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Previous Survivor Stories
Jobs Corner, PA
Tioga County
Dee Hoffman with her yellow Lab Clancy. Dee accompanies Clancy
to the Falck Cancer Center each week where he volunteers as a
trained companion for radiation and chemotherapy patients.
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Dee Hoffman represents Tioga County in the PBCC's traveling photo exhibit along with Laurie Seip and Barb Bailey. Dee and her husband have three daughters, 9 grandchildren and a 10th grandchild due in December. After she left the corporate world, Dee and her husband bought a farm where she raises Holstein dairy heifers.
One Day at a Time
On 9/11 my husband Don survived the attack on Tower One of the World Trade Center. Nine months later on June 14, 2002 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. People have said that we are both lucky to have survived. I say we are blessed.
When my surgeon said, "You have breast cancer," the greatest challenge of my life presented itself. The woman I was yesterday is not the woman I am today, nor will she remain the same as she evolves into all her tomorrows. Battling breast cancer from diagnosis to survivorship became a one day at a time challenge for all my tomorrows.
Tomorrow I want to grow old with my husband Don. Tomorrow I want to see my daughter Gretchen graduate from Reading Hospital School of Nursing. Tomorrow I want to dance and sing at all my grandchildren's weddings. With nine grandchildren now and the tenth grandchild due in December, that's a lot of dancing and a lot of new shoes! Then I want to cuddle great-grandchildren on my lap. Tomorrow I want to celebrate life with my family and friends. Tomorrow I want to always be there for those who need my help battling cancer. And as I meet all my tomorrows I will always be on my knees thanking the Lord for the many blessings in my life.
Faith, Family, and Friends
I discovered the lump in my breast through a self-exam, months after my November 2001 mammogram which had shown nothing. The surgeon said that if I didn't do breast self-exam, by the next mammogram in November 2002 it might have been too late. I always remind my friends to use both tools . have mammograms and do breast self-exam.
Throughout my diagnosis and treatment, I was supported by what I like to call "The Three F's".Faith, Family and Friends.
Inspired to Act
“The woman I was
yesterday is not
the woman I am
today, nor will she
remain the same as
she evolves into all
her tomorrows.”
- Dee Hoffman |
This past October I attended the PBCC Breast Cancer Leadership Training Seminar the day before the PBCC Annual Conference. I am almost at a loss for words to describe the impact that day had on me. That was the most incredible learning experience I've ever had. The character and credibility of the workshop presenters confirmed for me that I wanted to become more involved with the PBCC.
My friend Laurie Seip and I were so excited and inspired from the training that by 3 ½ hours into our drive home we had outlined our grassroots partners agenda. We want every woman and every family member to know about the PBCC's commitment to "find a cure for breast cancer now. so our daughters won't have to."
On October 6, 2007 we will present "Country Roundup for the Cure," a fundraiser for the PBCC with a patriotic theme celebrating God, country, family, and cancer survivors. The evening will feature a pig roast with all the trimmings, bands performing country and Southern gospel music, and the chance for attendees to participate in Tioga County's largest line dance. State Representative Matt Baker has agreed to serve as honorary chair of the event.
Organizing "Country Roundup for the Cure" will give me lots of opportunities to use one of the lessons from Leadership Training. I learned that if you take "no" for an answer, that's what you'll get. We won't be taking "no" for an answer as we move forward to make the event a success in fundraising and breast cancer awareness.
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