I was diagnosed with infiltrating ductal carcinoma four years ago at the age of 39. Needless to say, I was shocked as I was otherwise a very healthy, active person and never considered myself as a possible breast cancer patient at such a young age. My friends and family were there to provide emotional and physical support, transporting me from appointment to appointment in those initial days of shock as I acquainted myself with a new regimen of meeting doctors and technicians who were poking, prodding, and scanning me to determine how far the cancer had progressed.
But it was a friend who gave me the name of Save Ourselves, and Cass Brown Capel directed me on a path that would help me manage the physical aspects of the disease and treatment and to lead me on a journey of emotional and spiritual growth that I could never have imagined when I first experienced the horror of learning I had cancer.
I will never forget the relief and calm I experienced talking to Cass that first night on the phone. I remember wondering how I might be able to keep her on the line because as a fourteen-year survivor herself, she was a lifeline to me of hope. She shared what seemed to be limitless information about my upcoming treatments and the emotions of making the decision of having a mastectomy and facing chemotherapy.
As luck would have it, Cass was able to squeeze me into one of the Save Ourselves support groups and I remember immediately feeling relief. One of my first meetings was two days following my mastectomy and everyone was so supportive as I hobbled into the room with drains and bandages. I remember staring at a woman with a full head of shiny hair and sunny disposition and remarking with wonder that she emerged on the other side of the disease as a whole, normal, and yes, even happy person.
And unlike family and friends, who only had the best of intentions, the women in the Save Ourselves support group had experienced first hand the traumas I was facing and could offer me hope and sage, practical advice about the many nuances of treatment that my family and friends couldn't even imagine despite their best efforts.
With the support group, no subject was off the table and we were able to candidly ask questions of women who had endured the same treatment. We laughed and oftentimes cried together, but most importantly, we healed together and have gone on to lead productive, happy, fulfilling lives as survivors.
For as long as I am lucky enough to live, I will be grateful to Save Ourselves for helping me on a journey to become a more complete and happy person.