Journal+7

Liz Gilliland Mrs. Detwiler Honors English April 14, 2011 **Breast Cancer: A Story about a Woman, a Cancer Battle, and Positive Thoughts ** It was a relatively nice Wednesday evening, with a slight breeze, perfect for a patio campfire. The Gilliland family received a phone call from a well-known number on the caller ID, Dr. Mudge. Meanwhile, all of the kids weren’t paying attention except for her only daughter, Liz. Awaiting the news from the doctor, regarding the lumpectomy, Liz watched cautiously as her mom paced outside and tears as tears ran down her face. She slowly came upon the door and opened it to check on her mom. “Mom, are you going to die?” (Gilliland), is what Liz said after her mom shared the news that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer isn’t an easy thing to deal with. Alongside with the emotional journey, there comes a physical journey. There are three types of breast cancer and they are Ductal, Lobular, and Inflammatory. Denise had a minor lump of the Lobular. They all have different symptoms and different reactions. Breast cancer usually happens in women. With that being said, only 1% of males in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer. (Ferrara). The older a person is, the bigger the chance of them being diagnosed with breast cancer. (Ferrara). One thing that is important to remember is that no matter the age of someone or gender, always get checked. It’s important to be more safe than sorry. Breast cancer is the number two killer in America for women. With this knowledge at hand, Denise’s family became very aware, and became a closer family unit than ever before. Denise, coming from a large Italian family, and John, her husband, coming from a large Scottish family, together they gently spread the news into both sides of the family. Both sides, were very helpful, and did everything possible to help and care for the Gilliland family. Out of everyone in the family, Denise and John’s kids took it the hardest. The two oldest twins, Jacob and Alex, were both unusually serious and cried in their rooms a lot. The youngest boy, Michael, didn’t think much of it, coming from the fact he was only nine. Even though this was hard, the three boys did everything in their power to help out their mom. On the other hand, her middle child, Liz, wanted to do everything possible and would not leave her mom’s side. “She was very helpful and mature. She stepped up into the mothering role for the house, and became a role model for her younger brother” (Gilliland). Denise would always explain to her children that everything happens for a reason, and that they would eventually get through it. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">To help get through life cancer free, some treatments might be necessary. Treatments for breast cancer vary quite close to any cancer treatment. This includes chemotherapy, radiation, lumpectomies or other surgeries, and hormonal therapy. To help Denise though this, she mostly focused on support groups and she even started a prayer group called “Tuesdays with Mary.” One of her support groups is called P.I.N.K. and consists of a group of breast cancer survivors who fundraise for the cure of cancer, and meet every Thursday and helps a lot of women mainly by informing them about breast cancer. Support groups are really great ways to cope with something serious like breast cancer and are available all over the country. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Everyone always copes with cancer differently. Uncovering different sides of the young adults that you usually wouldn’t see on a normal basis. (Jones). Gilliland says that age has a big part on the reaction to cancer. The younger someone is, the less calm they are to the reaction, and it might scar them for life. The best way to react to cancer is to stay calm, positive, and aware. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">According to Livestrong, there are five ways to cope with breast cancer. One efficient way of coping with breast cancer is to include family and friends in the situation. The love and support from family and friends is most important and most needed in one’s life. With all of their support, it makes dealing with cancer a bit easier. The second reason is to find extra specialized help whether it’s from therapists or even personal doctors. Dealing with cancer surgeries is tough, and it may help to have a specialized person alongside. The third reason is to keep emotional strength as strong as possible. Because of this, doctors may recommend support groups to help people cope with their loneliness. The fourth way of coping with breast cancer is to stay as active as possible and to stay positive. Remain exercising the recommended amount so the body stays as healthy as it needs to be. Staying positive is the main key in having a successful cancer journey. Don’t give up, and always keep a positive attitude even if the news was bad. The final way to cope with breast cancer is to think about the future. By doing this, it will help with positive thoughts, and think about what cancer-free journeys are ahead. These five ways of coping with breast cancer are proven to help families and single people through their cancer experiences. <span style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">To this day, Denise likes to promote awareness anywhere and anytime to anyone who is willing to listen. With her dad also a breast cancer survivor, and is how Denise got the gene, she is in a support group called P.I.N.K. She enjoys being able to tell her story to others and inspire them. Her kids are all doing well and always remember that their mom is their hero and they can reach out for her every time they have an obstacle, and hope they have the same wisdom and strength as their mom did, to get through their situation. Alex, Jacob, Liz, and Michael are all aware of the risks and possibilities of cancer in their future and when they are of age, they will all be taking tests and scans to be on the safe side because of the chance they will get breast cancer, or prostate cancer, is higher than normal. They also do as much as they can to inform others about their individual experience with breast cancer and are all successful with what they do. The one thing that Denise says to always remember is, never give up and be positive about everything, and you will get through it with the help and support from families, friends, and the community. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">