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Heartfelt Tribute to Cancer Survivors
By Joyce Tsai
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Phyllis McFurley fought her first battle against breast cancer in 1960. She still remembers how traumatic it was to lose her right breast and how the cobalt treatments left her badly burned.
Back then no one utter the "C-word." Once a friend's mother banned her from being in the same room with Mc Furley, out of fear that the cancer was contagious.
"Some of the things I have blacked out of my mind," she said. Nearly 35 years later, it's still hard for her to talk about it.
So when they found cancer in the other breast last year -- nearly 34 years later -- she was stunned.
"When I came home, I broke a whole set of dishes, by throwing them across the room," McFurley said. "You get sick to your stomach like you do with radiation. It was very hard."
McFurley is among six winners of the seventh annual Heart & Soul awards, which recognizes breast cancer survivors for their courage in fighting the illness and their willingness to help others fighting the same battle.
An awards program at 6 p.m. today at Macy's Walnut Creek will feature a video presentation of their stories, a fashion show and discounts of up to 20 percent for most Macy's purchases the next day. The event is sponsored by Macy's and John Muir-Mt. Diablo Health System.
A tremendous survival instinct can be found in all breast cancer survivors, said program director Brenda Carlson.
"We would love to honor every single person who is diagnosed with breast cancer," she said. But the "C-word" stigma exists still. Of the 300 to 400 hundred individuals who come through Mt. Diablo and John Muir medical centers, these women were chosen not only for their stories, but also their willingness to put a public face on the illness.
Thirty-year-old Gabriela Jacobs, a UC Berkeley police officer, also will be honored. She was having problems breastfeeding her second son in April 2004 when a doctor gave her the news.
"I thought, I'm only 29 years old. This can't be happening to me. And I had a newborn, and two other children, and I thought, 'Gosh, I've got to live. My children need their mom.'"
Another winner, Sherrie Cunningham, 38, said the battle has made her a stronger person.
"I have been through so much and here's another chance at life for me," she said. "I'm going to take it and maximize it."
It's her mission to share a myriad of tips on how to get through the illness. Now she's wants to share her advice on where those without medical coverage they can get help, if they need it and where African-American women can find wigs, an unexpected challenge.
"People are afraid and don't want to talk about it, but it should be talked about," she said.
"Breast cancer is like a common cold now. People should not be embarrassed or ashamed to talk about it. They should share stories and share life with each other."
(Posted October 26, 2005)