Frank and Shannon

By Shannon, CARE Patient

March 3rd is Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day. Yes, another day for a cause, another color to wear, another thing to throw money at as if we don't have enough causes for that already.

When I was first diagnosed people would say to me "don't worry people survive breast cancer all the time, you will be fine." I believed it, not knowing a single thing about what I was getting into or what was now a part of my life for the REST of my life. Little did I know that I was just diagnosed with one of the most difficult breast cancers (only 10%-15% of cancer patients get this) to be diagnosed with but also one of the hardest to treat. Recurrence is very common and death from Triple Negative Breast Cancer even more so. People DO indeed survive this breast cancer, some do not. Everything depends on your resistance to treatment and getting a positive response from treatment and surgery.

As many of you know I have taken the hard road. My Mother always warned me about being stubborn. Figures. I have been through numerous lines of chemotherapy only to fail the test, I have had a taste of remission and oh how glorious that was.

Well, even though my cancer is back I am heading towards that place where my cancer is under control, not gone, but something we can manage. I look forward to that day. I will fight this for the rest of my life, but that's okay. My intention is to share my story and bring understanding and recognition to this cancer so that we may see more survivors.  

So when you meet someone on the street that has breast cancer, keep in mind that everyday woman are still dying from this terrible disease and that supporting those woman by listening to their stories, doing a little research yourself or just being in their presence without judgement and out of love—this is what cures the things that treatment will not.

I want you all to know I am doing GREAT! I am on a current treatment plan and thanks to South Sound CARE Foundation and Dr. Senecal, I have been invited into a clinical trial that has found a medication that matches up to the cancer mutations I have in my cancer cells. I am being prepped for this medication right now. Praise God! I was on a similar type drug when I spent that time in remission so I have high hopes.

Thanks to South Sound CARE Foundation for saving lives and bringing hope to those of us in the South Sound that need treatment, they open up opportunities to drug trials and genetic testing that are not covered by insurance and are extremely expensive for FREE to those of us that need these opportunities to survive. If you have donated, been present at any of the fundraising events, or have taken the time to listen to my story you have been a part of my struggle, and my cure, and will always be a part of my life.

The need is real, as Dr. Senecal said at our last fundraising event, we are not doing enough to try to stop this, there has to be more done. We have to stop the deaths of young woman in their 20s diagnosed and dying, to young mothers in their 30s with little children who are dying, to middle-aged woman who have hit the prime of their life only to have it stolen from them by the after-effects of recurrence and of aggressive treatment and to those ladies who are diagnosed in their later years that are too old to have the energy to fight. We must do more!

One in 8 woman will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Educating yourself is key, mammograms and early detection are key, listening to your body is key. This isn't about saving the tatas' this is about surviving and living a beautiful life with the people you love!

So many thanks to all of you that have been my rock, you are the reason I fight when I am tired, you pick me up when I feel all hope is lost, you put up with the new me which is quite different than the old. I love you for loving me!

I am grateful for my career in real estate which gets me out of bed every morning, for my clients who still do business with me even though I have cancer. From the words of Monty Python "I'm not dead yet!” YOU WILL still see me selling homes like a #boss and representing my clients the best way I know how! To my Keller Williams Realty, Inc. and Keller Williams West Sound family, thanks for having my back these last three years!