Rebecca’s Story:
After many years and a successful IVF procedure, I found out I was pregnant with our first child in January 2010. I was filled with joy- finally I would be a mom! Then, 10 weeks later I found a lump in my left breast. Within 2 weeks I saw my doctor and was told to have a breast ultrasound and biopsy. At 13 weeks pregnant, 34 years old, I was diagnosed with Her2+ invasive breast cancer. 2 days later I was told start thinking about my mastectomy and terminating my pregnancy. I had just told my friends and family I was having and baby and now I have cancer and have no idea if my baby would be born or If I would live. My life stopped. The next day we called Dana-Farber and made an appointment with Dr. Ann Partridge. This second opinion changed my future! She has dealt with many women who were pregnant with breast cancer. It is not as rare as one would think. Immediately I knew I would be going to Dana-Farber for my care. I wanted to do everything I could to keep my pregnancy and be able to live a long and healthy life. While pregnant I was given 4 doses of chemo over 12 weeks, and had two lumpectomies. On July 30th, 2010, Emelia came into our life! Now, one year since my diagnosis, I have completed 3 surgeries including my mastectomy, over 30 doses of chemo, and 33 radiation treatments. I will continue chemo treatments until August 2011. I am on my way to conquer cancer! My goal is to raise money for advanced research to eliminate cancer so my daughter and many others will never have to go through this battle! Pregnant or not, 34 or 64, no one should have to suffer from cancer!
Comments
Kudos to you Rebecca for navigating, enduring and conquering :-).
BIGGER kudos for forming your organization to raise awareness and aid researchers in hopefully finding a cure for cancer!!!
I lost my Mom to colon cancer in 2003.
I lost my Dad to brain cancer in 2009.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2010...a month before you, Rebecca.
I was 42 years old at the time...in very good health.
I found a small lump in my left breast.
I had a mammogram and ultrasound and was reassured it was "probably nothing", but a biopsy was recommended just to be sure.
I was completely SHOCKED and devastated when the surgeon gave me my diagnosis.
I had an invasive breast cancer.
The local surgeon told me I should have bilateral mastectomies.
I was crushed...but my greatest worry was how I would tell my son.
I've been a single Mom most of his life.
I got some advice on how to go about telling him (20 years old at the time).
I remember the couselor telling me the first thing he would ask me was if I was gonna die.
My son is extremely intelligent, knowledgeable, educated and mature...I certainly disagreed.
I told him after my 43rd birthday dinner in March 2010.
Low and behold...the dreaded 1st question came out, "Mom, you're not going to die on me are you?"
If the cancer diagnosis wasn't enough...the heartbreak in his eyes surely put me on the brink of insanity.
I live in RI, but I had all my records transferred to Faulkner Hospital and Dana Farber in MA after recommendations by two of my dearest friends.
THE BEST CHOICE I COULD HAVE EVER MADE.
The oncological surgeon in MA said I needed only a left mastectomy and she also recommended an amazing reconstruction surgeon.
I had a total left mastectomy in May 2010.
I endured four more surgeries after that...with the last procedure being completed just last month.
I was due for my 1st post-surgery MRI just two weeks after my final procedure...oh the anxiety.
I held my breathe when the radiologist walked in.
I was told I'm cancer free...whew...what a journey.
I ran in your 5K this past Saturday (07/23/2011) with my son.
I was number 126. He was number 167.
Trust me...I'm NO runner, but I couldn't pass up my son's suggestion to participate.
I had only two weeks to train, but figured after all I'd endured...how could 3.2 miles stand in my way LOL.
I didn't win any speed records, but I finished...sure and steady.
I share my story here because a little over a year ago...my world turned to darkness.
I know there were many before me...many with me and sadly will be many more after me.
If just one person reads this and is given HOPE...my journey was not in vain.
Advocate for and be kind to yourself. Let the people who care about you support you. Most importantly, set your goal and stay your course.
Be well~
It is due to my wonderful cousin Nicole Tourigney that I find myself here on your site and reading yours/her story and getting ready to participate in your 5k event tomorrow. I am so impressed and thankful for people like you. As many know, when a loved one suffers from cancer, it is so painful to watch and you constantly try and find ways to "help". This kind of fundraiser filled with spirit, faith, love and support is so important for everyone involved. Thank you and all my best to you! xo
Rebecca, 1st of all your daughter Emelia is beautiful ! Reading your story brought tears to my eyes.
