Mary Bryant

Q. Tell us a little about yourself and your lifestyle.

A. Growing up in a large midwestern family with six children, there was always activity, and with two working parents, meals were basic; meat and potatoes, one pot casseroles and TV dinners. When I came to New York City to model in 1989, I found that maintaining good exercise was done through brisk walking and it eventually grew into running in Central Park. Always busy with a desire to be productive, my goals expanded. While training for my first 26.2 mile NYC Marathon in 1994, I became "nutritionally serious." Soon I felt that running was increasing my strength and stamina in preparation for childbirth, when the time was right.

Although I was raised with a seriously disabled brother who endured 87 surgeries, (my inspiration to run in the first place) I had never spent a night in the hospital or broken any bones. Other than my cancer, I'd be the healthiest person you ever knew.

Q. Describe how you found your cancer, were you on 'watch' or did it sneak up on you?

A. Still in my 30's, I certainly wasn't "on watch" for possible breast cancer. My GYN would do a quick check on my annual visits, and I wasn't really doing any self breast exams. I was crawling into bed one night, and crossed my arms to stay warm when I noticed a lump. I thought I was too young for it to be anything serious, thought that maybe I was finally starting to develop. I was shocked to get a call from one of my best friends, Diane, who told me of her breast cancer diagnosis and need for a mastectomy the following Monday.

Two hours later, I was in my doctor's office. He sent me to a breast specialist who sent me immediately for a full mammogram and sonogram of my left breast. Feeling somewhat odd in a room full of women much older than myself, it turned to numbness when the doctor reported to me after only the mammograms, "We have a problem. You have a very large dense calcification on your left breast present in the early stages of cancer."

I called my friend back that afternoon, "Girlfriend, we're in this together." We had our mastectomies two weeks apart.

Q. Following diagnosis, what helped you cope the most, and gave you strength?

A. Initially, coping was more of a rollercoaster ride. Even though I felt confident with my doctors, getting a second opinion helped with the confidence in my decisions. I didn't want to lose my breast; I didn't want to die. What helped me most was the support and love of my friends, those who were willing to stay by my side through the ordeal, and the power of prayer. Once I accepted that my life was in God's hands, an incredible amount of stress was diminished. Diane and I became closer than ever, as we made our doctor visits and compared notes together. Photographically, we were documenting everything to share with other women to learn from this experience. That helped us both turn cancer into something positive for society.

Q. How has breast cancer changed your outlook on life?

A. The biggest change since being diagnosed with breast cancer, other than confirming that I DO have a purpose in my lifetime, has been in my priorities: making time for quality time with friends and family, spending time & money on people and projects that made a significant contribution to others, and healing the anger that disrupted my daily health and joy.

Q. What advice would you give to someone who is newly diagnosed with breast cancer?

A. For someone who is newly diagnosed, I would tell them to take a deep breath, take a friend to all your appointments, and take notes. There is no one single correct way that will guarantee your recovery. You're not alone. There are many resources to help you get through this. Thanks to a tremendous amount of research being funded by The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, there are new medicines, new protocols, and better antidotes for side effects than ever before. Be in charge of your treatment. When I wasn't able to run during my treatment, I walked. Some days it was a couple of miles and sometimes it was a couple of blocks. I believe that my efforts helped me deal with the recovery. Now, I'm six years cancer free, and I continue to do my life's work. If I'm still here, I must not be done yet.

Q. How has The Breast Cancer Research Foundation been helpful to you?

A. BCRF has been the most incredible support of all the organizations I became involved in since my diagnosis. Looking for every opportunity I could to help others while helping myself, I got involved with the Libby Ross Foundation, The American Cancer Society, and the Young Survival Coalition, which is especially helpful for women under 40. So many great programs, so many great people, yet BCRF is where I'm dedicating most of my time, energy and resources these days. The personal attention and support from Mrs. Evelyn Lauder and Myra Biblowit have marked my heart. The dedication and professionalism of all the staff, who go out of their way to make time for hugs and hellos when I'm in the office, makes living my life by helping others live theirs, all that much worthwhile.