How breast cancer has affected my family

[MarieT03]

It seems that breast cancer has affected everyone.  Here's my story.  My mom's best friend of more than 20 years succumb to breast cancer right before Christmas in 2002 after a 7 year battle.  Terri fought valiantly all of those years.  My mother and she had worked together since 1979 and were very close.  Once my mom wore her hair in a bun to work and she received several "old granny" jokes about it that day.  She told Terri that next time she wore her hair like that she'd be a grandma.  Several months later I became pregnant with Noah so Mom wore her hair in a bun to work and when Terri saw her, she knew.  It was a sweet moment.  Terri did get to come and visit baby Noah shortly after he was born.  She came and rocked him all afternoon one day.  She and my mom had an awesome time that afternoon.  Terri was like a family member to us.  Less than two years later, she was gone.  She was a great woman and is greatly missed.  During Terri's long battle with breast cancer my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer at 70.  It's very rare to have breast cancer at that age.  And even though she was very sick, Terri was a great support to her and to us during Granny's treatment.  They had the some doctor and even had chemo at the same time on occasion.  Granny had a complete masectomy and has been in remission since 2002.  My sister is running in a 5K this weekend for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in honor of our grandmother and in memory of Terri.  I've made a donation to the cause.  I'm sure that breast cancer has touched everyone in one way or another.  Thanks for listening to my story.