There is no better feeling in the world than being on the verge to conquer cancer and at the end of the tunnel being told by the doctors
that you are now Cancer Free !!! You will overcome this terrible disease and look back at the rough days, months, years that you went through fighting Cancer but at the end you are going to smile and say I Beat It !! Even though there are many dark days through the treatment you just have to think positive, stay strong and beat it ! Also, you and your family will and im sure have already heard some negative comments from doctors but you can not let that bring you down. Hearing things like that will just have to make you stronger and want to beat the terrible disease even more!
I was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of six back in 1985. It took the doctors over a year to actually know what was wrong with me. Many times I had to listen to the doctors tell my parents your son only has few weeks to live. I told my mom do not worry we are going to beat this. I will not die. I will never forget the Make A Wish Foundation sent me to Disney World in 1986 because my wish was to meet Mickey Mouse. Till this day I say it was through the magic of Disney that my condition slowly began to improve. From that day on I began to feel better and better. After fighting Leukemia for three years and battling the worst thing ever, chemotherapy I was Cancer Free.
We Can Beat Cancer and We Will !!!! Everyone has to say We Will Not Lay Down 2 Cancer !!!!
Rebecca once again Congrats on your beautiful daughter Emelia and Beat this damn thing would you !!!
Aret Yesiltepe
Aret - Thank you for sharing your story and your encouraging words! Congrats on your many years of health! And YES I will beat cancer!
I was first diagnosed with Stage 4 Squamous Cell cancer in October of 2001. There was a half dollar size lesion on the under side of my tongue on the right side as well as some lymph nodes in my neck. I was treated with an aggressive course of chemotherapy and radiation. In May of 2002 I was considered in remission!! In 2007 I was again diagnosed with the Squamous Cell cancer but this time it was in my right jaw and tongue. I had surgery where my right jaw and teeth were removed as well as a portion of my tongue and then my jaw was rebuilt using a bone, blood vessels and skin from my left leg. I then went through chemotherapy and radiation. Unfortunately, this course of treatment restricted my ability to eat solid food so my diet consisted of all liquids but I was considered in remission in 2008!!! In 2010 I was diagnosed again with Squamous Cell cancer but this time it is terminal. When I went in for surgery it was determined that there was too much cancer to remove with surgery and radiation was not an option. I am on a feeding tube because my ability to even take in fluids has been restricted. I also have a hole on the right side of my face from the cancer eating through my cheek and chin. I am currently going through chemotherapy which is slowing the growth of the cancer and should give me another year but I am pushing for a cure!!! I am working on clinical trials as well as alternative therapies including Tong Ren to eliminate all of the cancer from my body!!!
Thank you for sharing your story! Stay strong. You have a lot of family and friends who love and support you.
Good job girls!!! I enjoyed the event today, meet new people and in particular Amy and Rebecca. As I was running at one point I was tired and had some knee pain. But I told myself, knee pain? tired? This is nothing comparing of what Amy is going through right now...at the point I found a little energy to push to the end.
Thank you again and I am looking forward to do it next year again.
I feel blessed to have been able to finish the 5K today pushing my 10 month old daughter. Thank you sooo much for putting on this event. I met some amazing people and felt great about helping a wonderful cause. Now that I have a daughter, I'm even more motivated to be healthy and to stay informed about women's health issues. You are all in my prayers and I am inspired by your incredible strength.
Ellyn
Congrats on your soon to be 5 year old! So sorry to hear about your breast cancer and you struggle to have a second child. Both are such difficult battles to go through, especially more so when tied together. I have talked with many women who have had successful pregnancies after chemo and treatments. Cancer does NOT have to end your dreams or run your life!!! Just remember so much can happen in 1 year. Take things day by day for now. And focus on being positive, your daughter, and getting the best care for you now. Please email me if you have any questions. And it would be great to meet you at the race!
Best Wishes - Rebecca
I found out about the walk through an article at work. I am 36 years. My husband and I have been trying for years to have the family of our dreams. We have been through many losses in our journey. Last November, I lost again. We had just been trying for a couple of months, when I found blood on my left breast. It looked really odd. I thought I was pregnant! I went to the doctor's and they found a lump under the left nipple. It was removed and I was told I had breast cancer. I had three surgeries in total since May of this year. I am still recovering from the third surgery and I still have the drain. I hope to be there next week. I am preparing for chemo after my daughter's 5th birthday. Somehow, I am going to have another child. I refuse to loose my life or my dream! I refused to let it run our lives!
I know it's been a long time since we have been in contact. I made it through chemo and I was able to work through most of it. I actually met with some women from the Brockton area, who have had breast cancer. I was telling them about you. So I wanted to check in and say hello! I hope everyone is doing well. Now I am down to two weeks of radiation therapy. Time goes so fast. I hope to hear from you.... Ellyn
I lost a few family members and friends in the last few years with cancer. Just found out yesterday that the husband of a friend of mine has cancer. In the gazzette today I saw your story. As I am reading the article all my little, everyday worries went away. I told my husband “I will run this 5k but I want to do more. I want to help”. I live in Franklin, not to far away from the High school, what can I help with?
