Q.If you had one minute to tell someone about yourself, what would you say?
A.I am a mother, wife, and daughter (only child.) I am a fighter and an exceedingly hard-working woman. My family means everything to me and my friends are the best presents that I could ask for. My career suits me perfectly and my volunteer efforts have helped to provide positive results for many charities. I want to be remembered for being a giver. I care about the community I live in. I am an advocate for historic preservation and I will always work to raise funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation for breast cancer research.
Q.When you heard the life-altering words, "you have breast cancer," what came to mind?
A.Am I going to die? It never occurred to me that I wouldn't live a long life. I need to be here for my daughter (age 12 at the time). I am an only child, how will my parents handle this? My husband is my rock and he will help me get through this. I couldn't say the words without bursting into tears. I contacted a friend with close ties to BCRF. We were all confident in the care that I would receive at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and I knew that I would be in the best possible care. The rest is history.
Q.During your breast cancer experience, what was the most compelling situation or person that brought you the most help or strength?
A.My entire care team at MSKCC brought me strength. My oncologist reached out to me from his cell phone and arranged my treatment plan to allow for minimal interruption in my life. I worked throughout the course of my chemotherapy and radiation treatments. My radiation oncologist kept me on an equally swift schedule. My surgeon was absolutely phenomenal and explained my breast cancer to me in detail and provided me with all of the specifics regarding the surgery for my lumpectomy. The Joanne K. Adams Team of family and friends helped me through each phase of treatment and I had an amazing network of breast cancer survivors in so many of my dear friends.
Q.Breast cancer has no national boundaries which is why BCRF funds research projects around the world. Why is funding research on a global level so crucial?
A.I have had the opportunity to attend the annual BCRF luncheon and awards ceremony where researchers from around the world receive their grant funding. It is truly an amazing experience to see them all on the stage together. I cry each time. Breast cancer is a global disease and we need the expertise of doctors and researchers everywhere to find a cure. We will exhaust our resources if we don't have a global initiative. Breast cancer knows no boundaries. Many years ago, I lived in Geneva, Switzerland, and a dear friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was so foreign to me at the time.
Q.More than 200,000 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. As a woman and considering this statistic, why is curing breast cancer so important to you?
A.I know too many friends and business associates who have battled breast cancer. The numbers are staggering and the instances of younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer are on the rise. My daughter is sixteen years old and I worry about her and her friends. I entered a clinical trial of chemotherapy treatments because I wanted to do something to help future generations of women. I also donated my breast tissue for research. The future depends on women pioneers who will work with doctors and researchers to find a cure for breast cancer. I always remember the women who came before who lost their lives because the treatments were not what they are today.
Q.Why would you agree that research is the key to curing and preventing breast cancer?
A.Research is absolutely vital for breast cancer prevention and a cure because not all breast cancer is the same. Each woman's diagnosis and treatment is not the same. The genomic testing and methods for working with an individual's breast cancer and DNA is amazing! Curing breast cancer through individualized treatments is the hope of the future. None of this is possible without research.
