Komen Tulsa Offers Help To Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients

This year, nearly 3,000 Oklahoma women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

It's overwhelming news to hear, but now, these women have a little extra help thanks to folks who Race for the Cure.

 When Terri Beeler was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer, her world turned upside down.

"I felt like no...I said are you sure?  Have you ever been wrong and she said no but I hope I am. I hope I am wrong. I just felt like I'd been punched in the stomach...couldn't breathe. And off we went and I haven't stopped," said Terri Beeler.

Within a few weeks of that diagnosis, she was given this, a bag filled with all sorts of helpful items.

"Really it's a way to pamper women and let them know they're not alone, to let them know that there are people out there caring and really want to make a difference in their lives while they're going on this journey. At a time when you're maybe feeling alone,  to let them know you're not alone," said Christy Southard, Komen Tulsa Executive Director.

Komen Tulsa makes these bags available for newly diagnosed patients. Each bag contains items that can help a patient on their journey. A blanket, journal, book mark, hand lotion, chapstick and lots of information to help answer questions. It was something that helped Terri.

"The bag it really touched me because somebody cared enough to put these things in it," said Terri Beeler.

The bags are available at local doctors offices and at the Komen offices. They are something new being offered and more and more people are learning about them. 

"We'll get notes from people and sometimes they'll stop in the office in tears and say I got one and now can I give one to someone else I know about and that's the really great part for us because we see it being paid forward," said Christy Southard.

Terri had a double mastectomy but just found out she will not have to have chemotherapy.  Still, she says she understands the idea of paying it forward and wants to help other women on their journey.

"I hope to use this experience to just stress the importance of self check and I really hope to help other women who don't have support because there are a lot of women who don't have a support group and I think that's very important because you do feel so alone," said Terri Beeler.

Money raised at Tulsa's Race For The Cure will help fund the newly diagnosed bags along with many other programs.  Seventy-five cents of every dollar stays here and the other 25 percent goes to fund research.

This year's Race For The Cure is set for September 24th and ONEOK Field in downtown Tulsa.  Visit the Race For The Cure webpage to register or check out LeAnne Taylor's team page on NewsOn6.com