During the month of October we are sharing stories from women whose lives and experiences have been shaped by a breast cancer diagnosis. We hope these stories will help provide comfort and courage to others whose lives have been touched by cancer.

On February 5, 2010, I went in for my yearly mammogram. At that time they found a lump in my left breast. It was invasive medullary carcinoma, Stage 1A. If I hadn’t gotten that yearly mammogram it would have been so much more progressed.

I can’t tell you what just someone holding your hand as you hear the word “cancer” does, but you know they care and that means a lot. They even arranged for me to tour the oncology department so I could see where chemo and radiation is given. After that, I went through many tests, surgeries, chemo and radiation. It was a difficult year, but I have been cancer free for five years now, thanks to God and the wonderful people in oncology and radiation.

The compassionate care that I received is beyond words. No question was considered silly and I could just feel the concern. In September, Sarah Bush Lincoln gave me a complimentary weekend at Sara’s Sanctuary, along with my sister, Nancy, who was always there for me. We had a wonderful time and learned a lot about health and wellness, ate nutritious foods, took long walks through the woods and loved the massage therapy. Then I went into radiation and found more dedicated wonderful doctors and nurses.

I hear of people going to other states or big cities for their cancer care and I tell them we have the best right here and they don’t need to go anywhere else to get the best. Thanks for letting me tell you my story. Those dedicated hard-working doctors and nurses at Sarah Bush Lincoln need to hear how they have impacted lives in such a tremendous way.