The Four Words That Changed My Life

By Beth B.

Beth B. at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®

I never get tired of telling my story. Four words.

It all started on October 26, 2011 —10 days after my 30th high school reunion. I went for my annual exam. Ten minutes into the visit, my gynecologist said, “You have a lump.” Four words. Thirty minutes later, I was having a mammogram a month before my regularly scheduled one and an ultrasound. An hour later, the technician took me into a room and put me on the phone with my doctor, who said, “We found something suspicious.” Four words. They told me to find a surgeon and schedule a biopsy as soon as possible. Six days later, I had a biopsy, and on November 4, 2011, my world turned upside down. I was 48 years old when I heard “You have breast cancer.” Four words.

Part of my story involves how and where I received my diagnosis. I am a lobbyist for a financial services company, and the day after my biopsy, I traveled to Washington, D.C., on a business trip. As every cancer patient knows, the thing that you crave the most is normalcy. While I didn’t yet know that I was a cancer patient, I craved normalcy. The thought of sitting at home and waiting for the results was unbearable to me. I was in a meeting room with about 75 people when my cellphone started ringing, and I could see it was the surgeon’s office. I made it out to the lobby where the diagnosis was delivered. It was as if all the air had left the building. All I wanted to do was to get back to my room to call my Mom. I held it together until she picked up the phone, and I burst into tears. I felt like a child who falls off her bike and doesn’t cry until she gets home and runs straight into her mother’s arms.

I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, stage 2B. I had a lumpectomy a week before Thanksgiving in 2011. My margins were not clean, and I had node involvement. I chose to have a single mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, and I have never regretted that decision. The surgery was four days before Christmas. I had eight rounds of chemo. I lost all of my hair and started reconstruction during chemo. I finished treatment on May 2, 2012 and had reconstructive surgery later that summer with the final surgery that fall. I am currently taking Letrozole after five years of Tamoxifen. I still have neuropathy in my feet, but it is gone from my hands. Now my four words are “You are a survivor.”

I have met the most incredible people on this journey. I am proud to be a survivor, and I feel blessed every day. My fellow survivor thrivers are the bravest people I have ever met. They give me hope and courage every day. I hit the 9-year survivorship mark last November. Some days, it feels like yesterday, and other days, it feels like a lifetime ago. Some days, I scratch and claw my way through, but most days I just feel incredibly lucky.

We must continue to fund the research that will eventually eradicate this monster. Together we can, and will, lift the veil on this horrendous disease. Together, we are stronger than cancer. Life changes in an instant. I really have no other words. I will NEVER stop telling my story and I will NEVER stop fighting for a cure.

Here are my final four words to you — GO LIVE YOUR LIFE!

Cate E. knows first-hand you need PERSEVERANCE take on a challenge like the 3-Day

Continuing our “Word of the Year” series, this month Cate E. shares her experience, on the 3-Day and in life, of PERSEVERANCE. Cate first joined the 3-Day in 2009, but this year brings new resonance and new meaning for her as she faces her own breast cancer battle.

Tell me about your 3-Day experience.

I did my first walk in 2009 in Washington, D.C. and proceeded to walk the next two years in D.C. Then I switched to crew. I crewed in D.C. when the 3-Day was in that city, then switched to Philadelphia and then to New England, doing both the Philly event and New England event in 2019. I’ve served on several crew: gear & tent, grab & go, and sweep, but most often pit stop 3. I’ve been a crew captain multiple times over the years.

What is your 2021 word of the year??

Perseverance.

Why is that your word of the year?

I have had the honor of watching women and men on the 3-Day in various stages of survivorship. Whether they are a survivor or the family/friend of a survivor, these individuals are all still affected by the disease. Seeing their perseverance has given me the strength to fight my own battle with breast cancer.

Why do you participate in the 3-Day?

In January of 2009, I saw a commercial for the 3-Day. I sat on my couch and got teary?over what I was seeing. I told my husband I wanted to go to a Get Started Meeting to learn about the 3-Day and sign up. At that point in my life, I felt so blessed and knew it was time to give back. I started participating in the 3-Day to honor my Grandmother Marion and my Great Aunt Eileen, who both died of breast cancer. In 2021 I will be participating to celebrate and honor myself as well.

What does the 3-Day family mean to you?

