Sandy's story

The year 2010 has been a year of new journeys for me. It was the year we decided to go on my dream vacation to visit Peru and hike the Andes. Also, it was the year that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Both journeys have changed my life, each in there own way. The mountains of Peru, showed me how insignificant, but powerful we can be in the big picture. Cancer showed me how significant yet powerless we can be.









I never really thought about myself getting cancer. I have had several friends diagnosed in the past, but I was healthy and from a healthy family.
I was diagnosed about four week before our trip. My doctor felt that I should go for my mental state, so they operated as soon as they could. I ended up able to go on my trip and hiking over 15,000 foot mountain 3 weeks after my surgery. When I left I was going to come home to just having radiation. However, when I came home I found out I would need chemo too. They had done a new test called a mamoprint that showed I had a high risk of return cancer. Also, when I came home there was a brochure for a bike ride for cancer. The Pennsylvania Permitere Ride Against Cancer. I thought I need to do what I need to do and get healthy and do this ride. It a 540 mile ride over very hill train in August. But this would be my goal to show cancer who was boss. I did handle chemo and radiation well. I did lose my hair, but you get use to that!
I was finishing up my radiation, when I took a genetic test to see if I carried the breast cancer gene......I did. The next step was to have an operation to remove my ovaries. This pushed back my training for my bike ride a little but I still had time. I started training mid April. Everyday out on the bike I was feeling stronger and stronger. June 10th, I fell down the steps and bruised my kidney and broke a rib. My first reaction was that I would not be able to do the bike ride, for a few hours I was devastatedWith encourgement from my friends and my chiroprator/physical therpaist. I realized this was not going to stop me, it has kept me off my bike for a week, but today I will ride because I can. I believe we can all do more than we think we can. Cancer is not the end, there is alot of life to live. Get out and live it!













































I Even after they did a biopsy, I thought I was good, until I got a call. I was diagnosed
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