My journey began a few days after returning from my honeymoon.  Going to the Doctor was not supposed to result in a trip to a specialist that tells you, “You have Cancer”.

Every sentence after that seemed worse: There is no treatment protocol.  It is Stage III. You will have a permanent Colostomy.

There was a 4th item my surgeon chose not to share until later … I only had a 5% chance of surviving 6 months.

I knew from hearing those 3 words “You Have Cancer” that I would give this fight everything I had.  I had 2 young children to whom I had given my solemn promise I would survive and I had every intention of doing that.  I had so much for which to be thankful.  Life was good and I had no intention of allowing cancer to interfere with my plans.  I knew I would arm myself with as much education about my situation as I could, gather strength from my family, faith, and my own internal hope and proceed one day at a time.  Thanks to the American Cancer Society, I attended a support group that specialized in patients that had colostomies.  Although I was the youngest, that experience allowed me to go forward in my career and my marriage with confidence and dignity.  Becoming involved in Relay for Life allows me to make a difference in the world.  I was providing hope to people on an individual basis in my home Relay For Life, but was also creating more birthdays and saving more lives every day throughout the world by the research being done by the American Cancer Society.

Today, I know I am saving hundreds of lives a day and will continue to be involved in Relay For Life until we can all know a world without cancer.

In 2016 after 26 years of surviving stage III colon cancer, I had to hear those 3 words again when my husband was diagnosed with colon cancer after a routine screening.  I took on a new role as caregiver.  My husband and I are cancer free.