Hey there everyone! I know that I officially "stink" as a blogger these days. It is hard to believe that I have not written anything in months. Life, reconstruction, hospital stays, exhaustion, etc. have simply gotten in the way. I have done my best to keep friends and family updated via Facebook, but I promise to start writing again soon. Good news...I'm cancer free!! Bad news...my body just doesn't want to heal from all the trauma. So, reconstruction is on hold. In the meantime, please take a moment to read the guest blog spot about Kasie Coleman below.
Kasie, you are in my thoughts and prayers.
I'll write more over Thanksgiving break...I have SO MUCH to be thankful for and so many things to write about. It is time to make blogging a priority again.
Much love!!!
XOXO,
Sue
Hi there, Cancer and
Cupcakes readers. I’m Faith, and I’m here on behalf of The Mesothelioma Center.
We’re a team of cancer advocates who want to spread the word about health,
research and recovery – and, of course, provide some inspiration to survivors,
the way that Sue does every day here on C&C.
Sue’s been fearlessly
sharing her story with us (and you!) and graciously offered us her blog today
to let us share a similar story. My co-workers and I have all been cheering for
Kasie Coleman as she bravely battles her terminal mesothelioma diagnosis, and
consistently proves that there’s always hope for a future – no matter what your
medical records read. Perhaps you’ll lend her some support as well? (You’ll
also be happy to know that Kasie loves to bake cupcakes, as well, and actually
has her own bakery.)
Kasie Coleman was diagnosed with mesothelioma in July 2010.
She’d been experiencing symptoms for nearly two years – but because she was far
outside the traditional patient profile, this rare cancer was one of the last
things on her doctors’ minds.
(Of the 3,000 or so patients who are diagnosed with
mesothelioma each year in the U.S., the vast majority are white men older than
65. That’s three strikes for Kasie – an African-American woman who was in the
first half of her 30s.)
But after a long – and emotionally exhausting – diagnostic
process, a surgical oncologist finally nailed it down. The official result: malignant peritoneal mesothelioma.
At the time, the outlook was not favorable. The most
up-to-date research indicated a survival rate of several months to a year – and
that was the most positive figure. But for Kasie, those statistics were just
that – an estimate, not a final sentence.
Her medical team wasted no time in putting her on a highly
aggressive treatment regimen. After nearly two years of chemotherapy cocktails
and invasive surgeries, Kasie heard the news that incredibly few mesothelioma
patients hear: “You’re in remission.”
While researchers have made major strides since the time of
Kasie’s diagnosis (and have, in fact, found that her HIPEC treatment is one of
the most effective ways to treat her specific cancer), mesothelioma is still
considered an incurable disease. However, Kasie stands as proof that even when
the outlook is statistically bleak, there’s always hope.
Real-life miracles like Kasie’s happen more often than we
all think. Whether it’s in the form of remission, a promising response to an
experimental drug or just earning one more day to spend with family, these
successes deserve to be shared. It’s up to survivors to keep the community of support alive and well.
Faith Franz blogs for The
Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com.
She enjoys educating cancer patients and their families about the benefits of
alternative medicine.
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