Patricia and Gina
Left to right: Patricia and Gina
By Gina, a Sister Study participant from Missouri
You need to meet my little sister, Patricia! She is the person I most admire and respect. After raising three incredible daughters, Sarah, Emily, and Mary, and finally getting the last one off to college, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her bravery has been awesome…and through all of it, she’s kept her unique, contagious sense of humor. Patricia is the General Manager of one of the largest discount outlet centers in the Midwest. She has a high visibility job, with a lot of responsibility for being out in front of the public. Throughout her chemo, and subsequent hair loss, she faced the public with her normal gusto, bald as can be! She found humor in the quick second looks she received, and managed to make sure she reacted with a big smile. I think it was important to her to show every person she encountered that she was proud to be a survivor. Her determination to “carry on as usual” inspires other survivors and family members. Patricia is blessed with an employer who supports her through all of the surgeries, chemotherapy treatments, doctor visits, medications, radiology scans, etc. The entire company has made her feel like a part of their family, and for that Patricia’s family will be forever grateful. Patricia is an active organizer in many cancer survivor support activities, including the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, seven annual American Cancer Society fundraisers at work, the first area Tell-A-Friend Campaign, and various media interviews. She carries her survivor banner high.
She’s my inspiration, as well as the inspiration of our entire family. Our mother, as well as our mother’s sister, are also breast cancer survivors. We all look to Patricia to keep us hopeful, positive, and laughing our way through life.
There is little I can do to remove the scars or ease the pain Patricia endures. That is why enrolling in the Sister Study is so important to me. I know that by becoming part of the research into breast cancer, I can help my daughters, Elizabeth and Leah, and future generations. Participation in the Sister Study empowers me!