On the 3-Day, I have gotten to know some of the most thoughtful and generous people I have ever met. The friendships and bonds created on event are just as strong as those of blood relation (sometimes stronger). I have a core group of women who I have been on event with since the start. They were the ones I reached out to when I was first diagnosed. Their strength, support, and compassion, accompanied by some hilarity and hijinks, helped me cope with those first few days after hearing the word “cancer.” Their guidance and understanding are far beyond anything outside of our 3-Day bubble. I’m so lucky to have them in my life.

How does your word of the year connect to the 3-Day?

I think everyone on the 3-Day shows perseverance. From the walkers who are faced with blisters, heat, strains, sprains, and training, to the crew members who are setting up, breaking down, dealing with location challenges and supporting the walkers, to the staff who are juggling the demands of the towns, route challenges, the crews and the walkers—everyone on event shows a perseverance to succeed. This is doubly so for those who are also fighting cancer during the event. The perseverance of each and every individual working toward a world without breast cancer is what the 3-Day is all about.

If you could share a message with the Pink Bubble, what would it be?

Meeting you, talking to you, hearing about your journey and watching you succeed in your own way has been a blessing to me for the last 12 years. Hearing your words of encouragement, of thanks, of love, compassion and understanding have shown me that there are amazing people out there in the world. The knowledge that with a few keystrokes I could reach out and be surrounded by our big Pink Bubble and knowing that I can feel your love and be lifted by your support has given me courage and strength to fight my own battle. Thank you to each and every one of you who put yourselves out there year after year to find a cure.

We want to know: What does PERSEVERANCE mean to you? Check back next month for the next blog post in our “Word of the Year” series.

My Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Story

By San Diego 3-Day Walker, Niki W.

I started doing the 3-Day in 2008 because a few of my fellow teacher friends invited me. I thought it was a perfect way to fundraise money towards breast cancer research, as I had lost a couple friends to this horrible disease. I also thought it would be a great way to spend time with these friends and to get exercise. I walked in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2019. I plan on walking in 2021 as well.

In the midst of everything else that 2020 brought my way, I found a very large lump in November, in my right breast.

I went in two days later, and my OBGYN said it felt too big to be cancer and not to worry about it. She scheduled some tests anyway for December but told me it was probably nothing. I cancelled my appointments and moved them to January because the December tests conflicted with our holiday plans, and I figured it didn’t matter since my doctor had said not to worry.

I finally went in for the tests on January 18 and had a mammogram, an ultrasound, and blood tests. My mammogram came out normal but they were able to see the lump on the ultrasound and my lymph nodes were very enlarged. They scheduled a biopsy for February 3. On February 5, I was walking with a friend on the beach when my OBGYN doctor called and said that I had an invasive carcinoma tumor 7X6 cm that had already spread to my lymph nodes.

I was in shock for several days and stopped sleeping and didn’t have an appetite. The next two weeks were a blur of appointments, scans, and more, as I found out that I needed to start chemo right away for six months, then surgery (double mastectomy) followed by radiation, reconstruction and hormone therapy for five-ten years.

Once I got my test results back and learned that I was only Stage 3 and the cancer had not yet moved to my organs, I was able to get my hope back! I am now continuously leaning on God each day and knowing that he is here with me through this.

My hair started falling out in early March. After I couldn’t take it anymore, four of my 3-Day friends arranged an outdoor haircut in my backyard so that I would have support during this traumatic time. I woke up that morning thinking that this would be the hardest day of my life, and my stomach was in knots all morning. However, when they arrived all wearing cowboy boots and hats and blasting country music (my favorite!), I couldn’t help but smile. Throughout the haircut, I was filled with gratitude for these amazing friends being with me during this really difficult time. They turned my sadness into joy, and it became one of the most special, intimate afternoons of my life.

My friends and family (and particularly my 3-Day team) have been amazing and have been here for every step along the way with cards, gifts, flowers, and meals. They even added my name to our 3-Day team logo so that we will now be walking for me as well as many other teachers from our school who have fought the battle and survived! I can’t wait to walk in November and be at the other side of this battle and able to spread my hope to others.

My message for others is to not give up hope and to rely on your faith, family, and friends to get you through this. You can’t do it alone and you will need their support! Embrace it and don’t reject it. There will be so many blessings if you allow other people in.