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Surviving Breast Cancer—
Local residents Tina Owens and Pat Keene both discovered their breast cancer through monthly self-exams. “I’d had a mammogram about eight months previous to finding the lump,” Owens said, “and nothing had shown up in the mammogram.” She said that one of the hardest parts of the frightening discovery was waiting to find out for sure if the lump was cancerous. Keene said that she had had a mammogram six months prior to finding her lump. “I contacted my surgeon right away,” she said, “and when he couldn’t aspirate it, he did a biopsy and found it was malignant.” Following the discovery that the lump was cancerous, Owens followed up with a lumpectomy and then a mastectomy and chemotherapy. Keene also needed a mastectomy and chemotherapy. “I also had a good bit of lymph node involvement that required my surgeon to remove a majority of the lymph nodes there.” A number of common threads were woven through both the women’s stories – a strong faith in God (Owens attends Wesley United Methodist at Frederica; Keene attends Taylors United Methodist in Brunswick) and the conviction that keeping a positive attitude and knowing that getting through breast cancer doesn’t have to be done alone. Both women stated strongly that keeping their lives as normal as possible while going through surgery and chemo was of the utmost important. Owens, whose children were in kindergarten and first grade at the time, said it was important to her that her children kept to the daily routine as much as possible. “They were too young to really grasp what was going on,” she said, “but they were definitely affected by it.” Keene said that with the tremendous support of her family, boss and co-workers, she was able to work all the way through the process, taking time off only when she really needed it. Owens, too, had monumental support from family and friends. “My parents live in Folkston,” she said, “and they came up here and helped out with the children. And friends were amazingly supportive. For example, I had someone who brought me homemade chicken soup every week. That will always be the best chicken soup to me.” From meals and snack items for the kid’s school lunches to rides and cards and phone calls that always seemed to come at just the right time, Owens said that she will never be able to fully thank all the people who did so much for her during that time. “I now try to do the same for those women who I find out are trying to beat breast cancer,” she said. “I would often receive cards and notes of encouragement from women I didn’t even know. It was very meaningful to me and now I try to do the same.” Keene said that one of her helps came through logging on to chatrooms in which women with breast cancer discussed what they were going through and offered each other words of encouragement. “It’s not that I took part in those chatrooms so much as reading the comments from women who were going through essentially the same thing was very comforting for me.” Both Keene and Owens expressed the importance of NOT trying to get through breast cancer alone. “We would like to think we’re strong enough to do it on our own, and when it comes down to it,” Owens said, “we probably are. But, we don’t have to be alone. You have to share. You have to have that support and understand that people want to come through this with you. They want to be with you.” Keene said she continually relayed the message to the people in her life that her cancer was not a death sentence. “I wanted people to treat me normally and I wanted them to know that I intended to beat it. And that is the message I would share with other women faced with breast cancer. It may be scary but it is treatable. And with support from family and friends and others, you can keep that positive attitude that will help get you through it.” Owens had been involved with the American Cancer Society (ACS) before she was diagnosed with breast cancer. “But, when she learned I had breast cancer,” she said, “Felicity Littles (community manager with the ACS) asked me to become involved with the fashion show fundraiser.” She added that the event is not only a fundraiser but inspirational as well because most of the models are breast cancer survivors. “It is a showcase, in a way,” she continued, “to look at all those survivors and know that each has fought breast cancer and won.” Keene also became involved with the fashion show when Littles discovered she had breast cancer. “I met her when I was involved with Relay for Life and she asked me if I would like to be a model for the fashion show; later she asked me to be on the committee to help plan it.” Keene said the show usually features about a dozen models with about 250 people attending the fundraiser. “But this year we are trying to set aside more room so that more people can attend.” Clothes from The Cloister Collection and Evelyn Talman will be modeled. The fashion show and luncheon have been set for Oct. 20 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Island Club Retreat on St. Simons Island. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased at The Cloister Collection or the ACS. For additional information, call the ACS 265-7117. Both Keene and Owens stressed that while there are many similarities among those fighting breast cancer, each case is different with diagnoses and treatments often preceding differently. “Women even react differently to chemo,” she added. “A woman I know has been diagnosed with breast cancer and it has been helpful for her to talk to someone who has been through it and know that what she is going through is normal for someone going through treatment for breast cancer.” Keene noted that if she is unsure about something her friend may be experiencing, she is always quick to tell her to ask her doctor. “Because we do always react so
differently,” she said, “I am not going to take any chances with something I
am unsure of.” She said that a mutual friend hooked her
up with someone who was going through breast cancer at the same time she
was. Owens added that the ACS has support networks and they are willing to assign a survivor to you if you need someone to talk to while fighting the disease. Finally, they both agreed that while annual mammograms are extremely important, you shouldn’t depend on them to catch your cancer. Monthly breast exams done the week or so following your period are key in keeping in touch with your breasts and discovering any changes within them. The following story on a
St. Simons business owner appeared ITS All About You Breast cancer survivor and business owner Vicki Palonen is trying to give back to the community for all the support she received while fighting cancer. “A woman came into the store to purchase some plush animals for her garden club’s donation to the Hug-a-bear program,” she explained, “and I realized it was such a good cause that I allowed her to buy them from me at cost. Then I thought, ‘you know, I could let anyone who is buying a plush animal for Hug-a-bear purchase them at cost!’”
