What Does Team Survivor Mean to Me?

Team Survivor was something I had never heard of until Kara Stephenson at Princeton's BCRC handed me their brochure. Kara knew that a goal of mine was to run a race in every state in the country, something that another friend and I had decided would be a good plan after recovery from my first recurrence of breast cancer. What initially intrigued me about Team Survivor (TS) was the opportunity to train for and compete in a triathlon with a group of other women who were cancer survivors. Little did I know what kind of wonderful trouble I was getting myself into!

It all started with a spinning class. Ronni, our fearless leader, was there and introduced me to a few other women who were part of the group. The class was a lot of fun, and I was impressed with the variety of abilities represented in the class and how well Ronni instructed everyone and kept us all going. Other opportunities arose, yoga, running, swimming, as well as seminars in nutrition, self defense, and many other topics. As I got to know more of my fellow TSers, it became apparent that we all had a desire to live our lives to the fullest and to have a grand time of it while we were doing so. I also got talked into running in a half marathon, 13.1 miles, which I insisted was just more than I could possibly do.

By the time my first year with TS had ended, I realized that I had run hundreds of miles, swam, biked and shared uncountable hours of fun with all my new friends. And, after that first half marathon, I found that I enjoyed the sense of accomplishment so much that my husband and I went out and ran another one, and even talked our son into joining along with us! TS offers so much support, not just with training, but also by email and phone and occasional get togethers.

What's really great about TS, beyond the support, is that EVERYONE is welcome, regardless of ability. Some of us really want to train and improve from one event to the next. Others just want to have the comradery of other women to train with. And it helps to know that everyone understands where you've been, what you've gone through to be there, and we all want to just keep on going the best we can. I just love Team Survivor!

-Bonnie

In the pool my mom and I would do laps. Well, while she was training with my dad I was doing laps. She was practicing for her triathlon. It's where cancer survivors run, swim, and ride on a bike. She takes part in doing everything that she possibly can. She likes to show that cancer survivors never give up. To show they still have strength and that they still have power over their bodies. Just to show people that they will never give up. That you can still try for ever with your life. As long as you have hope and faith, you will never have weakness. It takes a little spirit to get up and running as good as new. It's to prove to the world that cancer survivors can still go on with their life and still be proud of who they are and why they are here. Something special has happened for the people who have survived. They have accomplished something so important. While my mom was going through all of this she was a full time mom and a full time student. And I am very proud to say "that was my mom" and I am so proud of what she has done for my sister, my dad, and me.

-Nichole (11 years old)

My name is Joa, I'm 43, married, mother of two incredible boys, ages 10 and 15. (Both IVF babies, but that's another story of perseverance!) I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2004.

It all started 5 years ago. I have a group of close girlfriends who often get together. We have many "excuses": playgroups, Bunco, investment club, birthdays and even plain old Fridays!

On one of those Friday afternoons, eight of us were having a poolside happy hour discussing kids, husbands, health and subsequently, mammograms. We compared notes. Most of us were due, over due or WAY over due for our exams. Each one of us, right then and there, got out our cell phones and made appointments at Harding Radiology Center.

As odds would unfortunately have it, of the eight women, one was diagnosed with the dreaded "C". Luckily she caught it very early, was treated successfully, and is, as of this month, a 5 year survivor. This further inspired all of us to be diligent about our annual mammograms and to encourage all the women in our lives to do the same.

That was how MY breast cancer was discovered: a routine mammogram. I, too, was lucky. I caught it at a very early stage. Having a strong family history of breast cancer, I treated mine very aggressively. I underwent bilateral mastectomy and TRAM flap reconstruction.

Two and a half years later, I find myself challenging my new body in many new ways. Considering the fact that I couldn't get out of bed on my own two years ago and couldn't do a single sit-up one year ago, this triathlon has been a real undertaking for me. I've never really been an athlete, but I've come a long way baby! Some of my friends and family members laughed at me when I announced my intentions to sign up for the Danskin Triathlon. They all supported me none the less. I completed the race (did not win!) and I was able to raise nearly $3000 for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the National Association of Team Survivor. Guess who's laughing now!

-Joa

The last few years have just been a bit of a blur...everything gets that way when you hear "cancer". Life was just getting good: new house, new baby, great marriage, learning to make nutrition and exercise fit. Then cancer and everything changes. I became a very proactive patient. I felt I had to be as doctors were throwing out ugly statistics and not so much research about similar patients. Throughout my treatment, I learned more and more and more about the things I could do to make my body as healthy as possible with the belief that the healthier my body became the better it would be equipped to fight off the cancer. I actually started exercising more during chemo; how crazy is that?

A couple months after my primary treatment was complete I found out that I was pregnant again. A beautiful, surprising miracle! I truly believe that clearly my body was telling me something: that it was strong enough to do this. "This" was more than just having another baby, "this" was just...it was just more.

Halfway through my pregnancy I received a flier for Team Survivor and saved it to check in on it at a later time. By the time I got back to the flier, I had learned about the Danskin triathlon series and had decided I wanted to try. This was a little, okay, a lot scary since I was by no means an athlete--I had never even run before. But now, Team Survivor stepped in. There are seminars, lessons, classes and an on-line supportive community. There are women who know what cancer is like and how complicated it can make things. There are women who feel that exercise and nutrition are important. There are women who are living beyond the limits of cancer. It has been fantastic for me to have access to this group of people and the resources Team Survivor provides. I did the triathlon last year, and had a blast and can't wait to see how I have improved this year!

