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Previous Survivor
Stories
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Kellie
Robertson, Ph.D. (show with her fiancé Mike
Witmore)
Pittsburgh, PA |
Kellie Robertson was diagnosed
with Stage I breast cancer two years ago at the age of 31. She has been through
treatment and is now set to marry her fiancé on June 15. In lieu of wedding gifts,
she is graciously asking her friends and family to donate to the PBCC. Here is
Kellie's story of survival after a jarring diagnosis at such a young age.
I
see two main challenges for young women who are
diagnosed with breast cancer: the questions of
infertility following chemo and the downsides
of genetic testing for someone my age. I found
that while my doctors were generally lovely and
helpful, they were really not as interested in
my own unique concerns. They weren't completely
prepared to deal with a 31-year old with breast
cancer. They were concerned with survival. I
was concerned with quality of life.
The
doctors encouraged chemotherapy because of my
age. But at 31, my questions of infertility were
big ones. I had done a lot of online research
and there were simply not enough conclusive findings
or clinical trials being done in this area. At
the time, I didn't know for sure if I ever wanted
kids, but I knew I wanted it to remain an option!
My treatment ended up as a lumpectomy, 3 months
of chemotherapy and 6 weeks of radiation. At
this point, my fertility remains in question.
Time will tell.
Hair
loss was not all that traumatic for me. The nice
thing about being 31 when you are diagnosed is
that you can have a shaved head and people think
it's a fashion statement.
Groups like the PBCC have
organized and have a real sense of a political
mission around a topic that can often leave
people feeling frustrated and helpless. There
ARE things we can do!
My
next big question was that of genetic testing.
Are there enough federal guidelines in place
to protect my privacy? Will my personal information
end up with my insurance company? Since my mother
was diagnosed with breast cancer 7 years ago,
genetic testing is a subject near and dear to
me. One day I hope to participate in a clinical
trial for women at high risk for ovarian cancer.
One
of the great pleasures to come out of this whole
experience is the opportunity the PBCC has given
me to speak about it in public. The PBCC does
an amazing job of getting information out to
women, but not overwhelming them.
I've
come to learn and appreciate two things since
my diagnosis. One is seeing firsthand the grace
and courage of other women who have breast cancer.
I am amazed by them. My support group continues
to be a source of wonder and strength for me.
Many people think support group meetings are
going to be like an Oprah Winfrey show. It's
really not. It's more like being at a medical
conference than at some afternoon talk show!
The second is the knowledge that groups like
the PBCC have organized and have a real sense
of a political mission around a topic that can
often leave people feeling frustrated and helpless.
There ARE things we can do!
I
will never be one of these people who says, "I'm
so grateful for my breast cancer. It's made me
a better person." But I am grateful to be the
beneficiary of an outpouring of love and good
will. It gives me a sense of being more connected
to the world. I've seen people's capacity for
kindness in the face of something very bad.
Kellie is an assistant professor of English
at the University of Pittsburgh. She and her
fiancé just bought a house and are gearing
up for their wedding. They are going on an
Alaskan cruise for their honeymoon because
Kellie says, "I just want someone else to drive
the boat for a while."
To
profile someone in "Survivor Spotlight",
email Heather Hibshman at heather@pabreastcancer.org |
