Let's Start Here...

In August 2009 my twin sister, Stephanie, was diagnosed with a reoccurrence of breast cancer (BC) - it occurred one week after her 6 year anniversary of being BC free! She was devastated… She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go through chemo again, but decided she would do it – for me… I’m really glad that she did what she had to so that she could fight; I just wish she could have done it for herself.  It has been a year and she is doing well from a BC perspective; however, she now has Lymphedema in her arm (because lymph nodes were removed and biopsied to determine if her BC had spread, it compromised her lymphatic system and fluid is not being drained efficiently from her arm/hand causing swelling) and is pretty depressed.

When Stephanie and I learned about her reoccurrence, we decided that we should undergo BRCA gene testing - we learned that we both have the BRCA 1 gene mutation, increasing my likelihood to get BC in my lifetime from about 12% to 90% (and Ovarian Cancer to 40%).  I underwent a prophylactic mastectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy to reduce my chanches of getting cancer.  I have recovered for the most part and have decided to run the 26.2 with Donna 1/2 marathon to end breast cancer  to increase my fitness level and to help raise money and awareness about BC to others.

My training leader (Atlanta Galloway 1/2 marathon training) keeps a blog to help her track her progress and I thought it was a GREAT idea!  So... that brings me to the point of this blog - my journey from major surgery to running a 1/2 marathon!!!