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My Mom, the Survivor: 25 Years Breast Cancer-Free


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When you think of October, you think of: pumpkin-spiced lattes, Hocus Pocus, technicolor leaves, Halloween parties, the color orange, apple picking and other quintessential Fall activities.


But not an October goes by without my family and I also thinking of breast cancer.


As you hopefully already know, October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A month dedicated to wearing pink in honor of or in memory of the mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and loved ones who have battled the most common cancer in the world.


According to research from breastcancer.org, about 13% (1 in 8) of U.S. women are going to develop invasive breast cancer in the course of their life.

My mom, Debbie Bright, was among those 13% — first at the age of 41 and again, with a more advanced stage diagnosis, at age 45. The second time, it had spread to both breasts and she was given between a 15-30% chance of surviving 5 years depending on treatment.


But my mother, like so many other women (and men), is so much more than a statistic. My mother is a fighter.


She battled her way through biopsies, radiation treatments, regular chemotherapy treatments, high-dose chemo treatments, a double mastectomy, a stem cell transplant, multiple reconstructive surgeries, countless wigs, doctors appointments and weeks spent in the hospital.


Through all that, I can't remember a single day that she spent isolated in bed feeling sorry for herself. To me and my brother (around ages 12 and 14 at the time), she put on a brave face every day and she was just 'mom.'


Reflecting back, I'm sure she had her bad days, but she was determined to always stay positive and not let us know how bad it was. In fact, it wasn't until years later that I learned how close we truly came to losing her.


Like I said, my mom is a fighter. She's a survivor. That 15-30% chance of living 5 years has become 25 years. A quarter century spent in breast cancer remission.

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I can't tell you how thankful I am for these past 25 years.


During that time, she's celebrated 25 anniversaries with my dad. She's seen my brother and I graduate from high school, then college and go on to become adults. She was here for the passing of loved ones, including her own mother. And she's also been here for the birth of her two grandsons, who lovingly call her "Mimi" and see her and their "Poppy" weekly.


Twenty-five years of laughing, loving, learning, listening and yes, even losing. Most

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importantly, twenty-five years of living. Because not everyone is so lucky to have those precious years.


So, aside from celebrating my amazing mom on a battle well-fought and won, it's important to also remember that over 250,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year.


Its still the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women, with about 30% of all newly diagnosed cancers in women each year being breast cancer.

If you've made it this far, here is what I ask of you now:

  1. Hug (or virtually hug) a breast cancer fighter, survivor or someone who has lost a loved one to the disease

  2. Donate to one of the many amazing breast cancer research or support organizations — I've included some suggested links below

  3. Schedule your first or next mammogram (if you don't have boobs of your own, remind your mom, wife, sister, friend, neighbor or even stranger to do the same)

  4. Wear pink at least once this month, even if its "not your color"

  5. Drop a shoutout in the Comments section in honor of or in memory of someone you know

A world without cancer would be a wonderful world, and I like to think that someday we'll

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get there. But for now, don't forget that October is not just for orange. It's also for pink as well!


DONATE TO OR VOLUNTEER WITH:

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