Monday, June 3, 2013

Oh the People You'll Meet!

Survivor's Day 2013!


Yesterday, June 2, was National Cancer Survivor's Day.  I got to meet Geralyn Lucas author of  "Why I Wore Red Lipstick To My Mastectomy" at a luncheon hosted by the Cancer Institute of NJ.  This was a huge honor for me; back in 2007 I saw the lifetime movie adaptation of her story and it touched me long before I ever was touched by breast-cancer. I never forgot her story of diagnosis at the age of 27 (the same age I was when I watched her movie) or her red lips and fierce persona in the face of such a diagnosis.  I carried her red lipstick bravery throughout my life. I used my red lipstick on the track for roller derby when we had bouts. And when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32 I wore red lipstick for my treatments and still do. I felt honored to meet her, another triple negative breast cancer survivor, she seemed as honored to meet me as I was to meet her. We briefly told our stories to each other, hugged and exchanged email addresses. I look forward to speaking to her in the future.  I felt like I was meeting a celebrity.

This first survivors day was really difficult but I'm happy that I went.



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