“I really wish I could just give them away,” she said, “but I am still paying medical bills related to the cancer and I just can’t afford to do that.” Vicki has lived in the area since she was a teen and first began work as a carrier with The Brunswick News, which helped her pay her way through college. She retired from The Brunswick News after 26 years but while she was working there, she began Ink Thread Sports (in 1988). “It began as more of a soccer store because I was really interested in soccer at the time having started coaching in 1976,” she said. “As a matter of fact, this is my first year not coaching since I started.” The store began with one single head embroidery machine with a single needle and has evolved over the years to become a more monogramming and embroidery-oriented store with seven machines. The name of the store has evolved as well. It is now “ITS all about you.” “We’ll embroider just about anything,” Vicki said, “from corporate to team to individual embroidery. And no job is too small. For example, a woman brought in a shirt for her husband’s birthday for me to embroider recently. And that was just fine.” In addition to embroidery and plush animals, Vicki has sporting goods as well as some gifts for sale, particularly items that can be embroidered with monograms or names and other things. Her biggest success, though, is
defeating breast cancer. While she had always been careful about year check
ups and mammograms, she was somewhat shocked a month before her annual
mammogram to discover a lump. “I told her she was scaring me, but she knew.” Sure enough, Vicki had Stage 2 breast cancer and thus began a year of chemotherapy, mastectomies (one at a time) and radiation therapy. “I cannot overstress how wonderfully I was treated,” she said. “Not only by what I call my Dream Team of doctors – Dr. Abraham Cheong, Dr. Vincent Arlauskas, Dr. Timothy Jamieson and Dr. John Ellenberg – but all my friends, family, the other business owners in this shopping center and my friends from church, Lord of Life Lutheran.” Vicki said that she was one of the lucky
ones. She may have lost her hair during chemo, but she was never sick. Among keeping her life as normal as possible, a positive attitude, the support of friends and family and her faith in God, she said she was able to get through what she termed her “World Cup.” “I tried to look at the cancer as a competition,” she explained, “because I tend to be a competitive person, and this was something that was really big that I was going to have to win.” A breast cancer survivor for a year now, the frog that adorns her business sign represents more than animal she has liked all her life. (FROG) “It has come to mean for me Fully Rely On God,” she said. If you’re interested in donating a plush animal to the Hug-a-bear program, they are looking for new, medium-sized stuffed animals (average 12 to 15 inches is best). The bears will be given to children in our community who become victimized or traumatized in a crisis situation to help comfort and encourage them. Local emergency personnel will present huggable gifts to these children who find themselves in desperate circumstances. Drop off locations will be open through the end of September throughout Brunswick, St. Simons and Jekyll Islands. A final live broadcast by WAY Radio will be held from noon until 2 p.m. on Sept. 30 in Jeykll Island’s Historic District. They will be located at the big white barn next to the horse-drawn carriages. Representatives from the State Patrol, the County Police and K-9 unit and Fire Department will be there along with free carriage rides provided by Flying Eagle Horse Ranch. Free fun for the kids will be provided by Bethel Church and area businesses. Drop-off locations are too numerous to name but more information can be found at www.WAYRADIO.org
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Breast
cancer death rates are finally going down and there are several reasons for
that. This decline is the result of not only finding the cancer earlier and
improved treatment, but the fact that the word is finally getting out there
and women are becoming better educated about the risk and what to do about
it.
And,
so she has. Anyone who walks into her store, ITS all about you, located at
3600 Frederica Road on St. Simons Island, can let her or one of her
employees know that they are 