feels good to help others

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ohilly
ohilly Member Posts: 441
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I think I have reached a milestone in my cancer experience: today I did my first 'volunteer' service by making a phone call to another woman who has the BRCA 1 gene (like me) and is about to have a double mastectomy (also like me). I felt so good talking to someone else: it made me realize how far I've come that now I'm one of the 'old hands' and can advise other people. The woman had had fallopian tube cancer prior to now having a preventive mastectomy.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to tell any of you who may be BRCA positive and live in the Chicago area that a new group is starting at Gilda's Club for BRCA cancer survivors. For more information about the group, you can contact heatherf@facingourrisk.com (her name is Heather Fine and she is the coordinator of FORCE, an organization for BRCA survivors, in Chicago).

Ohilly

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  • Joycelouise
    Joycelouise Member Posts: 482
    #2
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    Good for you, O'hilly!
    Good for you, O'hilly! Isn't it amazing how much strength we have built up while we thought we were being weak. What I mean to say is that along the way I never said to myself..."Ahhh, now I understand, now I am strong", but truly, when I speak to someone newly diagnosed I feel like I have much I can say and much I can help them with. Where did all that come from?

    Anyway, you go girl!
    love, Joyce
  • ohilly
    ohilly Member Posts: 441
    #3
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    Joycelouise said:

    Good for you, O'hilly!
    Good for you, O'hilly! Isn't it amazing how much strength we have built up while we thought we were being weak. What I mean to say is that along the way I never said to myself..."Ahhh, now I understand, now I am strong", but truly, when I speak to someone newly diagnosed I feel like I have much I can say and much I can help them with. Where did all that come from?

    Anyway, you go girl!
    love, Joyce

    hi, joyce
    Joyce, how is the Masters program going?

    I wanted to tell you one more thing about my phone call: the woman said her hair ALSO grew back thin after Taxotere chemo. So I felt better that I'm not the only one!

    Ohilly
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #4
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    Good for YOU, Ohilly!
    I absolutely LOVE stories about BC survivors "giving back"! Congratulations! You are doing a wonderful, wonderful thing!

    Kind regards, Susan
  • djteach
    djteach Member Posts: 273
    #5
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    I am so happy for you. We
    I am so happy for you. We sometimes don't know how we touch other people's lives and when we can make a difference, it kind of puts what we've been through in perspective for us. It's one of those win/win situations. You go girl, I bet there are a lot of women and men that you can reach in your area. You have certainly made a difference in my life and I thank you.

    Love and Gentle Hugs,
    Donna

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