Sep
27

A Race for A Cure

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Is there ever a good time to be told that you have cancer? Probably not! Bad times to receive dreadful news like this would include special days like a birthday or anniversary or holiday. This could put a damper on festivities for years to come! Ginny Kelley, Secretary III at the Mark Wilcox Center, remembers well the day she received the call with a diagnosis of her breast cancer. It was December 19th, 2008, and she had just arrived in Tennessee visiting her daughter for the Christmas holidays. The diagnosis was scary enough, but being hundreds of miles away from home and knowing that she would not be able to get immediate care added stress to her situation. Making a few strategic phone calls, a new chapter in Ginny’s life began.

Before the New Year, Ginny met with her surgical oncologist, Dr. Elisabeth DuPont. After multiple tests, a breast MRI and additional ultrasound views, Ginny learned that the tumor was much larger than originally anticipated and it was HER2 positive—a more aggressive breast cancer. “My first thought was to have the tumor removed as soon as possible.” However, her breast surgeon and oncologist felt differently.  They recommended that her surgery not occur until after two 12-week treatments of chemotherapy to shrink the tumor. “In my mind, I was racing for a cure!” With the utmost faith and confidence in her medical team, Ginny proceeded with the protocol they proposed.

Being single with no immediate family in Florida, and on a limited income, Ginny was anxious. “Although I have good medical coverage through the School Board BC/BS insurance plan, meeting my financial obligations was a concern.” Fortunately for Ginny, she qualified to receive assistance through a grant* funded by the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  Designed to support low to moderate income people, the funding covered the first $500 of Ginny’s treatment and lifted a portion of the heavy burden that she carried.

Over the course of the following year, Ginny took on the race for a cure. She sought advice from others who had walked in similar shoes. “I looked for women who had a positive attitude about their cancer experience; I wanted to be optimistic!” One survivor recommended that Ginny buy a wig before she started chemotherapy, as she may not feel like shopping once treatment begins. “This was one of the best tips I received, and I had fun buying two chic wigs.” Ginny then had her hair cropped in a very short but modern style.  “When I started to lose my hair, it wasn’t so drastic or depressing,” she admits.

Ginny found great support in her School Board family as coworkers asked how they could assist. “People wanted to help me by preparing meals, buying groceries, and driving me to work or doctors’ appointments. Friends made my life and cancer easier to handle.” Ginny also learned to speak-out when she wasn’t feeling well. “The nurses told me to contact them immediately if I started feeling poorly. From IV fluids to different medications, they have the ability to make you feel better.”

Ginny is a survivor! “I can’t imagine what would have happened if I didn’t have my mammograms annually. My outcome may not have been so positive,” she said. Ginny is quick to remind women that yearly mammograms are essential for good health. She is also very thankful for events like the Susan G. Komen Race for A Cure that provides local funding for breast cancer screenings, diagnosis and treatment. Learn more about onsite cancer screenings at all schools and worksites as well as the 1st Annual Polk Race for A Cure (January 2012) in this edition of Wellness Matters.

*The Health Council of West Central Florida Breast Cancer Treatment Support Grant

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Sep
16

Who your dollars help?

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Leslie is one of over 400 uninsured, low-income women that were screened by the Florida Suncoast Affiliate funded grant at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in 2009. A substitute teacher at a special needs school in Sarasota, Leslie does not qualify for health insurance through the school board. So, when she was given a script at her well-woman exam for a mammogram through the Screening and Diagnostic Services for Uninsured/Underinsured Men and Women program at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Leslie, at just 45, thought nothing of it. After a diagnostic mammogram and some follow-up, however, she received a breast cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, the cancer was caught in its early stages, and she was able to have a lumpectomy paired with chemotherapy and radiation. Additionally, the cancer was caught in the summer months, when school is out of session, so she didn’t have to worry about missing work. And, since Leslie’s treatment was paid for by SMH, she was able to focus on getting well, and not carry the stress of figuring out how to stretch an already tight budget to cover costly cancer treatments and follow-up care.

Leslie is now 2 years in to a 5-year treatment program. She is still seeing her doctors at Sarasota Memorial, which means her treatment stays on track and gives her the best chance of avoiding, or catching early, any recurrence. She is happy because her body is starting to feel normal again. That is her victory: overcoming the fatigue of radiation treatments and the fear that she would never feel like her old self. She has had support from the staff at SMH, from her coworkers, and from her students. Breast cancer has changed her perspective on everything, and after years of being a “giver,” she says she has learned how to let others support her too.

