"This is happening to both of us...."   |   Monday, December 3, 2012

Janet P. and her husband 'both' have cancer.... she was actually diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in July of this year, but he husband is fighting this right along-side her, as if he has it as well.

Her first thoughts and concerns when she heard the diagnosis, weren't of herself, cancer, treatment or side-effects, but "I won't be able to start school." A first grade teacher, she LOVES her job and her students, and she immediately was concerned for them, not herself. She was able to attend the schoo's Open House to kick off the year, but was heartbroken that she wouldn't be there to teach this year. As she held one little girl and explained to the students about her illness and what would happen, the little girl spoke into Janet's heart, "It's OK Mrs. P., your hair will grow back." Obviously, a very successful teacher in her area, she's been receiving letters of support and encouragement from some of her previous students who are now in middle school.

Married couples share most things... but Janet and her husband are emotionally sharing her cancer. It's something you can sense between them and something that's brought them closer, emotionally, physically and spiritually. "This is happening to both of us.... we've been so blessed in our lives, and we'll get through this. It's just a matter of what we do next."


She has a huge support system within her family, church, co-workers and the small community she lives in and finds great comfort in this tightly knit group. "Laugh and smile alot! I'm looking for opportunities to share about this journey... God won't waste this time."


Her words of encouragement to other women... "Allow others to minister to you, accept help and allow God to have His way in your life."

Her husband says, "I appreciate her so much more and we don't take anything for granted."

The day before her surgery to remove the cancer, she went to her classroom, one last time and found this quote hanging near her calendar.



"The grace of God means something like: 'Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you I created the universe. I love you.'
There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too."

Exerpt from the devotional Beyond Words (day 127), by Frederick Buechner.

Labels: #bebold, bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer, cancer in women, susan g. komen, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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Designing your own treatment room??   |   Monday, November 26, 2012

Heather L. is an architect.... who would have dreamed that when she designed the Cancer Center and treatment rooms at the University of Michigan Hospital, that she would eventually be a patient in one of those very rooms?


Diagonosed with triple negative breast cancer at age 47, Heather found the lump herself, but didn't think, or didn't want to think it serious. She had a European vacation planned and intended to investigate the lump as soon as she returned....


"I know so many women successfully going through treatment.... I'll just get the lumpectomy and move on with life. No big deal." But, she grows silent when she talks about the survival rate of women with her type of breast cancer... things aren't quite like she'd initially thought.

Now planning more surgery, she's only able to work about 1/4 time, which she seems to struggle with. Involved in a mostly women architectural firm in Ann Arbor, she gets a lot of support from co-workers and good friends. They even were involved in a 'head shaving' celebration, including wine and food!

"This has forced me to slow down... I'm always going at 1000 miles an hour."


"I've had to ask for help.... that's not me."

Labels: #bebold, bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer, cancer in women, susan g. komen, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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Relying on God's promises....   |   Thursday, November 8, 2012

Dorcas G., a gorgeous 49 year old woman, walks through the 'valley of the shadow of death', saying she relies on God's promises and "it's only a shadow."


Diagnosed with Breast Cancer this past March, she was shocked. No family history, originally thought to be benign.... was eventually found to be a rare, aggressive form of cancer, requiring surgical removal of all the cancer and potential cancer areas. But, she felt God was in control and felt complete peace.

"I've always been a runner, having completed 2 marathons, so I was healthy going into this... and I wanted to do it with dignity. I wasn't going to hide myself and I use comedy and humor. Sometimes people don't know how to deal with me!"


Mother to 4 children, she and her husband Manny want to set an example for them of unending devotion, faith and courage. She openly shares her strong faith in God, her involvement in her church and the support from her church family. "God gives me strength, far beyond what I think I might have."

"My children are more comfortable now with the cancer and showing them that I'm confident that I can go the distance with ANYTHING, is important to us. I have more compassion and I sure don't sweat the small stuff!"


