Nineteen years ago, when I had metastatic breast cancer, it was not spoken about the way it is now. My options were few. I was lucky enough to find a research study at The Vince Lombardi Cancer Care Center at Georgetown University. After being given three years to live, I am alive and well after treatment, which included eleven months of chemo (one week on, three weeks off), twenty-eight days of radiation, and an autologous bone marrow transplant. Breast cancer is not the death sentence it once was. With the proper treatment and a good, positive attitude, it is possible to overcome just about anything. In the time that I underwent treatment, I never missed work except when I had to go to Washington D.C. for treatments. Work is one of the things that kept me going. I was a teacher (I'm now retired). One of my negative experiences was with the American Cancer Society. I asked only if they knew of any reasonable places to stay in the area. They said they couldn't help because their money was spent, even though I wasn't asking for money. I even asked if there were corporate plane flights from our area. They could only find flights from a distance. I had asked because I know the corporate flights would not have cost the Society anything and taking the train to D.C. was expensive, as was lodging. I am doing well and hope to be around for a long, long time.

Anonymous
Deerfield Beach, FL