Helen's Story, As Told By Her Daughter

LeAnne, This is not my story. It's my Mom's story.

My mother's name is Helen Swearengin.  She found a lump about 12 1/2 years ago and went to her doctor.  She was set up for test immediately. It was breast cancer.  She went through surgery to have a the lump and several lymph nodes removed, then she had to go through all the treatments.  She got what the nurses called the "mother lode" of chemo (the red stuff), and she did 12 weeks of radiation. 

During all of this most people never knew my Mom had cancer.  She was such a trooper.  She wore wigs (my Dad got her a really nice one), and most never knew it was not her real hair.  The nurses at the chemo office even had to ask her she was getting by without losing her hair. 

But the amazing and sad thing about my Mom's story is that just 2 1/2 years before she was diagnosed, her younger sister passed away from breast cancer and her other sister was fighting cervical cancer. 

My Mom helped her even while she was sick herself. 

She made sure my sister and I got checkups mammograms, and she still checks with us to make sure we do it years later.  I went thru all of her treatments and illness with her and I can only pray that if anything like this ever happens to me, that I show the grace and courage that she did. 

My Mom is my hero and I just wanted to tell you her story.  We pray for more negative test every year. so far so great!  Thanks for letting me tell her story.

God Bless you, we pray for you too.

Shari