I started my American Cancer Society journey while in high school. I volunteered for our local Gala, then added Daffodils Days and finally became involved in Relay For Life in 1989. I have served every position on the ELT and continue to Relay. I also became involved in MSABC in 2002. I currently serve as Georgia’s District 10 ACT Lead for ACS CAN.
Growing up, no one talked about the “C” word. Cancer was a taboo word and simply was not discussed. For me, cancer hit hard, when my best friend in high school was diagnosed with breast cancer at 17 years old. Due to family circumstances, I stepped up and became her caregiver, seeing her through a mastectomy, chemo, and radiation. That was quite an experience for both of us, and especially at such a young age. Since then, I have had many family & friends (and two pets) diagnosed with cancer, including my mother in 2010, two weeks before her 80th birthday. I once again stepped up and became her caregiver through her journey. Treatments for breast cancer had come a long way since I was in high school.
My name is Sharon Chicano and I live in Monroe, GA. My volunteer work with the American Cancer Society is a very important part of my life and I find it very rewarding. Through research, ACS has come a long way in education and early detection, but we still have a way to go. Until no one has to hear “you have cancer”, I plan to continue to do my part in the fight against this dreaded disease and to help educate people and to save lives.