This post is a little different from the others. Today’s blog was written by a wonderful lady who happens to be one of our best friends.
As many of you know, October has long been known as breast cancer awareness month. In the last few years Nicole and I have raised funds though the Kick the *&%! Out of Cancer event through our gym, the 30 Minute Hit. This year we are also taking part in the CIBC Run for the Cure. However, unlike the years past, this year has struck close to home. At a young age of 29, our friend Laurie was diagnosed with breast cancer on April 16th of this year. While we have always had the drive to fight for women’s cancers before, this year there is a definite new raw emotion that’s lighting a fire under us and our fundraising and awareness efforts. Take a moment and read Laurie’s story below, written to inspire all the women at our gym fighting to kick cancer’s butt:
My name is Laurie Sam; I am 29 years old. This year started off like any other, but soon turned into one of the most challenging years of my life. But the completely cliché term, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, seriously rings true! I joined the Hit in January when they opened the doors to their Port Moody location with a new year’s resolution to shape up for my wedding in August. I wanted to look my best and feel my best on one of the best days of my life. I was set to marry my fiancé, Tyler, on August 4th 2013. He is one of the hardest working, caring men I know, with crazy gorgeous eyes that I find myself lost in so many times. What happened next blew those plans out of the water.
Finding out
In April I found myself awake at nights worrying about something I had randomly felt one night in bed. It was a lump on my left breast. I told my family and Tyler about it, and made an appointment with my doctor. I went in for an ultrasound and a mammogram (ouuuch), that concluded I needed a biopsy for further investigation. I was a nervous wreck at this point, but going to the Hit sure was a healthy distraction and release of stress and worry.
On August 16th, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I was rushed from appointments to scans and blood tests. They told me I needed to start chemotherapy right away due to the size of the lump and aggressiveness of the type of breast cancer, with surgery and possible radiation to follow.
The news was a shock to everyone. My parents, understandably, half way through a European river cruise, left for the first flight home. My fiancé and sisters had to call and let everyone know the terrible news. My wedding was postponed until next year. I do not know how I could have handled this time without the incredible support of my friends and family. My best friends Veronica and Niki (an awesome Hit trainer) have been incredible friends. Being diagnosed with cancer can build positive relationships between cancer fighters and their supporters. The people in my life, my fiancé, friends and family are just as much a part of my fight against breast cancer as myself, and they have been on the front line supporting me through all this. I cannot thank them enough.
I have learned so much through this journey about my own strength and determination and I am more than happy to share this story with my fellow Hitters. I hope that in sharing my story, I can inspire all of you to conquer whatever curveballs life throws your way. Because, “what doesn’t kill you (forces you to make yourself) stronger”.
Preparing for chemo:
Learning what “Cancer” meant for me
From movies like “A Walk to Remember” and “My Sisters Keeper” to countless news stories and personal experiences, cancer’s evil, dark and very real side were most of the exposure I had to cancer. I felt like I was standing on the highest diving board in the world, knowing I had no choice but to jump. It is always the anticipation that is the most overwhelming. But my grandmother has been breast cancer free for 10 years, and there are countless other cancer survivors. I decided then that I had to think like a cancer survivor. I not only wanted to survive cancer, I wanted to stay the happy positive person I always have been. I wanted to show the prettier face of cancer because I know it is ugly, I will never deny that, but when you survive something like cancer it has to change you for the better and that is beautiful.
Moving Home
I want to thank my parents for opening up their home to me and my fiancé. They are amazingly supportive and loving parents. I am safe, in a home that will give me the support and love I need to “kick the shit out of cancer”. When you are going through strife in your life it is important to allow others to help you through the process. Even though I was the one diagnosed breast cancer, I was not, by far, the only one impacted. My family and friends have been there for me supporting me every step of the way.
How I Coped with Chemo
The Bald and the Beautiful
Losing all my hair sounded so traumatic. I thought that by losing my hair I was losing my femininity. It also meant that the chemotherapy was going to destroy things in my body. But I refused to be upset about something that was inevitably going to happen. I made myself a promise that I would embrace the baldness. I thought whatever drug I was being given was a soldier sent to kill the cancer, that the hair loss was a mere sign of the annihilation of the cancer going on in my body. My body has been a battle field in the fight against breast cancer, but I will be triumphant and my baldness is a sign of my soldier-like strength.
Kick the Sh*&t out of Cancer, making Hit Happen
Chemotherapy is given in doses, in my case through intravenous, with a 3 week break in between for my body to recuperate and my white blood cells to recover. Although I was very sick for the first week after each chemo, I was still able to go to this Hit during the last two weeks of my break between treatments. I was going 1-3 times a week! Going to the Hit was so important in keeping my body and mind healthy. It kept me focused on getting better; it allowed me to release my stress and gave me the confidence to keep on fighting cancer. I did not think battling breast cancer would make me feel better about myself, but have I have more self confidence now than I ever have. To know that I am fighting breast cancer and to know that I will be triumphant is one of the greatest feelings of accomplishment.
Finally
On October 1st I will be going in for my last chemotherapy treatment! This is not the end of the road for me, there is still surgery to come and possible radiation, but I am so glad to be finishing chemotherapy. In reflection, I took this life challenge and “kicked the shit of cancer”. The 30 Minute Hit attributed to me kicking its butt in style. I did not allow cancer to keep me from staying active. Though cancer has showed its awful ugly side to me, I chose to outshine its ugly existence by persisting to stay positive, and live an active lifestyle. Being diagnosed with breast cancer was something so life altering; it challenged me to alter my life for the better. At the end this part of the journey I am strong, confident, determined and triumphant.
My advice to all Hitters
See each obstacle as an opportunity to prove you can overcome anything if you have the right attitude. See it as an opportunity for you to become strong so you can fight and become triumphant. Resist the temptation to crawl up in a ball of negativity because that is how you may feel at first, and know that the anticipation is always far worse; that you can get through this. You are a woman, strong and fierce, and nothing will bring you down.
This lady inspires the hell out of us, and as difficult as it is reading her story and knowing the battle she has been fighting, its one that should be shared. It’s a reminder to us all that we can endure almost anything if we stay strong and surround ourselves with the ones we love. But knowing that cancer can strike anyone, and that 1 out of every 4 Canadians is expected to die from cancer (according to the Canadian Cancer Society) is terrifying, and we need to fight this trend with everything we’ve got.
If anyone wishes to donate, you can visit either http://donate.bccancerfoundation.com/site/TR?fr_id=2360&pg=entry or http://www.runforthecure.com/site/TR/RunfortheCure2012/CentralOffice;jsessionid=18A1F1ECBA77A7870E9D70581156928A.app332b?fr_id=1745&pg=pfind
Thank you
Veronica & Nicole
Progress Is Perfection 