I had been doing self-exams and having annual mammograms since I was 40, so what a shock when, at 50, I was told I had “infiltrating ductal carcinoma with lobular features.” Even after I knew exactly where this 2.5cm lump was, I could not feel it as it was deep against the chest wall.

There was no family history of breast cancer, and it was a pretty emotional encounter when I flew to Anchorage two days later and told my mom and five sisters. That was July 26, 2006.

I had three surgeries, the third being a full mastectomy, then dose-dense chemo. Losing my hair was not as devastating as I thought it would be, and I shaved my head to a crew cut and had fun when it started falling out by using star-shaped stencils to pull it out! I was thrilled that it came back curly, if only for a couple months.

I had wanted to participate in the Komen walk years earlier, so now I was motivated and formed a team for the 2007 Race for the Cure. There were six on the team, called “Dottie’s Hotties” and we raised $2,800. In May of 2008 my best friend/colleague was diagnosed, so our 2008 team was dubbed “The Fast Eddies” and grew to 25 members and raised $9,600. Another colleague was diagnosed in spring of 2009, so last year, with 30 members and four survivors on the team, we were “Pledges for EDJS” (Eddie, Dottie, Joanie, Susan) and raised $18,635 – the highest team total! This year we have seven survivors (yes, more colleagues), and will be “SENND MoJo” (Susan, Eddie, Nora, Nancy, Dottie, Mo and Joanie). I am quite sure I will continue to “Race for the Cure” and hope that I will be able to do a 3-Day in the future as well.

I have been a very vocal advocate wherever I go. I wear pink all the time to provoke questions so that I can remind people of my own story. We hold an awareness day each year at work, where I proclaim: “Ladies AND gents – please do those self-exams and get your mamms. Early detection is the best protection. Life is short, so live, love and laugh as often as possible, and ALWAYS remember to stop and smell the roses!”