Elisha Daniels - You Can Do This!: Surviving Breast Cancer Without Losing Your Sanity or Your Style

In the collective fight against breast cancer, it is important to reflect on the individual women who lead this battle daily. These women have inspired and continue to inspire my work in the world of breast cancer research. In October 1992, I launched a project with the Este Lauder Companies to mark National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Este Lauder counters across the country began distributing pink ribbons and breast self-exam instruction cards (over 85 million have now been distributed). The message was out and I was just beginning. I made an important decision to dedicate myself to improving treatment and finding a cure for this all-too-common disease.

From the outset, I knew that funding for lifesaving breast cancer research was at an unspeakably low level. My plan was to raise as much money as possible for the all-important work of breast cancer scientists. At the time (1993), no other organization was focused solely on coordinated translational research. With this in mind, I founded The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), which has the single-purpose mission of seeking out the most creative and promising clinical and translational ideas, and providing funds to accelerate their progress. BCRF is about fueling the scientific discoveries that are changing the futures of women everywhere.

In the last sixteen years, we have seen remarkable strides in treatment thanks to our scientific advisory board and committee headed by Dr. Larry Norton and Dr. Clifford Hudis from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Early detection, quality-of-life care, and potential prevention of breast cancer are topics of study as well. Science is an art form and funding is transformative. Time and time again, we hear from the brightest investigators that BCRFs funding has allowed for creativity, collaboration, and progress. We must provide able minds with resources to carry out their critical research work. BCRFs efforts are far from over. I always say that we aim for the day that we put ourselves out of business. I know that day will come with adequate funding.

Through BCRF, I have met incredibly strong women with some very important lessons to share. They are survivors in every sense of the word. While doctors and researchers wage their own war on cancer, I know there are 2 million women like Elisha Daniels and Kelley Tuthill facing an unthinkable diagnosis and every difficult decision that ensues. I so admire their ability to pick themselves up, often with no hair and weak bodies, and move forward on sheer spunk and determination.

Elisha and Kelley have a great message for us all: Cancer does not diminish a womans beauty. I have witnessed women emerge from cancer more beautiful, more informed, and much stronger. I love the practical advice this book puts forth: Surround yourself with people you love; remain in control of your own care; and look good to feel good. Cancer can be met with sanity and style.

When I established BCRF, my goal was to create an organization to sponsor the very best breast cancer research in an effort to achieve prevention and a cure. This is my way of supporting each woman with breast cancer and celebrating each survivor. For women like Elisha and Kelley, I vow to continue BCRFs work until we eliminate this disease once and for all.

My utmost thanks goes to both of them for their loyal support, and for sharing their personal experiences and guidance to help others through this challenging experience. Elisha and Kelley will make the journey much more manageable for any woman and her closest loved ones who read this book. They speak intimately to the reader with tremendous understanding and compassion.

INTRODUCTION

You are going to get through this. I cant promise you that, but you have to believe it.

Thats what a very smart doctor said to Kelley when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. That doctors name is Hope, so Kelley took that as a good omen and listened to her. Having hope is a pretty good place to start after being given a diagnosis as devastating as cancer. For many of us, treatment will last at least a year and bring some of the biggest physical challenges weve ever faced. But its the mental strength and positive attitude that will carry you. Oh, and if youre lucky, the love and support of those around you.

Kelley was thirty-six years old when she discovered a lump shortly after giving birth to her second daughter. Her husband, Brendan, urged her to get it checked out, and she went to her doctor. Kelley is so grateful that the doctor sent her for more testing even though they both thought it would be nothing. A mammogram and ultrasound confirmed the lump was cancer. It was a few days before Christmas 2006, and Kelleys children were just two and six months old. She had no family history of the disease and had never had a mammogram before because of her age. Further testing showed the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes and would require a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation, and hormone therapy. Kelley, a television news reporter, worked as much as possible throughout treatment and documented her journey in a video and written diary that you can find at http://www.thebostonchannel.com/kelleys-story.