Fighting Cancer with a Loved One

Today was my annual mammogram. I am thankful for the friendly technician, her efficiency and skills.

This visit was very significant for me BECAUSE my sister-in-law, Bindy, underwent a mastectomy two weeks ago. The lymph node status was discouraging, resulting in yesterday’s full body CAT scan (Computed Axial Tomography.)

Bindy has been through five crazy years.

It started on June 14, 2002 when she woke up with a tortuous headache, which quickly proceeded to a grand mall seizure and unconsciousness.

My brother, who is a respiratory therapist, was home and able to do CPR with competence until the ambulance arrived.

The paramedics intubated and transported her to the closest Emergency Room where they quickly diagnosed a brain aneurysm. The mortality rate is high and one out of three survivors sustains permanent disabling neurological symptoms.

An airlift to Harb*rview H*spital in Seattle and the skilled hands of one of the four top Neurosurgeons in the U.S. saved her life.

The hospital staff called Bindy their ‘Miracle” when she woke up within 36 hours of the surgery with everything intact. The only obvious side effect is her inability to deal with stressful situations. She did not return to her teaching career.

In the almost five years since then, she has had two additional major surgeries and a heart attack. No smoking, no drinking, whole grains, low or non fat healthy cooking is a way of life for Bindy and my brother ever since they were married thirty-some years ago. The hubby and I are mystified as to how one person can be so conscientious and yet so afflicted.

Today she told me she feels the strain of being on the front line of battle. Nevertheless, she is ready and willing to march into this fight with every weapon her physicians can provide. She is depending on Her Faith in God for strength, once more, to endure.

Cancer is a menace in my family as it is in so many of yours. My cousin died of breast cancer. My eldest sister, Nelda, died 13 years ago of leukemia. Her husband, NJ, survived prostrate cancer, and their eldest son, Scott, is still in remission from testicular cancer. My 29 year old nephew, Rich, died almost two years ago of a rare form of lung cancer. My brother-in-law, BR, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer one year ago last week. His wife, my sister Sandra, fought breast cancer 20 years ago and survived.

It was in Sandra’s honor and for my daughters and granddaughters that last year I joined the Sister Study, researching the environmental and genetic risk factors of breast cancer.

I recently received an Email from the Sister Study program as follows:

WE NEED YOU NOW MORE THAN EVER to help us recruit women just like you! The Sister Study needs 50,000 women by the end of 2007. We currently have 33,000 women enrolled in the study which means we need to recruit 17,000 more women by the end of this year. Our most successful method of recruitment is through word of mouth, so this is where you can play a pivotal role today.

Through your personal participation in the Sister Study, you are making a tremendous contribution to breast cancer research. But we have another important request. Please forward this email to other women, friends and family members who may be interested. Or give them a call or a brochure about the study (call 1-877-474-7837 for brochures). If each current participant in the Sister Study helps us recruit one other woman this year, we will reach our goal and complete our recruitment phase on time! Remember, breast cancer affects women from every walk of life, so we need women of all backgrounds, occupations, and ethnic groups to join.

The Sister Study is open to all sisters of breast cancer victims - in the United States and in Puerto Rico.

So tonight, on behalf of my lovely sister-in-law, Bindy, who only has brothers – I ask that you please pass the word along.

At a time like this, every woman is her sister.

(Thank you!)