 

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Sep
16

Surviving for my sister

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Brenda is a Race participant that is particularly interested in finding a cure for breast cancer. She is a two-time survivor who also lost her older sister to the disease, and the misunderstanding that once surrounded it.  From her very first mammogram, Brenda was recommended for follow-up and was soon diagnosed with breast cancer. She survived, and because she continued to be screened regularly, they caught the cancer recurrence two years later in an extremely early and treatable stage. Sadly, her sister chose not to have recommended follow-up for fear of scarring; by the time Brenda and their family had convinced her to seek treatment, her cancer was too advanced. Brenda says she doesn’t want anyone else to go through what she and her family have been through and is adamant that women get screened regularly for breast cancer.  She has been participating in the Komen Suncoast Race since it started in 1999, and she says she is amazed by the surge in survivors over the years. Brenda remembers being a part of a very small group of women who came out to that first Race. Compared to today, she says it’s like being in a sea of survivors.  Even though Brenda lives outside of our Service Area and can no longer attend our Race, she has embraced Facebook and email as a means to fundraise from afar. Brenda posts on her Facebook every day to encourage her friends to give and often shares a picture of her sister and their story. She also emails her friends and family, encouraging them to support her mission and ours to end breast cancer forever. Because of supporters like Brenda, we are one step closer to finding the cures for breast cancer and changing the story of how breast cancer impacts our community.

Brenda (on left) and her sister

Brenda (on left) and her sister

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Sep
05

Where your money is helping today

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The Race for the Cure in Vinoy Park is a beautiful thing. The view, the energy, and the passion bring people back year after year to participate in our celebration of survivorship and to help us work towards a cure. But is it really possible for a $30 registration fee to help end breast cancer? What exactly does the money do?

Sherrl Fry can tell you exactly how important that $30 is. She is the Project Director for the Mammography Voucher Program, or MVP, the Affiliate’s screening program grantee for Pinellas County. MVP provides screening services for 900 medically underserved residents of Pinellas County each year. Not only do women (and men) receive mammograms and any recommended diagnostic services, but if a client is diagnosed with breast cancer, the treatment is also covered because of MVP’s partnerships with Baycare Health Systems and Bayfront Medical Center.  Clients are followed throughout the process by the Mammography Voucher Program staff, Baycare breast health navigators, and clients’ medical team to make sure they receive the care they need, are kept informed of treatment choices, and most importantly, are treated like a person and not just a number.  Everyone involved in the care of the client works to not only provide support but also to ensure that the client’s physical, mental, and emotional needs are met.

A lot of women may pass up an opportunity to get screened through MVP because the program is free. There is a stigma around free programs, and women worry that they won’t receive the same level of care as a paying customer. But through the partnerships MVP has with community healthcare leaders, women who access services through MVP receive the same quality of care that women with insurance expect. Each year the program has a large number of women who return for annual screening services. Despite being uninsured, these women have made their health a priority and seek the services that MVP has to offer. They know that regular screening means early detection of breast cancer, which means that the cancer has a better chance of responding to treatment. In fact, when caught early, breast cancer has a 98% 5-year survival rate.

So, as you wait to begin the Race this October 1st, perhaps more than a little un-caffeinated and somewhat blinded by the rising sun, keep in mind that you a running/walking for a cause. Your $30 is helping to provide mammograms for women who would otherwise not have access to breast health services that are recommended for women over age 40.  Programs like MVP ensure that women who are screened through MVP and are diagnosed will  receive the treatment they need to survive. Together, we are making an impact on how breast cancer affects our community.

 

 

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Sep
05

Breast Cancer Strikes One of Our Own

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The 13th Annual Komen Florida Suncoast Race for the Cure will take on new meaning for one particular member of the planning committee.   This year, not only will Marge Byrum trade in her green committee shirt for a pink one, but she will also join the sea of women with whom she shares a bond she wishes she’d never found.   This year she will walk her first Race for the Cure as a breast cancer survivor.

When you join the Race for the Cure planning committee, often it is with the understanding that your vantage point of the event will be from inside the tent you are volunteering in.  For Marge, her view for the last several years has been from inside the Shop for the Cure tent.   Many participants may remember Marge as part of the two-person team selling “vintage” Race t-shirts.  Because most committee positions carry with them an incredible amount of responsibility on Race Day, it is rare that a volunteer has the opportunity to participate in the walk or run.  It was a tough decision for Marge to give up her committee duties, but this year she is determined to cross the finish line.

