Healthcare in the USA has its problems, but not for this mother and daughter who appreciate what we do here, whatever the shortcomings…. IN THE DAUGHTER’S OWN WORDS: I would like to share my mother’s story with everyone. It happened 9,5 years ago… My mother didn’t visit the gynecology doctor for a long time and I’ve made an appointment for her. It was a hard time for our family, because my father was dying! Anyway, I insisted, and she went to…
This survivor’s (in the middle) story is scary. The breast cancer just kept coming back and coming back and coming back….until it stopped coming back….Her story is much more harrowing that her matter of fact style shows. Something about surviving that quiets the fearful voices inside? Through it all, she remained amazingly positive. IN HER OWN WORDS: I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2001, I was only 33 years old. I had an immediate lumpectomy followed…
This survivor’s attitude is amazing, inspiring…. IN HER OWN WORDS: Yes, absolutely, positively! I am a “BC” survivor of eighteen years, will celebrate my sixty-first birthday in October, and will further celebrate my survival during Breast Cancer Awareness Month with joy, pride and verve! Does acceptance, forgiveness, time, patience, consistent medical consultations, gratefulness and praying heal wounds? Yes, absolutely, positively! My wounds, psychological and physical (especially visible surgical wounds) were startling and the real evidence of my confusing medical condition….
Today’s survivor (in the dark blue top, 2nd from right with staff members and a rep) fell into a sinkhole and saved 4 children. When she fell into the sinkhole of breast cancer, 3 children helped save her. IN HER OWN WORDS: I am a survivor in more ways than one.,,,I used to be a school bus driver. On January 16, 1996, my bus was swallowed by a sinkhole. There were 4 kids on the bus, a matron, and myself….
Chance lead to this survivor’s diagnosis 16 years ago. She’s in the center with husband and office manager. IN HER OWN WORDS: My sister-in-law was scheduled for a mammography because she had just turned 40. She was afraid to go alone so my doctor filled out a script and told me to go along with her. There was my miracle. If it weren’t for her I would’ve never gone for the mammography that found my breast cancer at age…
I love this couple when they come to the office. I did a pretty large operation on her for a rare complication after earlier breast cancer treatment. And they haven’t stopped thanking me. The husband always takes me aside in this very serious way during her visits just to confirm for himself (man to man) that everything is really okay. The looks on their faces here says it all. And they took their own selfie. IN HER OWN WORDS:…
Today’s survivor (in the blue stripes with members of the staff) was the leader of “The Flappers.” These were self described women who had tram-flaps as a reconstructive procedure after mastectomy and met for years for dinners or lunch. I was happy as their breast surgeon to be included at some of these events along with the plastic surgeon, Dr. Jay Birnbaum, an excellent plastic surgeon who did all the “flaps.” Even women who didn’t have tram-flaps wanted to be…
The intersection of prayer, survival, and gratitude is nicely and simply expressed in this survivor’s story (on the right of my staff member ). Frequently, we hear these sentiments in this office. IN HER OWN WORDS: Five years ago I was attending Sunday mass at St. Patrick’s Church in Bay Ridge. The mass was over when a young woman stepped up to the pulpit and addressed the congregation. She told us that she had been diagnosed with cancer, had undergone…
Today’s survivor is pictured on the right. Imagine you are 36 years old and you haven’t given much thought at all to breast cancer and don’t know any of your friends or colleagues with it and a doctor brings you into his office and…. IN HER OWN WORDS: When I heard those four little words “you have breast cancer” from Dr. Kehoe, I was in shock and disbelief. I was 36 – much too young for breast cancer (or so…
This survivor’s breast cancer came at a particularly inconvenient time–a few weeks before her son’s wedding. It didn’t hold her back at all…. IN HER OWN WORDS: 16 years ago, I felt a lump in my breast. I did my mammograms religiously every year. I went to my GYN doctor who thought it could be cancerous based on the test he did but he was not sure. He sent me to a great surgeon who further did the necessary test…