She wants other women to know that " cancer will try to strip you of your dignity, but if you keep it in the light, it can't hurt you!"


Obviously a very strong, confident and faith-filled woman, Dorcas makes cancer look 'small' and insignificant in the grand scheme of things in her life. With the strength she gets from her faith in God and her family, I believe that she will conquer not only cancer, but anything else that has the audacity to step in her way! On a recent family trip to Boyne Mountain, during her chemo and treatment, she actually climbed Boyne Mountain to signify the 'half-way' point in her treatment... "God gives me strength to do anything."

Recently spotted on a north Lansing billboard promotion, she says she got quite a bit of attention from family, friends and her students!

Labels: #bebold, bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer, cancer in women, susan g. komen, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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Her little men convinced her to do this....   |   Monday, September 24, 2012

Diagnosed with Stage 2-3 Breast Cancer in December of 2011, Vickie never knew the turns her life would take...


Finding her own lump, she sought medical attention and was quickly diagnosed, with the breast cancer, but also 2 positive nodes, requiring not only chemotherapy, but radiation. Having her sister and both parents deceased from cancer, her confidence wavered. As a single mom, this diagnosis forced her to rely on the two 'little men' in her life, sons, Noah and Peter. And what a help they are!


Having surgery to remove the cancer and her breast, just two days after her wedding, her 'new' life took some serious turns, but her husband is very supportive as well as these little guys in her life, helping her struggle through the twists and turns of cancer and it's treatment. Sitting down, having "an honest conversation" with the boys, Vickie says, "we came up with some things to involve the boys... we made a paper chain to designate the days of chemo, taking down one with each treatment" so they could visually SEE how much longer Mom would be sick.

Her older 19 year old son created a 'play list' for her iPod, songs that mean so much to her and she listened to during the difficult and lengthy chemo treatments. "Cancer puts things into perspective. I don't sweat the small stuff."


As she teared up several times during her photo session, these 'little men' who strongly encouraged her to come and have these portraits done, soothed and comforted her as the tears flowed. They certainly touched my heart. "Take the opportunities God gives you- God always has a plan."- Vickie S.

Labels: #bebold, bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer, cancer in women, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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Exciting News for Oldham   |   Tuesday, August 28, 2012

We've had a banner week this week at Oldham! First, we had a small article appearing within the 'fall' issue of Midwest Living magazine!


If you are a business owner or know a business owner who has been affected by cancer or another life-threatening illness, please have them contact us if they'd like to consider partnering with us for any or all of these needs. We sincerely thank you.

Labels: #bebold, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, Non-profit, ovarian cancer, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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Cancer offers a cure for another problem....   |   Friday, August 17, 2012

Believe it or not, Marlene J. believes getting cancer has cured her long history of depression... How can that be? Cancer being better than depression? Cancer being less of an imposition than depression? Cancer being easier to deal with than being depressed?


She says an emphatic, "Yes."

Diagnosed in January of 2012, after a routine mammogram, with Stage 1, HER2 breast cancer, Marlene was thinking she was just checking off tasks before the usual departure for their 'winter escape' to warmer climes, but she was in for a surprise. Facing only a short time of chemo and radiation, she says the entire experience has changed her outlook on life and how she spends her time and mental energy. Saying, "I've suffered from depression since 1988, when she was 'down-sized' out of her professional career." She said it really took it's toll on her, physically and mentally. Losing over 40 lbs., she now believes that she's a different person because of cancer.

Ever thankful for her special nurses at the Sparrow Cancer Center, she personally is grateful for their support and encouragement. Thanks to Sharon Cosgrove and Joann Anderson, special nurses she attributes her change in attitude to.

Go figure, cancer curing a much more devastating disease to some? You betcha. It's all about attitude and how you look at it.

Labels: #bebold, bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer, susan g. komen, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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Loss is so difficult to deal with....   |   Tuesday, July 17, 2012

In the past few weeks, Oldham has experienced loss again. Two of our Bold and Beautiful women have lost their courageous battles with cancer. Again, cancer has taken loved ones from families, mothers from children and wives from husbands.