It was just before last year’s Race that Marge felt a lump on her breast.  Being a two-year survivor of lung cancer, she did not fool around and sought immediate medical attention.  Her diagnosis of breast cancer came shortly after and she found herself in the hospital just after the holidays having a bilateral mastectomy and preparing for chemotherapy.  It has been a long year for Marge with many complications, one of which has significantly impacted her vision – possibly permanently.   Even though Marge is legally blind at the moment, it hasn’t kept her from keeping that finish line in sight.

Whether a volunteer or a participant, we all have different reasons for getting involved in this Race.  As you watch the survivors march across that finish line on October 1st, please take a moment to reflect upon why you are there.

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Aug
30

How your money helps

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The Race for the Cure in Vinoy Park is a beautiful thing. The view, the energy, and the passion bring people back year after year to participate in our celebration of survivorship and to help us work towards a cure. But is it really possible for a $30 registration fee to help end breast cancer? What exactly does the money do?

Sherrl Fry can tell you exactly how important that $30 is. She is the Project Director for the Mammography Voucher Program, or MVP, the Affiliate’s screening program grantee for Pinellas County. MVP provides screening services for 900 medically underserved residents of Pinellas County each year. Not only do women (and men) receive mammograms and any recommended diagnostic services, but if a client is diagnosed with breast cancer, the treatment is also covered because of MVP’s partnerships with Baycare Health Systems and Bayfront Medical Center.  Clients are followed throughout the process by the Mammography Voucher Program staff, Baycare breast health navigators, and clients’ medical team to make sure they receive the care they need, are kept informed of treatment choices, and most importantly, are treated like a person and not just a number.  Everyone involved in the care of the client works to not only provide support but also to ensure that the client’s physical, mental, and emotional needs are met.

A lot of women may pass up an opportunity to get screened through MVP because the program is free. There is a stigma around free programs, and women worry that they won’t receive the same level of care as a paying customer. But through the partnerships MVP has with community healthcare leaders, women who access services through MVP receive the same quality of care that women with insurance expect. Each year the program has a large number of women who return for annual screening services. Despite being uninsured, these women have made their health a priority and seek the services that MVP has to offer. They know that regular screening means early detection of breast cancer, which means that the cancer has a better chance of responding to treatment. In fact, when caught early, breast cancer has a 98% 5-year survival rate.

So, as you wait to begin the Race this October 1st, perhaps more than a little un-caffeinated and somewhat blinded by the rising sun, keep in mind that you a running/walking for a cause. Your $30 is helping to provide mammograms for women who would otherwise not have access to breast health services that are recommended for women over age 40.  Programs like MVP ensure that women who are screened through MVP and are diagnosed will  receive the treatment they need to survive. Together, we are making an impact on how breast cancer affects our community.

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Aug
26

Why I do Race for the Cure

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Meet Adria!

Adria- Why I walk

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Aug
26

Inspired by Elise

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October 1, 2009 – The phone rings – the doctor is on the line – the only words I heard from the conversation:  I am sorry the biopsy confirms you have cancer.  The word CANCER echoes in my brain.  Cancer is a scary word.  I am hardly able to hear or focus on anything else being said to me – something about immediate MRI and call this doctor to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.   It seemed surreal.  It took hours for me to even come to terms with saying it out loud to someone.

And so it began…  on the date of my diagnosis and my first experience as a cancer survivor.  I have never looked at myself as a victim of cancer.  That would not do.  But I was scared and felt very alone.

Cancer affects everyone in your life.   I am very lucky to have a family who stands together during these trying times.  My husband stood by me and spent the first 12 months trying to help, to understand, to make the sadness and pain go away – but for caregivers the burden is heavy – they are scared and sad for you at the same time – mixed emotions – try to make you feel better when they are so stressed. I think my mom cried for a straight year while she helped me through my treatments.  My brother flew back and forth from California as many times as he could that year to support and encourage me.  I am also blessed with a having an extended family in my co-workers.  All of whom provided love, help and encouragement. My friends both near and far were with me every step of the way.

Three surgeries, 24 weeks of chemo treatments and 6 week’s worth of radiation therapy  and 22 months after my initial diagnosis I stand here with you as a survivor.  I believe that cancer is a wake-up call, a reminder that living is about being our own unique selves, and actively working to make the world a better place, one small or large step at a time.

