children or seeing our little ones grow up. So please post those happy stories!!!

    Now I need to focus on and take hope road or I'll be immobilized by fear.  I LOVE the posts by the stage IV women going on with their lives and beating back the disease or putting the breaks on the damn thing. Here is hoping we can all beat it or hang in there until they get those vaccines working and keep finding better treatments.

     God bless those who didn't make it...and God bless those of us still carrying on the fight!

    I'm still in the early stages of fighting this damn thing.  The only thing I am truly grateful for with this disease is the ability to take a long hot shower at night (esp achy now from Taxol though just popped my first Vicodin an hour ago...ahhh) and not go to bed with a wet head of hair. Used to have long blonde hair...not any more! Har har... thanks stupid cancer, I'll take my hair back...soon...I hope...

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  • MyHopeBag
    MyHopeBag Member Posts: 8
    edited April 2012

    Darling 7of9, thanks for your post. It sounds like you are a STRONG woman and have a great attitude... we hear all the time that "having a good attitude is half of the battle". You've got that down! It's no easy thing what you're going through... and everyone's battle is different. But you're right, you have a choice to dwell on the negative or push ahead and look forward with HOPE. 

    My mom, the Founder of My Hope Bag, was that same way. Lots of friends and family were throwing around the "what if"s but she stayed positive and focused on doing what she needed to do. Obviously no one knows how things will be in a year, five years, ten years, etc. All you can focus on is today... making the best of today and looking forward to tomorrow. 

    I absolutely mean it from my heart when I say we are here for you... we are praying for you and are here to support you any way we can. I encourage you to visit our website (www.myhopebag.org) and explore a bit. We have survivor stories on there for some encouragement... we also have a "request a bag" page. If you fill that out, we'll send you a tote bag filled wtih comforting items for your journey... we also like to keep in touch with you throughout your journey and be here for support. That's what we're here for... so please, reach out, fill out the form and let us give you a little extra HOPE!

    {hug} Keep that wonderful attitude and sense of humor... it'll pay you back in more ways than you can imagine! :-)

    ~*~ Beckie ~*~ 

    My Hope Bag 

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  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 1,536
    edited July 2012
    hello dear, and I did indeed leave a short version of my story on your site and I forgot to state that a woman from Iowa had called me and said that she purchased my book and it was right on time, she was contemplating suicide, she said it gave her HOPE, that if I could get thru it, even while planning my wedding, she could also, (Praise the Lord), so yes include my story, I,m still here to INSPIRE and give HOPE.  msphil (idc,stage 2,0/3 nodes, L mast,reconstruction(body rejected it) wear prothesis, chemo 3 months prior to surgery and 3 months after,we got married and then rads for 7 weeks, 5 days a week, and 5 yrs on Tamoxifen)  18 yr Survivor(Praise God) 
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  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 1,536
    edited January 2013

    hello all, I wanted to let you all know I did indeed get to give the HOPE bag sent to me to a woman I,ve known for yrs growing up in my community, I ran into her husband and he told me she was suffering and I told him I would like to come and lift her up and that I had a gift bag of HOPE for her, and I took it and she is doing better and feeling full of more Hop, if you can please send another bag of HOPE with info where I can send a donation, and also to tell you of my book on amazon.com, barnes n noble.com, and publisher:Xlibris.com, title is:" The Healings Of Cancer", A Physical And Spiritual Healing Of My Body And Soul, donations from the sale of this book is sent to American Cancer Society, and I also donate books to libraries, and have given free copies,but we need to get more research done to end this disease. msphil(idc, stage2,3 nodes, L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on Tamoxifen) and going thru while planning my wedding, God Bless and we are all in my prayers. 

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  • Hope1953
    Hope1953 Member Posts: 30
    edited May 2013

    msphil,

    CONGRAUATIONS!!!!!!!  LaughingSmile 18 WOW!!! Keep up the good work. Hope is a very important word to me. For me it's because there is so much Cancer in my Family. I am a 2 yr survivor of Breast Cancer. They say at the Cancer Center that I am Cancer free.

    That tamoxifen is horrible. Don't you think so? The Hot Flashes yak.

    Have more HOPE and stay UPBEAT,

    Hope1953

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  • Jude123
    Jude123 Member Posts: 33
    edited May 2013

    I just re-read my very first posting in the topic "just diagnosed" and wow what difference knowledge and time makes. Back when I wrote that first post back in March of 2013 I never thought I would be able to make it through this unexpected journey that I had ahead of me. I was in shock; I was confused, overwhelmed, and scared. However today I am on the road to recovery. I have reached this milestone because of all the wonderful women that shared their experience, strength and hope on the various discussion boards

    I say to myself that I am 2/3 of the way thru this unexpected journey. I had my LX 4-30-13, and then Rads the very next week via mammosite. The next 1/3 of the way will be to see MO (5-28-13) to discuss the Oncotyoe DX test and my long term treatment plan and I go back to work on 6-3-13 ( I was blessed to have been able to take 5 weeks off of work).

    So I guess what I am trying to say is for all the newly diagnosed women out there that just found these discussion boards, please keep reading and I hope you find the comfort and the courage that I have found from reading the various discussions. I know now that I will be okay and I pray that you all will also be okay. Please stay strong and positive and rest assure that the women on these boards will be able to comfort you and give you hope just as they have given to me.

    Jude

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  • Hope1953
    Hope1953 Member Posts: 30
    edited July 2013

    Jude,

    I guess we all think we won't make it but we do. You stay strong, Keep in touch ok.I like to write.

    HUGS,

    Hope

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