Sabrina Maddox was photographed during our inaugural launch of Be Bold, Feel Beautiful in 2010. Sabrina had a great faith and thought all along that she'd beat this cancer. Initially diagnosed with breast cancer, it eventually spread throughout her body till she passed last week at the age of 49 years old. MUCH too young to be taken by such a vicious disease. Keeping the severity of her illness and the progression of the disease from her family, she lived 'doing things her way' till she was too ill, with doctors telling the family she had approx 3 months remaining, she succumbed much sooner at just two weeks. Please keep her family in your thoughts... they are understandable angry that she was taken so quickly and so young.



We received word also that Robin Muns, age 52 of Williamston passed as well. Again, part of our 2010 group of Bold women, she also was originally diagnosed with breast cancer  back in 2003 and finally succumbed to metastatic cancer in her bones and brain. Her husband Jim says, "she was always Bold, even before being photographed... she never felt funny going out bald. She was always like that."
Her daughter Amanda sent me a story about Robins journey and I think it important to share...  a true 'picture' of a detertmined woman and her journey to eternal life.

"In April of 2003 Robin found out she was expecting her second and third grandchildren. In the coming months she was diagnosed with breast cancer, underwent chemo and radiation and found out the she could expect two little girls within days of each other. Her determination was endless. She not only wanted to meet them, but she wanted to make memories with them for many years to come. She met both of them and spent the next 5 years cancer free.

While expecting her 4th grandchild she became sick again. The cancer was back and in the same location as the first occurrence, so radiation was not an option. A double mastectomy and chemo therapy began immediately. Robin always took everything in stride. She used her mastectomy as an opportunity to make people laugh. It seems strange, but Robin didn’t want friend or family to feel strange or sad for her. She offered her experience and even a glimpse of her scars if someone asked. Her granddaughters freely played with her prosthetic breasts, putting them under their shirts and giggling at each other in the mirror. A lucky few donned her with beads after a flashing or two. Robin gave more to others than she ever expected to receive in return. She excitedly welcomed her 4th granddaughter in October 2008.
 

Labels: #bebold, bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer, Non-profit, susan g. komen, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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"I live in church....it's where God speaks to me."   |   Thursday, June 14, 2012

Joyce, age 64, discovered her own lump in 2009, as many women do... a small lump in her breast and a casual trip to the doctor. Originally, just drained and said to be benign, she moved on, thinking nothing more of it. But when that same breast became unusually painful, she was alarmed. In March 2011, mammography found a Stage 2, breast cancer, with 3 of 10 nodes involved. She was devastated... I just wanted to know, "Am I going to die? Cancer in my mind, was a death sentence."


Now, having undergone 3 surgeries and then a mastectomy, 35 rounds of chemo and 32 radiation treatments, she's come out a different lady on the other side!


"I walked my first Komen walk this year and met so many other people. It was so encouraging to know that there were so many people who care about us.... I cried the whole time.... There was so much love there!" Her faith is very important to her and she spends much of her time in her church, Grace Tabernacle... "trust in the Lord, He will see you through anything. I really think He was trying to get my attention!"

She's come out so much stronger, as many of these women do. She's taking her journey and documenting it in a book she's writing. Compiled from her journals and writings each day... she plans to tell her story in a format that might help other women, walking in the same shoes. She's making lemonade out of lemons and she's taking better care of herself, having lost 100#, just eating differently.

She readily admits, "I've always been afraid of people hurting me and I never let people get too close, till now." I'm so happy that she's chosen to be stronger because of this! She is the picture of confidence and beauty!

Labels: #bebold, bald woman, bald women, Be Bold Feel Beautiful, breast cancer, breast cancer awareness, cancer, susan g. komen, Susan G. Komen Mid-Michigan, Terri Shaver, The Oldham Project

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