I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 9/11/07 and my dad was diagnosed on 9/13/07 with cancer. I live 4 hours away and couldn't burden my mom with my news, so I kept my secret for the next few months. We decided that our kids needed to see their grandfather before he died, so we went to Maryland. That weekend I had to tell my mom because I was going to have to do chemo. It was really hard to hurt her heart that much. My dad passed away November 2, less than 15 hours after I left to come back home. So I turned around and went back. The week of Thanksgiving, mu oldest had knee surgery, my port was placed and December 3rd, I started chemo. Within 2 hours sick as hell. My mom was with me and it was very difficult. January 25th, my brother in law was killed in an automobile accident. I went back to my old job and asked for my job back and after 3 visits of asking for my job, I was told he wouldn't give it back. So I think God had tested me as far as I think he thought he could. And then my youngest son was in an accident that he flipped my truck on Christmas Eve. Today, I am still feeling the affects of the cancer with having to do physical therapy. Cancer changes a person's outlook on many things. Though it kicked my butt, I think I am stronger than I thought I ever could be. My family supports me completely and my boys are my greastest joys. They wear cancer sweatshirts and sport stickers they had made on their trucks. God has made me a much stronger person. And life is too short.

Susan Gatliff
Chesapeake, VA