On a regular work day in January, a friend and co-worker gathered several of us at lunch. She let us know she was ok but that she would be off work for a short time as on Friday of that week she would be having a mastectomy of her left breast. She had gone for a mamogram just a couple of weeks before and they found a spot and it turned out to be cancer. She chose to be part of a study and have chemotherapy. As she put it, "what good is it for everyone to raise all this money if nobody is willing to be part of the studies." The chemotherapy was very hard on her and twice she was literally so sick she almost died. (The first time because she got so dehydrated and lost almost all of her fluids in her system and the second time when the chemo ruptured a stomach ulcer and she almost bled to death.)
Throughout all of this she has had a wonderful attitude and has encouraged all her friends to be sure and have their mamograms. (Two women in our group of friends that had never had one before had them!) Pat is my inspiration and my hero. I admire her not just for making it through all of this but for her attitude. I have never once seen nor heard her feel sorry for herself. She always has a smile and has been able to laugh through it all. Thank you Pat for being a part of my life.
Vancouver, WA