October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and these breast cancer survivors from the wood flooring industry shared their stories with WFB in hopes that they can help encourage others to do preventive care, as well as offer support and advice for others who find themselves battling the disease:
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and these breast cancer survivors from the wood flooring industry shared their stories with WFB in hopes that they can help encourage others to do preventive care, as well as offer support and advice for others who find themselves battling the disease:
Kathleen Freeman, Canlak Coatings:
I was cleaning my home one day when I was hit in the breast by an item, immediately followed by serious pain. Within a day a lump formed; I called the doctor and scheduled the appointment for that day. Within two days, I had a mammogram, within weeks an ultrasound, and finally the concluding biopsy of the lump. The anxiety-inducing call came within a few days. Everything was moving so fast that when I was notified it was positive for Stage 2 breast cancer, to say I was upset is putting it mildly. However, I do believe that God never gives us more than we can handle, and I was going to handle this. I believe, I was and am a strong person, and I would beat this.
A friend called me to let me know that things would be alright, and she was praying for me—that was Gertrude Fuller. I had a wonderful support group in my family, friends and fiancé. Everyone helped me get through all the rough times, and with all of the support I was going to beat this cancer ... I am clean for four years now.
I had been going yearly for routine mammograms, and earlier that year before I was diagnosed there was nothing there. The very real and scary fact is that if something hadn't hit my breast, the tumor may not have been discovered until my next mammogram, and the diagnosis could have been that the cancer was untreatable. I was very lucky for that to happen when it did.
Self-examination can save your life in between mammograms, and I recommend that everyone does it every month on the same day. Also, having a positive attitude will help you get through whatever is put in front of you. You'll come out the other side a better and stronger person.
Lisa Horvath, Real Antique Wood:
I’m a “Super Survivor” … I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2018. My journey started then. Right at that moment I made a choice to be positive and happy. You must accept it! I won’t tell you it’s easy, but it is better than the negative. I started chemo, lost all my hair, had a double mastectomy, put in expanders, had infections, had one expander taken out and put back in three times, finally had the doctor remove that one and sew me up so I could heal, which I did!! I had radiation, healed, had reconstructive surgery, healed. That was all in three years’ time. Gary (my husband) was and still is my biggest supporter, along with my pup, Levi.
A dear friend had gone through a breast cancer diagnosis before me, and I called her up and asked, “How did you get through getting sick from chemo?” She said, “I never got sick!” So I never got sick. Thanks, K!
Jessica Peterson, Custom Hardwood:
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2021 from just going in for a normal routine mammogram. I got a call two days later that they wanted to do a more in-depth mammogram because they had noticed some suspicious calcification. It ended up being cancer. I was lucky they had caught it in the very early stages and the doctors had no reason to believe it had spread. They actually were able to remove the cancer during a biopsy but still recommended I have a lumpectomy done to remove part of the surrounding area and also remove four lymph nodes in the area, all of which were benign. After surgery I had to have radiation five days a week for eight weeks.
The advice I would pass along to others would be to get checked, speak to your doctor about any concerns you may have, and don't be afraid of doing so. Mammograms aren't fun, but it's better than the alternative. And that really goes for any type of routine procedures anyone should be doing. You don't want to be in the situation of having to break the news to your children and family—that was the most heartbreaking part for me.
The other advice I would share is for family, friends, co-workers and employers of people going through treatment. Know that someone in cancer treatment is physically and emotionally exhausted 24/7. Some people would often say things to me like, "You don't look sick," or "Geez, you're so skinny." They had no clue that it took everything out of you to get out of bed, and the things you used to love doing you just can't because you're exhausted. And that's depressing, so try to be understanding of that.
I'm so lucky to have had the support from my family and good friends; I don't know how I would have gotten through any of that without them.