By Kristi Sanders, Harvest Homeowner
My life changed forever the morning of September 10, 2014, when I was informed I had breast cancer. I decided quickly that no matter what my future holds, I will NEVER give up!
Over the next few weeks, my family and I went through a lot of emotions, many conversations, several appointments with various doctors/surgeons, and a lot of research.
After my first surgery, it was determined I needed weekly chemotherapy treatments for five months, followed by six weeks of daily radiation treatments, and then take daily hormone blocking medication for ten years. I was a little devastated at first, but then I decided to view it from a different perspective. In addition to surgery, I had been given three ways to fight my type of cancer, whereas many patients only have one or two.
I have been blessed in so many ways throughout my Journey. My husband Brent has been the most supportive, loving person I could ever ask for. He has been the one I lean on daily, plus his constant encouragement has been amazing! Our two sons, now ages 16 and 20, have also been wonderful. They’ve taken me to chemo, prepared meals, and even did extra house cleaning and laundry. Many other family members and friends contributed by also taking me to chemo and bringing food to our family. More importantly, they provided love, support, and prayers.
Cancer really is just a word, a very ugly word, but it doesn’t have to be a sentence if you don’t allow it. It’s been over a year and a half since my Journey began, and now that my reconstruction is complete, I’m ready to “pay it forward.” Every day on this beautiful Earth is a blessing, and I refuse to waste the gift of life. That is why I started the Harvest Cancer Support Group last month. This group is for any cancer patient, survivor, or caregiver, men and women, and for all types of cancer. We are currently meeting monthly, but we can meet more often if needed. The purpose of this group is to help meet the needs of patients, survivors, caregivers, and their families, whether they need to talk, receive meals, transportation, companionship, etc. I have been blessed with tons of love, support, and prayers, and I need to pass this on to others.
If you are interested in joining the Harvest Cancer Support Group, contact Page Austin for details.