Cancerwise

When I was going through breast cancer treatment in 2006, I remember a volunteer coming into my room while I was receiving chemotherapy at UT MD Anderson.

She was a breast cancer survivor, someone who had already been through what I was going through. So, I wanted to be her — cancer-free, looking great and past all the treatments.

“One day,” I said to myself, “I will come back here and be a volunteer, too.”

It took me a while, but I finally started volunteering at UT MD Anderson this year. It was worth the wait.

Parenting takes precedence

One reason it took me so long to start volunteering was I was raising kids. I was 26 weeks pregnant with my younger son when I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in May 2006.

I remember having a lot of concerns at the time, like, “What’s going to happen to my child?” And, “Am I going to make it?”

Once I was on a treatment plan, though, the uncertainty got much better. Breast medical oncologist Dr. Richard Theriault (now retired), specialized in treating pregnant women. So, I was confident I was in the very best hands.