LAURA HAMILTON

I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in May 2008 – a devastating shock to my “loving life” attitude and healthy lifestyle.  At 28, I had just started a great new career, I had recently purchased a house, and I was finally settling into a real-life routine.  With no trace of breast cancer in my gene pool, the news was equally difficult for my family to accept and understand.

The frightening statistics on young women and breast cancer only made our questions spiral as we waited for test results and appointments.  The possibility of losing my breast was one thing, but I was also terrified of the disease spreading, reoccurring, battling the effects of chemotherapy, potentially losing my ability to have children – my list of “what if’s” seemed endless.

Sitting at the cancer clinic for the first time, I scanned the crowd and my surroundings. What was I doing here?

When my parents found Annette Richard’s name in the London Free Press, they felt a wave of relief and hope.  Here was a person who was not only available to answer questions, she was a doctor who was willing to come to our house and explain what to expect.  Finally.  A doctor who didn’t treat me like a sick patient – a doctor who embraced me (literally) as a person.

Annette demonstrated what the sentinel node biopsy procedure would be like and gave me a greater understanding of breast surgery options.  After anxiously waiting 2 weeks to get my MRI results, I called my family doctor to see if there was anything we could do to quicken the process.  Unsatisfied with the common “sorry-sit-wait” response, my folks called Dr. Richard.  Not only did Annette track down my MRI report (it had been sitting on a desk for a few days!), she faxed the document to my work and talked me through the information.  My parents called Annette multiple times to ease their own anxieties – a true blessing considering a strong and emotionally stable support team is what carried me through that first month.

Getting diagnosed with cancer launched my entire reality into a free fall – a fall that was naturally cushioned by fear, confusion, sadness, and anger.  An isolating experience for any young person.  The compassion and dedication of Annette and her team was infectious and rubbed off on me immediately.  I could fight this.  Breast cancer was do-able.  The initial blow was a big one, with multifaceted outcomes and difficult decisions to make.  However, with support and strength I have learned that cancer can also be a catalyst.  A chance to start fresh.  A permission slip that can get me out of life’s unwanted stress and into life’s abundant opportunities.

And to my surprise, being here hasn’t been so bad after all.  My “loving life” attitude and healthy lifestyle has returned with a new look, a new feel, and a new direction...face it, starting fresh can be fabulous.

Laura Hamilton