referring to breast cancer awareness. “I would love to be part of it, but I don’t want that to be my message.” But when Denise admitted to her new friend that she didn’t want to participate in cancer awareness walks because it still hit too close to home, things changed. “Michelle was like, ‘What? Are you kidding me? It’s the best!’” Denise said. “So she got me to my first walk. She got me to my second walk. She got me to my third walk. And right along the way, she’s just been a really great inspiration.” Michelle’s enthusiasm hasn’t only helped Denise, but Sierra as well. When her mom was diagnosed, she took steps into herself, Denise said; having another family to relate to helped her to heal. “If I can inspire one person, then you know what,” Michelle said, “God had a different plan.” Among the many people Michelle’s inspired is her own mother. When Michelle was diagnosed, she tested BRCA positive. Michelle’s mother, a survivor herself, brought this news to her doctor. “Well, that changes everything, Sharon,” the doctor told her. Michelle told her mother, “If I can do this, you can do this.” So Sharon underwent a mastectomy and began mentally preparing herself for chemo.
But when the time came around for the followup, the doctor scratched his head and told Sharon, “I don’t know if you believe in miracles, but we went in there, and there’s no cancer.” That’s Michelle’s message, she explained. “Every day has the possibility of a miracle,” she said. “And so if I can encourage one person — and my message now in [terms of ] breast cancer is get your mammograms.” Thanks to Denise’s mammogram and subsequent early detection, she didn’t have to go through chemo and radiation. Now Michelle, her mother, Denise and her daughter attend breast cancer awareness events locally to show support. Michelle convinced Denise to be part of the American Cancer Society’s Wall of Hope this year, too. “That was a huge feat for me,” Denise explained, “just because I’m not eager to share the story or the history that I have.” Both survivors do everything they can to bring hope to anyone newly diagnosed. “You’ve got to have fear or faith. Which one? You decide,” Denise said. “You have to go back to something. And for some people it’s faith or friends or family. And I think that that’s something that connects Michelle and I.” SWM For more information on the American Cancer Society, visit cancer.org.
October 2016
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