Today I will tell you that cancer taught me a great deal. I learned that being strong doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself, that letting strength from others in makes you stronger, that being brave doesn’t mean not having fear but rather facing your fear and moving beyond it.  Every moment in your life is a blessing.  Never take tomorrow’s for granted.

A Simple Promise .  The courage and strength of one sister and the love for the other, Susan G. Komen, started  a movement that helps breast cancer patients/survivors all over the world today.  It is an inspiring story of love, loss, strength and courage.  It has inspired me to reach out and work toward finding a cure for our future sisters, and to help those who are currently battling the disease with outreach programs. Istarted participating in the National Race for the Cure in 1998 when a coworker was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She was 24 years old and one of the bravest people I have ever met.  We formed a team and walked in celebration of her fight and now we walk in celebration of mine.

In 2010, a group of my coworkers formed a team in my honor, they named it “Inspired by Elise”.  We were joined by family and friends and with a collective goal of $1,000, we raised over $3,000.  This year, with our Bowling for Boobies Fundraiser event hosted by the Inspired by Elise Team, we raised $4,700 putting us just over our goal of $5,000.  The support this event received was overwhelming – 200+ attendees and nearly 30 sponsors, all pulled together in less than 6 weeks.  Our team is still actively seeking donations in support of the cause and we look forward to the 2012 Bowling for Boobies fundraising event with a goal of $8,000.

There was never any question in my mind that Susan G. Komen is the right organization to stand behind and help raise funds to provide awareness, support, treatment and research dollars toward ending this disease.  I believe that everyone has the power to make a difference.  I walk in honor of family and friends that have been taken too early by this disease.  I walk to celebrate those that stand with me as survivors.  I walk in anticipation of one day finding the cure.

Elise

Trinity, FL

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Jun
29

Bald, Brave and Beautiful

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I was bald from chemotherapy for almost seven months—something I never expected to have
to endure in my lifetime. But what I have found, since my illness began, is that my perceptions
toward baldness have changed dramatically.

In July 2010, just a few months after being diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer and following
a double mastectomy and a failed reconstruction, I was invited to attend a Florida Suncoast
Susan G. Komen event called the Pink Martini. My dear friend and colleague Kelly Conlon offered
to drive that evening, and I was excited to see so many of my friends and colleagues there
supporting such an important cause.

At the time of the event, I still had my long blonde hair; even my bangs were long. I knew I had
my first appointment with my new oncologist the following week, and I was terrified he would tell
me I’d need chemotherapy and that I would soon be bald. In the midst of socializing, I noticed a
woman sitting alone at the bar. She was bald. She was brave. And she was beautiful.

Upon seeing the woman at the bar I had so many mixed emotions. I was afraid to approach
her initially, fearful that I would break down in front of my friends and co-workers during such
a celebratory event. I was still in denial about my eventual fate and torn as to how I was going
to adjust to this new stage of my life. I immediately wondered if someday I would be the bald
woman sitting alone at the bar. In the end, I never did summon the courage to walk up to her and
introduce myself, and I regret it to this day.

That same week, I spoke on the phone with a woman who had gone through a similar experience.
She told me that even though she bought a wig after going through chemo and losing her hair,
she had chosen not to wear it. I thought “Wow, not me—I could never let anyone see me bald.”
Soon, all that was about to change.

In the days that followed I received the news I’d been dreading: I needed chemotherapy. And 18
days after chemotherapy began, I would lose my hair. The nurses delivering the chemo warned
me to start cutting my hair; I waited two weeks before complying. I bought my own electric shears
and trimmed my hair down to about an inch long. Sure enough, on the eighteenth day my short
hair was shedding…a lot. So once again I took out the electric shears and this time went for a G.I.
Jane buzz cut.

While all this was happening, my beautiful Raquel Welch human hair wig (long and blonde, just
like I wanted) had arrived. My plan was to wear it whenever I left my home, but this was easier
said than done. The drugs from the chemo made my bald head sweat profusely—even when
my air conditioner was set to 70 degrees. Only then did I realize that my wig plan was definitely
flawed.

One month after my last chemo treatment, it was time to return to work. I had been out of the
office for about six months and bald for over four; what was I going to do now? Hair doesn’t even
start to grow back until about eight weeks after your last chemo treatment, and only Kelly had
seen me bald so far. (She was kind and told me I looked good.) If I had worn the wig to work,
I surely would have had to pull it off or risk passing out from heat exhaustion. While it was no
secret at work that I had been battling breast cancer, I would now be undergoing daily radiation
treatments for the first two weeks back at work. I was still apprehensive about returning, but in the
end I simply put on a ball cap and went to work. Just like that.

