Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! Let us first introduce ourselves.
My name is Kelly. I'm 32 years old and a former Pediatric ICU nurse. I never in a million years would have EVER guessed that I would one day be a patient...much less a cancer patient. But that is now my story and I am proud to be able to share my journey with you all. In January, I did my first self breast exam and found a lump. Two weeks later, I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer thus beginning this journey. I had a lumpectomy first and then a mastectomy as the cancer was found to be in the lymph nodes. Shortly after surgery I began the first of 16 rounds of chemo. I am about to finish up that part of treatment and then will have 30-35 radiation treatments. There are many many things that I have learned and am continuing to learn through this experience. Briefly, the most important thing that has happened to me has been a tremendous growth spiritually. Through that, I have seen the faithfulness of God and the way that He has been my strength through this. I have had to rely on Him and His promises more than any other time in my life. Am I glad that I got cancer? Nope. Has it been tremendously hard? Yep. Have I been angry, scared to death, depressed, and anxious at times? Oh yes! But am I happy about what I have gained from it all though? Yep!!! The other things that I have learned through this is that my purpose and calling is to SERVE....to serve other women who are battling breast cancer. We are all sisters in this and I just have a passion to make sure that my sisters are cared for. I want to meet you all, pray for you all, encourage you all, and help you all in any and every way that I can. Please leave comments telling your story and prayer requests so that I can start going to Jesus on your behalf. Love you girls!!!

My name is Lynne, I'm 44 years old, happily married to a wonderful man, Woody, and I'm a breast cancer SURVIVOR! I know it is true because it is tattooed on my right calf!! (I am the one who cracks jokes all of the time!) Humor has really helped through this journey called breast cancer. I began having semi-annual ultrasounds about 3 1/2 - 4 years ago after I found a lump on my right breast. It was determined that I have such extremely dense breasts (visit http://www.areyoudense.org/) that I needed to incorporate the ultrasounds into my normal screening routine, which mainly consisted of an annual mammogram. (Dense breasts are more difficult to detect breast cancer in through a normal mammogram.) It was also determined that my breasts were filled with cysts! It was crazy to see the ultrasound. Most women who enjoy an ultrasound are looking at sweet little babies on the monitor, while my husband and I were looking at tons of little cysts everwhere!! It was insane! I digress...once my surgeon saw the situation, he advised that I should see him twice a year.

There have been a few times that he felt a biopsy of some sort was needed, so when he did a needle biopsy early last September I really thought nothing of it. However, being the chicken that I am, no WAS, I took my friend Destiny with me (my husband, Woody was at Ft. Bragg for a few weeks) to receive the results. Dr. Steely felt another biopsy was needed, one with tissue, so we went across the hall and made it happen. The following week, with Destiny by my side (Woody still at Bragg), we received the diagnosis. I didn't fall apart, there was no time for that! We simply got down to business! I scheduled my lumpectomy and appointment for bloodwork at the hospital and then I called Woody! He came home and we really got to work kicking cancer's behind! After surgery I began chemo and followed it up with radiation. I am now cancer free and I HAVE HAIR! Really, I do.

If I ever wondered, which I did, what my purpose was here on earth then cancer brought it to the surface. Like Kelly said, you do a lot of praying when something like this happens. There is always a "why me", but early on I felt the "why me" had to be a positive and not a negative. I have always thought that my one true talent was my vocal chords...no, I cannot sing but I sure can talk!!! Ask anyone!! So, I believe God thought it was high time I put those vocal chords to good use and talk to as many people as I could about early detection. That is my passion now. I am so excited to partner with Kelly in this venture. I know that we can touch many lives through See Pink. Helping others through service and education will empower them to see the future and to fight for theirs!