TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

IN JUNE OF 1995 MY WIFE OFELIA WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BIALLATIRAL BREAST CANCER. SHE UNDERWENT A DOUBLE BIOLATERAL MASECTOMY FOLLOWED BY SEVEN MONTHS OF HIGH DOSE CHEMOTHERAPY.

IN AUGUST OF 1997 WE FOUND OUT THAT HER CANCER HAD RETURNED TO BOTH LUNGS, MULTLEBLE KNODULES. WE HAD BEEN AND STILL WAS IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH SHELLY BLECHMAN OF WIN AGAINST BREAST CANCER. WE HAD HEARD OF SHELLY FROM THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY AT THE START OF THIS BATTLE. SHELLY FROM DAY ONE GAVE US INCREADABLE SUPPORT AND INCOURAGEMENT. SO I KNEW WHO WE NEEDED TO TALK TO IN NOVEMBER OF 1997 WHEN OFELIAS DR'S TOLD HER THAT ALL THEY COULD DO WAS MAKE HER COMPTORBLE AND PUT A CHEST TUBE IN HER. MY WIFE HAD NOT RESPONDED TO CONVENTANAL CHEMO AND HAD PLURAL INFUSIONS OF BOTH LUNGS. SHE HAD ONLY ABOUT ONE FOURTH USE OF HER RIGHT LUNG AND HER LEFT LUNG WAS TOTALLY COLLAPSED. TWO ATTEMPTS TO DRAIN HER LUNGS FAILED. IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING AND I LOOKED AT MY WIFE AND SAID "HONEY DO YOU REALLY WANT TO STAY HERE" SHE REPLYED NO. WE LEFT AGAINST THE WISHES OF HER DOCTORS SOON THEREAFTER. WE GOT HOME AND IMMEDIATLY CONTACTED SHELLY. SHE REFERED US TO SIDNEY KIMMAL CANCER RESEARCH CENTER OF SAN DIEGO,CA. WE DID AS SHE SUGJESTED AND THEY PUT MY WIFE ON A STUDY CALLED FUMA. SINCE THAT TIME MY WIFES PLURAL INFUSION HAS TOTALLY DISAPPERED. MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE TREATMENT AND MY WIFE ONCE BEDRIDDEN NOW WALKS THREE MILES OR MORE PER DAY. WITHOUT SHELLY AND WIN AGAINST BREAST CANCER I AM CONVIENCED THAT MY WIFE WOULD BE DEAD NOW.

...I STONGLY INCOURAGE ANY AND ALL BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS AND THEIR RELATIVES TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL WIN AGAINST BREAST CANCER FOR THE BEST SUPPORT I BELIEVE AVAIABLE TO ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THIS WORLD.

 -- TOM AND OFELIA

Dear Ms. Mullen,

I would like to acknowledge and compliment WIN/ABC for the Breast Buddy Support Program that was made available to me.

On September 5, 1997, while showering I palpated a mass in the lower outer quadrant of my left breast. Initially the fine needle aspiration revealed fibroadenoma. What a relief! However, I was not convinced of such a favorable outcome. My maternal grandmother was reported to have a breast mass. She died of a pulmonary embolus. My mother succumbed to neurological complications of breast cancer in 1996. My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994, she is doing well. had I escaped this familial breast cancer syndrome? No. The lumpectomy revealed breast cancer, tubular histology, which is considered rare. Axillary dissection revealed no tumor. Radiation therapy was done.

I cried for three consecutive days after learning of the diagnosis. Since reading is one of my hobbies and the library is my favorite place to visit, I journeyed to the bookroom to find information. One of the books I read listed WIN/ABC. Since this was a local group, I called for advice.

I met Renee Gaines. She was very supportive. Her voice expressed empathy and compassion. She promptly sent me information about the organization, the breast buddy program, books on breast cancer, general information an malignancy and links to the Internet. After I hung up the phone I felt better because there was some one to talk to. Renee still calls or writes a note to say hello. It is people like her who make the world special.

...Once I reach the one year anniversary as a breast cancer survivor I would like to become a breast buddy. Please send an application to me.

I am forever grateful to WIN/ABC!

 -- Vickie