-Susan

I am a 3 year cancer survivor. It wasn't until I got cancer that I realized how important it was to be healthy and stay healthy. These programs are designed to help you achieve your goal and can be tailored to you level of fitness. The instructors are wonderful to work with and understand any limitations you may have. It's great to get together with other women who have gone through or are going through the same battle as you have in a fun and happy environment.

-Joy

One great husband, two great kids, ages 4 and 3, a dog and a house in the suburbs. Couldn't be better, BUT, you feel EXHAUSTED, all the time. Who doesn't feel fatigued when they have two small boys? And you sweat at night, A LOT. And then bumps appear in your neck. Your doctor says they are lymph nodes and then begins to test you for every infection under the sun. You've given enough blood in one day, so you finally ask the question, "What are we looking for here?" You don't like the answer. "Infection, malignancy or lymphoma." Wow, you never thought you would root on an infection so much. No infections. Time for a neck biopsy of those "bumps." Two weeks later, while parked at the playground with your youngest you hear those words, "You have lymphoma."

Wait. All along you were told you don't "fit" the profile.

I was diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, a type of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma at age 30. I looked just fine. As a blood cancer follicular lymphoma is a little sneaky, in my opinion. It is a slow growing lymphoma so it just spreads around and is often in many places before it is diagnosed. Scans would show that I was pretty much covered. Neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis. But, I got lucky and it had not progressed to my bone marrow. Unfortunately, follicular lymphoma is also a lymphoma that currently has no cure -- it can be controlled, but it returns and there is no rhyme or reason as to when or why.

I was thrust into a world of oncology that I didn't choose -- it chose me.

I spent a week or two taking a crash course in lymphoma education, getting tests and seeking oncology opinions. I then spent 6 months in chemotherapy and Rituxan antibody therapy.

I lost my hair. My kids didn't care. The gift they gave me was their innocence toward cancer and their understanding that mommy was still mommy. The day after my head was shaved I woke up in the morning and was scared to get up. Somehow having no hair seemed to mean to me that the world was now a different place. But, my oldest, in his 5-year-old wisdom walked in to the bedroom, climbing on the bed and saying, "Can you make pancakes for breakfast?" I was still mommy.

I didn't "do" anything during my time in chemo. I just got through each hour. Through each day, through each night. Cancer took control of my body and started working on my mind. It's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel at 2 AM sometimes.

After 6 cycles of chemo and Rituxan I was declared in remission. Four days later I met Ronni and some other women at a Team Survivor introductory meeting. I wasn't even sure how to refer to myself yet. Was I a survivor?

I needed to take control of my body again since cancer had taken that control from me. I think that all Team Survivor women would second that opinion. I had, in the far corners of my mind, in what felt like a previous life, toyed with the idea of doing a triathlon. After cancer, doing a triathlon didn't scare me anymore.

And so, I learned to run, to bike and to put it all together. I met amazing women with their own cancer stories. We all learned together to take back control of our bodies and while doing so made amazing friendships and took back control of our minds as well.

I pushed myself in ways that I never thought I could and my proudest accomplishment was when I crossed that finish line at the Danskin Women's Triathlon last September. TAKE THAT CANCER was a good mantra.

It is one thing to cross the finish line, but the Team Survivor members share something that other women athletes don't. We rested on our accomplishments for a day or two. We were champions. We had done it. I had done it and wanted to do it all over again. I was hooked.

But, four days later one of our members had to go for a biopsy of something suspicious. One week later I was in for my routine three month scan. Ten days later I was told my cancer had returned.

And so the circle has begun again. Four rounds of a new kind of chemo and a clinical trial. What's different this time? I now am part of a team that will help me fight. I am a survivor. I've got to hurry up and be done with this round because I have races to run, training to do, finish lines to cross.

So, I will just keep moving one foot in front of the other, taking one day at a time in each race because in the bigger race, I know that if I keep doing this, one day, my doctor will call me and say "We've figured this out..." and that will be the best finish line of all.

-Jen

I was mentally preparing myself for the end of my chemo treatment for breast cancer when I opened my local newspaper (Jan 06) to the smiling face of Ronni MacDougal. The article went on to describe how Ronni was running a program for women cancer survivors which would offer support during and after treatment in an atmosphere of fun and activity. There was some mention of a triathlon but I was concentrating on walking.

The walking program was going to be starting the following week less than 10 minutes from my house. It was a sign!

I showed up the following Sunday, met Ronni and some other survivors, starting walking and talking. Next thing I knew I was going to my first ever spin class. Then there was more talk about a triathlon that a few of the women had done last year. I had been to many triathlons as a spectator to support my husband and friends but had never attempted one because I was intimiated by the biking section. Years ago I had even gone to see the World Championships when they were held in Canada. Very inspiring!

Even though I still had one more chemo treatment to go and then radiation, Ronni and the other ladies kept saying well if you can do a spin class you can do a tri. My husband and daughters bought me a road bike for my birthday in March, and I got back into running and started swimming laps once or twice a week.

We trained and laughed all summer ending our training season with the tri in Sandy Hook. It was a beautiful morning with a beautiful sun rise over the water and the transition area. We all waited nervously for the start of the swim in our purple bathing caps leading a sold out crowd of inspiring women of all ages! It was a truely great day and the joy of finishing my first tri was something I will never forget.

This year I find myself telling other new women to the group - "of course you can do a tri" so we'll be back this year with a bigger team of women who are going to try a tri.

-Jean