That first morning back to work, they announced my return at the morning meeting, during
which I boldly lifted my ball cap and “rocked what I had”. The management staff, my friends and
colleagues warmly welcomed me back, and that day we, as a company, broke a ten-year record.
It was only then that I finally realized I had a complete evolution of thought toward baldness—for
others and for myself. I had become that woman: bald, brave, and beautiful.

-Laura Lee


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Jun
17

Announcing our 2011-2012 grantees!

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2011-2012 Community Health Grants Program

The Florida Suncoast Affiliate is pleased to announce the 2011-2012 community health grantees! This year, the Affiliate awarded over $1.19 million in grants to non-profit organizations providing important breast care services to the women in our six-county Service Area. Grantees are selected by an independent review panel based on the priorities set out in the Community Profile, a biannual needs assessment performed by the Affiliate.  This grant cycle’s priorities were to:

1.) Assure access to screening for uninsured and underinsured women in each county in the Service Area;

2.) Increase follow-up treatment after a diagnosis for uninsured and underinsured women in each county in the Service Area; and,

3.) Promote culturally-appropriate, evidenced-based education campaigns targeting the African-American, Hispanic, and Haitian communities.

All of our grantees are required to provide the entire continuum of care to any participant in the grant program. This means that if a woman who had a mammogram in one of our grant programs is diagnosed with breast cancer, she will receive all the treatment and follow-up care that she needs to fight her battle.

Why do we Grant?

The Community Health Grants Program is part of the fulfillment of the Komen promise, to empower people and ensure quality care for all. Komen recommends that every woman to begin their annual screening mammograms and clinical breast exams at age 40, and to start having clinical breast exams at least every three years at age 20. Unfortunately, for women who do not have insurance, or who have insurance that does not cover these preventive services, getting your mammogram becomes really difficult. The Federal Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (FBCCEDP) is an important source of federal screening dollars but it comes with a few caveats: only women aged 50-64 are eligible and in the state of Florida, funding for FBCCEDP runs out quickly. Because Florida is one of a few states in the U.S. that does not provide matching funds for the federal program,  it is estimated that FBCCEDP is only able to provide mammograms for around 7% of eligible Floridians(ask Gina if this is ok to say). Interested in Advocacy? Click here to learn more about Komen’s Advocacy Alliance.

Hillsborough County:

  • Breast Screening for Underserved Women, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Foundation, Inc. -
    • Will provide screening and diagnostic services for women not covered by FBCCEDP, specifically, those at high risk, with minority status, and uninsured. To assist those with transportation issues, they plan to bus in groups of women to receive mammograms at least 3 times during the grant cycle.
  • Project TOUCH, St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital
    • Will provide access to early detection and diagnostic services for low-income, uninsured, and underserved women.  Will work with local clinics to promote breast health awareness and education.

Pasco County:

  • Healthy Women Today, Pasco County Health Department
    • Will provide education, screening, diagnostic services, case management  and treatment for Pasco County residents who are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line and are uninsured or underinsured or at high risk for breast cancer.

Pinellas County:

  • Mammography Voucher Program, Morton Plant Mease Health Care, Inc.
    • Will provide screening, treatment, and case management to low-income, uninsured or underinsured women in Pinellas County. Will include an education component regarding breast health awareness and available resources in the county.

Polk County:

  • Project Think Pink, We Care of Polk County
    • Will provide screening, diagnostic services, and treatment to Polk County women aged 40-49 or high risk residents, all of whom are at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Line.

Sarasota/Manatee County:

  • Community Health Worker Breast Health Awareness Program, Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Centers, Inc.
    • Will use community partnerships to provide breast health education to underserved Hispanic and African American populations in Sarasota County. Will teach women basic breast knowledge, breast cancer facts, and healthy lifestyle choices in culturally sensitive ways.
    • Screening and Diagnostic Services for Uninsured/Underinsured Men and Women, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System
      • Will provide screening, diagnostic services, and case management to uninsured or underinsured Sarasota County residents.
      • Mammography Voucher Program, Manatee County Health Department
        • Will provide screening and diagnostic services to uninsured and underinsured women aged 40-49 who are at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line. Will emphasize the importance of breast health awareness with all patients and will target ethnic minorities.

If you are uninsured or underinsured and need help finding a screening program, please call our office at: 727-823-0728.

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