My Experience at Relay for Life Kickoff

I was asked to speak at this year's Kickoff for Relay for Life at East Central, my community. I was introduced by a great friend, Tammy Sampson, who had me in tears before I even started. Then, another great friend, CP Winters, presented a quilt that she made in honor of me for my school team to raffle off to help raise money for Relay for Life. The whole night was emotional for me but I managed through with tears and a big smile. What follows is my speech. I hope it inspires people to give to Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society. Tickets for a $2 donation can be purchased from me or just about any teacher at my school.

I found a lump in May and went for my yearly check up. My doctor sent me for my first mammogram and an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed something suspicious so I was sent for a biopsy. The biopsy came back and I was told the dreaded words, You have cancer. My first thoughts were, “Oh no. Not me. How am I going to tell my mom.” She went through cancer with my dad. How can she go through it with me too? Then my next thought was, “My children and family need me. I don’t have time for this.”

I had two surgeries in June the first to remove the tumor, surrounding tissue, and two sentinel nodes and the second to remove eight more lymph nodes. I had a strong sense of peace going into surgery and was comforted with this verse over and over in my head: Hebrews 13:6 “The Lord is my helper; therefore I shall have no fear.” In pre-op, I found that I knew three people from my high school years so this helped comfort me as well.

After numerous visits to the oncologist, chemotherapy was set to begin the first week in August. The week leading up to treatment, I had several encounters where God intervened for me. I received a text message that I do not know who from telling me that I was healed and to pass it on. A coworker and friend received a message that he shared with me that I had been healed. Another friend gave me some scriptures and prayers to pray on daily like medicine that she had been given from a breast cancer survivor. And my pastor prayed for me and told me that I was glowing with God’s grace. I thanked God for all of these messages and went to chemotherapy.

I have now had 15 treatments of chemo and three left to do. I have had very few side effects and am so blessed to be able to say so. I have lost my hair. I have had heartburn to die for. I have had mouth sores that have finally gone. And now, I’m losing my fingernails. I am so blessed that I have had little or no pain through all of this just a few inconveniences. I have been able to continue to teach through all of this and only miss a half day for treatment and a day here and there to rest. I tell you all of this to say that research is so important and Relay for Life helps fund research. I am participating in a clinical trial. The medications that I am receiving have been proven to work with older and more aggressive cancers. Now the doctors want to prove it is just as effective on younger women with less aggressive cancers. This treatment is less toxic on the organs and side effects are milder. So, I’m glad I was given the opportunity to participate in it.

I will start radiation in a few weeks and will have to slow down. If you know me at all, this is something difficult for me to do and I won’t be able to do it long. I have too much to do.

My family, friends, coworkers and church are what keep me going. I have had tremendous support from them and couldn’t have done so well without them. I get up each day and thank God for another day, and keep going.

Call or email when you can!