KELLY HENDERSON - Founder/ Breast Cancer Survivor

September 21st, 2006, I turned 44 and for the first time in my life, I did a self exam. I, like many other women, never did self exams because it is so hard to tell what's in there. Well, I felt a lump that I describe as feeling like a frozen pea. I quickly got a mammogram and the report said, "no suspicious abnormality or signs of malignancy" unsure, the radiologist made the decision to do an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed a 1.3cm cystic lesion and I was now referred for a biopsy. When I had my biopsy my nurse told me, "don't worry, most of these are benign".

It was one of those days you never forget. I can retrace my steps exactly, the type of day it was, who was around me, the place I was standing, what I felt like and what went thru my mind. It was October 30th, 2006. I was on my way to take my kids to school when I received a message from my Gynecologist that said I needed to call him as soon as possible. Right away I became very anxious. When he finally got a hold of me, his words were"I don't believe I am having to tell you this, but you have infiltrating ductal carcinoma." I was standing in my living room, looking out the sliding glass door. I now know what the term "I had the rug pulled out from under me" means. I felt my knees get weak and I lowered myself to the ground and put my head in my hands and sobbed. I went from not having a concern in the world, taking care of the house, planning to go pick up my kids from school, planning dinner, etc. to "I have Cancer?" Am I going to die, how did this happen to me, where are my kids I need to hold them, what's going to happen to them if I'm not here, what do I do next, how do I call my husband in his very busy work day and tell him this? The next day was Halloween. I put on my "Happy Mom" face and took our kids Trick or Treating. My priority now was to keep things as normal as possible. At the time, my oldest son was 9 and my youngest was 3. My priorities changed overnight. I need to be patient with my kids and give them more hugs. I need to sit down with them and really listen to what is important in their day. I quickly realized that nothing is more important than our family, our friends and our health.

November 7th, I had a lumpectomy. My surgeon said he remolded my breast so I would not need reconstructive surgery. I laughed and said, "kudo's to you, you didn't have much to work with." I started Chemotherapy immediately. Now what hair loss, nausea, loss of appetite, severe back pain, joint pain, fatigue, neuropathy, these are the ones I remember the most. I rarely rested, I just kept busy and refused to let it get me down. My husband and I had just spent the last 4 years designing and building our dream home and in the middle of my chemo, we moved. It was exhausting, but it kept me going. I had an unbelievable network of family and friends that supported me and kept me well fed. Thanks to my network of "dinner angels", I had full course dinners for months. A fellow friend, also a breast cancer survivor, coordinated our meals for us. I don't know what I would have done without her. My Aunt and my Mother in-law traded weeks and helped with the kids. I don't know what I would have done without them either. My kids were great, they drew me pictures and gave me lots of unconditional love. We kept them well informed so they would not worry. My husband was my rock, he was there when I needed him and he instinctively knew when to give me space. Christmas morning 2006, two weeks after I started chemo, I asked my husband to shave my head as I could not watch it fall out anymore. I put on a Christmas cap and pretended nothing was any different, although I was struggling to adjust inside. I purchased several wigs but preferred head wraps. Unfortunately head wrap options were limited, so with the help of my husband, my Aunt and a dear friend, we created a line of color coordinated comfort wear for hair loss patients. Now my time is spent building a business with the dream of helping other women cope with the emotional and physical challenges of hair loss.

Before I found out I had cancer, I lived a healthy lifestyle. At the age of 40 I was told I had osteopenia and that osteoporosis was in my future. It was suggested that I start weight bearing exercises so I hired a trainer. I ran a few miles a day but I could never seem to get past the two mile mark. Looking back, I realize I just didn't push myself. During my cancer treatments, my energy levels were low, so I missed several trips to the gym and I stopped running. I lost the muscle tone I just spent the last 2 years developing which was extremely frustrating. I realized how important it was to never stop exercising. A workout is not just a physical triumph, it's a mental milestone. When my treatments ended, I jumped back in with more determination and drive than ever before. I was determined to regain my strength and become stronger and leaner. Today, I am running 5-7 miles a run and weight training 3 days a week. I am stronger, I am bolder and hopefully wiser, but most importantly, I am a proud member of the "survivors" club who have fought this battle and won.