I want to know, if it is ok for me to put a link to your web site on my face book page
I will pray for you and your family.
I want to apologize about my English, my first language is Italian, moved here 21 years ago from Italy.
Maria
Hi Marie
I am so sorry to hear about your friend's husband. So many lives are affected by cancer. Thank you for reaching out to us. Please email us at wontlaydown2cancer@gmail.com for more details on how you can help. Also- from the website contacts page you can connect to our facebook page, add as a friend and I will send you an invite to the race event. Which you can then share with your family and friends.
Thanks for sharing. Hope to see you soon! Rebecca
I was diagnosed w/breast cancer on Jan 21, 2010 at the age of 38. This was also my husband's birthday! I never discovered a lump..I just experienced pain on the side of my breast and what seemed to be a vein running underneath my right breast. I do not have a family history of cancer and could not understand why this happened to me. The cancer did not test estrogen, progesterone or HER 2 positive, so I'm really amazed at "my luck." I began chemo Feb 12th and had a total of eight rounds. On July 2nd, I had a bilateral mastectomy. I am now awaiting determination as to whether I am going to need radiation. It has been a rough 7 months...but throughout all this I have tried to remain positive. I continued to work while I was undergoing chemo and was out only two weeks after my mastectomy. My main focus.....staying alive to see my son, who turned four July 9th, grow up and have a family of his own. I also have a wonderful husband who is with me every step of the way. With the added support of my mom, my sister, my husbands' immediate family and a few good friends, I am determined to "NOT LAY DOWN TO CANCER!!!!!!"
Hi Tisha,
So sorry to hear you are also battling breast cancer but so happy to hear how positive you are!! Working does help keep things "normal". Continue to remain strong and together we will "NOT LAY DOWN TO CANCER"
- REBECCA
Your stories are touching and so inspiring. Although I was not diagnosed with breast cancer, I was diagnosed with Melanoma-the worst form of skin cancer you can have, 2 months after the birth of my first child. I was 23 yrs old at the time. Cancer in any shape or form is one of the scariest things a person can encounter. I am glad to say that 7yrs later, and lots of trips to the doctors I have been cancer free! I am now 30yrs old and have 3 beautiful children! My biggest struggle is the constant worry of it coming back, and coming back worse than before. I don't think that will ever go away. I am honored to run in your race to help find a cure for cancer!!
Jacki - So glad that you reached out and shared your story with us. As I was sad to read about your long journey and fight against this horrible disease I was happy to hear that you are now CANCER FREE and have 3 little blessings to live for. I can understand the fear you live with everyday and how your mind wonders every doctors appointment check-up. Becky, you and I have went through very different journey's and will continue to but what we have in common is that we want to LIVE, want to make a difference and most of all raise awareness that CANCER can strike at any age! Not accepting cancer is half the battle. You were SO young to go through such a scary thing. Thank you for joining our team WE WONT LAY DOWN 2 CANCER on August 7th and please come introduce yourself to us. We hope you will mark your calendar and help us make this an annual event so our kids never have to go through cancer or fear it in their futures because of what we were able to do. Please have your friends and family join us as well! We look forward to seeing you there and thanks again for having the courage to share your story!
Warmest Regards,
Amy Buzzell
I am so glad to have found this page and this event. I am 33 years old and was completely devastated to find out I had breast cancer. My gynecologist found the lump during a routine physical, and sent me immediately for mammogram and ultrasound. While she said she wasn't real concerned, it was best to investigate it. When I arrived for the testing, everyone was so sure it was benign they didn't even bother to do the mammogram. I even received a letter in the mail stating the ultrasound had "benign findings". With no family history and no real risk factors, imagine my surprise when the "optional" biopsy came back positive for invasive ductal carcinoma. It has been almost a full year since the lump was discovered, and I have survived 2 surgeries, 8 chemotherapy treatments, and 17 of 33 radiation treatments (three weeks to go!). And I feel great! I never dreamed that something like this could happen to me, and I welcome the opportunity to help raise awareness that cancer can strike anyone, at any age. I lost a friend to lymphoma 2 years ago, and I will participate in this event to honor him and his courageous fight, as well as my own.
Tina your story touched me! We are just too young to be going through this!! Really any age is! We are just tired of hearing too many people in our lives are affected by cancer! Please pass this on to your friends and family and I would love to meet you at the race! Email us if you have any questions!
- Rebecca
We all have been affected by Cancer! Share your story and Join us August 7th! Thank you!
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