When nurses noticed the uncanny similarities between breast cancer patients
Kathy Rector and Cheryl Kiser, they decided to seat the women together
during a chemotherapy (chemo) treatment at
Carolina Oncology Specialists in Hickory. Kathy and Cheryl became fast friends, forming a bond over
battling the potentially fatal disease and coining a name “Chemo
Country Club” with tagline -
now accepting short term members only in honor of the place they met. Cheryl explains, “We were basically
therapists for each other. We shared a wide range of emotions and strength
in our determination to beat cancer. We inspired each other, lifted one
another up, and found ways to belly-laugh through the process.”
Both elementary school teaching assistants, Kathy, 63, works with exceptional
students at West Alexander Middle School and Cheryl, 51, helps in kindergarten
and first grade at Sherills Ford Elementary where she also drives a bus
route. The ladies synchronized treatment appointments and remained in
touch through texts and calls along the way. Kathy adds, “We found
empathy, hope, and companionship in the common ground of side effects
– hair loss, nausea, vomiting, nerve pain, and chemo brain.”
They also drew strength from their husbands, children and faith in God.
This faith extended to
Catawba Valley Health System (CVHS) and its broad network of cancer experts with access advanced treatment
technology.
DIAGNOSIS: BREAST CANCER
Notably, both women discovered suspicious lumps by self-exam despite having
clear 3-D mammograms within eight months prior to diagnosis. Kathy and
Cheryl explain here how everything changed for them in one day:
KATHY - My sister faced breast cancer two years ago, but we didn’t
have a family history of the disease before then. When I felt a lump about
two inches in diameter in the center of my breast during vacation last
September, I saw my gynecologist the following week and got the news –
a diagnosis of triple negative T2 breast cancer with positive lymph nodes.
CHERYL - My mother and grandmother both had breast cancer, so I took the
BRCA genetic test to see if I was prone to the disease. Results showed
“no”, but when I felt a lump, I made a beeline to Dr. Elizabeth
Restino at
Catawba Valley Family Medicine – Southeast Catawba, my primary care physician. She ordered a breast ultrasound and biopsy at
Catawba Valley Imaging Center which confirmed the presence of T3 invasive ductal carcinoma, meaning
cancer had spread to the tissue under my arm. A PET scan also revealed
tumors on my ovaries.
FIGHTING THE FIGHT
Kathy and Cheryl both recall the quick transition of initial shock to fierce
determination. After the sadness of delivering such emotional news to
family and friends over the holidays, they faced the difficult process
of telling faculty, parents and students at their schools which triggered
additional worry and a more public form of concern. Kathy continued working
through treatments, wearing a mask to minimize germ exposure in the smaller
setting of her classroom. But Cheryl took a leave of absence given the
extended population she came in contact with daily. From here, the battle ensued:
KATHY - I had a breast lumpectomy in November, started chemo in December
and then began 32 radiation sessions at
Catawba Valley Health System Radiation Oncology. Two days after Christmas my hair started coming out. The more I brushed,
the more I cried. I tried wearing a wig, but it gave me such a headache,
I decided just to wear hats. Late February, my first grandchild Aubrey
was born when I was sick. I had to wait two long weeks before traveling
to Ocean Isle and hold her in my arms.
CHERYL - For me, processing my diagnosis was a God thing. He allowed me
to absorb things one at a time. I didn’t do research on my own.
Instead, I protected my mind and trusted Dr. Orlowski’s recommendations
to first shrink the breast tumor with chemo before having surgery to remove
that breast and my ovaries. As radiation began, Kathy and I had radiation
mapping done to identify precise targets for the
True Beam radiation system to prevent damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Kathy wanted to compare
maps, so we laughed about where they marked an “x” on my treasure
map, and that her map had a whole lot of hills!
BLESSINGS & SUPPORT
Prayers and acts of kindness enveloped the new-found friends during the
long and challenging months of their respective cancer treatments. From
extended family to people in their church and school communities, both
expressed deep gratitude for the uplifting support that saw them through.
KATHY - I’m extremely grateful for all the people who lifted me up
in prayer and the churches that sent hand-crafted prayer shawls which
I draped over me during treatments. I was also touched when West Alexander
Middle School initiated a fundraiser and wore “Team Rector”
t-shirts in the Cancer Relay for Life.
CHERYL – I didn’t think I was very vain. But when I lost my
hair, I didn’t want to leave my room. Austin, my oldest son, had
an ongoing bet with his college roommate about who would first cut their
hair. Guess what? Austin cut his hair and made a wig for me!
BREAST FRIENDS CELEBRATE AS TREATMENT ENDS
As the ladies reached key milestones and learned that treatments worked,
they celebrated with each other and their whole care teams. Among the
clinical staff they remember:
Now that Chemo Country Club is on suspended status, Kathy and Cheryl are
excited to return to work as the new school year starts soon. They laugh
about how people don’t recognize them now with their new short (hair)
do’s. While cancer has changed them forever, these “breast
friends” plan to remain close and hope other women will find inspiration
in their story to seek support in their own journey to survivorship. CVHS offers a
Hearts of Hope Cancer Support Group that meets the last Tuesday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00pm. Call 828.732.6054
or email the
Cancer Support Group for more information.