I am a breast cancer survivor. I feel very lucky, as my breast cancer was discovered on Sept. 11 .
I was 60 years old and looking forward to a very active and social retirement. On the day that the Twin Towers in New York City were hit, I was waiting for a friend to go to the World Golf Championship Series at Bellerive Country Club and saw the towers collapsing while watching the “Today” show. We went, knowing what had happened in NYC, and I kept listening through radio earphones, everyone around wanting news reports.
The golf tournament, of course, was canceled.
Later that day, I received word that my biopsy showed a malignancy. My annual mammogram, which I had gotten religiously for several years, spotted the problem.
I had breast cancer. A chilling thought. This was not the first time in my life that I feared I might die of breast cancer. When I was 18, I found lumps in that same breast. They were removed and proved to be benign, but not until after a period of worry.
In 2001, my surgeon assured me that my cancer was small and most likely could be handled by a lumpectomy and radiation. My first concern was a cruise we had planned the first of October with our children ... should I wait to start treatment? My surgeon assured me that I could and I did.
That was 11 years ago and I have not had a recurrence. My surgeon says I can never say I am completely in remission, as the treatment is not as radical, especially on small, slow-growing tumors.
I have a mammogram every year and do breast self-examination. I also support breast cancer organizations like Komen, Missouri Women’s Council and the American Cancer Society, because I am one of the lucky ones.
My best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer before the Race for the Cure last year, and we walked together. With a bad knee (me) and a bad hip (her), we’ll try it again this year!
We are the lucky ones!
Delores Williams, Chesterfield
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