Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors by Delinsky Barbara

Author:Delinsky, Barbara [Delinsky, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Published: 2001-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

“I found conventional support group meetings difficult, so I formed my own support dinner group. We would dine out every couple of months to discuss having breast cancer. We also shared stories of our spouses, children, and travels.”

Deborah J.P. Schur; diagnosed in 1994 at age 43;

sales rep; Massachusetts

“When they found cancer in one breast, I decided on a prophylactic mastectomy of the other. Afterward, I formed what I tenderly call the ‘Double or Nothing Club’ for all my friends who have had bilateral mastectomies.”

Aileen Pandapas; diagnosed in 1989 at age 41;

mom, volunteer, former secretary; Virginia

“The most practical thing I did after diagnosis was to start a support group for breast cancer survivors in their 20s and 30s. We call ourselves the ‘Big C Chicks’ and now number around fifteen members. Our mission is not only to support and mentor one another, but to educate our peers that no one is too young to have breast cancer.”

Joy West; diagnosed in 2000 at age 34;

advertising account coordinator; South Carolina

“We have a large family, and my brother and sister-in-law have a very large circle of friends and business associates. When my sister-in-law was in the hospital, the process of keeping everyone updated was daunting. So my brother set up a website devoted to his wife’s health and recovery status. He entered information onto a journal page every day, and visitors to the site were encouraged to sign the guest book, which was a way to send an e-mail to my sister-in-law or brother. It was a fantastic way to keep everyone updated and served as a way for all of us to schedule visits, plus my sister-in-law got to see how many people were out there rooting for her.”

Wendy Page;

sister-in-law of Barbra Marcus Kolton; Massachusetts

“I didn’t want to go to the minister’s fortieth birthday party, but my husband insisted that we stop in for a while. We were met by many familiar faces, helium balloons, food, cake, drinks, and loving hugs. Two friends, each of whom had been free of breast cancer for more than twenty years, shared stories with me. Another friend, who had recently finished chemo, assured me that if I had to have it, the doctors would give me medicine to keep me from getting so terribly sick. My spirits rose. I felt positive again. I could do this thing.”

Sandy Williams; diagnosed in 1999 at age 51;

children’s public services librarian; Texas

“‘There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands.’ One of the gifts I received came in the form of a four-day retreat on Madeline Island with the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation. I was with ten other women who’d had breast cancer. We talked, laughed, and sometimes cried together. We went kayaking on Lake Superior, where I recall seeing trees hanging from cliffs with their roots totally exposed. I commented to the other woman in my kayak, ‘Trees aren’t supposed to live like that, with their roots all exposed to the elements, hanging from the edge of a cliff.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.