Dorothy's Story from New Jersey

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2005. From then on, my life has changed. Not only did they find a mass in my left breast, but also upon routine work up, they found a couple of masses in my left ovary and jejunum.

My doctors were to sure where to begin. It was decided to do surgery on my ovaries first to make sure that my cancer was not a metastasis. Thank God, both tissues came back negative. I still had my breast cancer to deal with. I was devastated. I was one month away from finishing my bachelors' degree in organizational management, and I am a single parent who is the sole provider for my three boys. My oldest was going to college and my youngest was just starting pre-K.

The plan of action was to have chemotherapy first to shrink the mass and then have the mastectomy. After four cycles of full strength chemotherapy and losing all of my hair, I felt like this cannot be happening to me. My first reaction was my life is over. But with the help and support from my family and friends, I pulled through.

Through help and determination, I took my last two classes needed to complete my graduation in between chemo cycles. On May 15, 2006, I graduated from Nyack College with bachelor’s degree in hand!!!

On June 20, 2006, I underwent a radical mastectomy with immediate TRAM breast reconstruction. In September 2006 I completed my last two cycles of chemotherapy. My doctor stated that he treated my cancer aggressively because of the size it was in such a short period of time. I go for my routine mammogram on a yearly basis faithfully. I am just thanking God that it was caught in time.

During this whole ordeal, my finances were dropping and I was getting deeper and deeper in debt. It is my crusade to find out what a person should do when they become diagnosed with a serious illness and they are the sole provider for their family. With God's help, I am still in my home, but still behind with my debt. I was able to utilize some organizations that are out there to offer financial support to breast cancer patients. I try to utilize any support that is out there. Having breast cancer is a struggle and a challenge. It is up to the individual to preservere.

Every chance I get I try to tell women to make sure that they get their mammogram because it can save lives. Being diagnosed with breast cancer is no joke. To this day I am struggling to get back on top. I do not think my life is the same, but I will continue to think positive and move forward. All I can do is take it one day at a time. I feel that God put me here on earth for a reason and he would not put no more on me than I can handle.

I am proud to say that I just participated in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, and I will be a guest speaker at a function given by the Department of Health in Passaic County as a survivor of breast cancer and will share my story with newly diagnosed cancer patients.

I don't think I can save the world, but if I can help at least one person who hears my story, I will feel like I have done something. Well, this is my story and I hope that my positive thinking and determination can be shared with others so that they to will know that there is life after breast cancer, and together we can beat it!

West New York, New Jersey