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| Anne
O'Connor
I am a thirteen year survivor of breast cancer. It was discovered
very early by my annual mammogram examination. For me, the
surgery and six months of chemo were relatively easy. The
mental and emotional strain; and deciding, along with the
doctors, on the course of treatment was the difficult part.
Others are not as lucky as I and some do have a very difficult
time physically during their treatment.
I joined the Hope Chest group four years ago because it
sounded like a fun way to get physical exercise - I found
much more. The Hope chest has become a very, very diverse
group of warm, loving, wonderful friends who band together
to support each other, enjoy life and do what we can in the
pursuit of a cure for breast cancer. |
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| Claudet
Burns
Against ALL ODDS
I never had the opportunity to be on a Sport
Team. High School was in a Convent, with no gym or Sports.
Physical workout was limited to walking to the Court Yard
each morning for May Crowning.
When I had the chance to join Hope Chest, I jumped at it.
The Coach and founder, Laurie Dooley, and all the ladies welcome
new members with open arms. We were never made to feel like
new-bees, everyone was friendly and helpful. The friends,
the shared experiences, the feeling, we are all in the same
boat has been a great comfort. Hope Chest is a different kind
of Support Group, but the ladies are very supportive, ready
and willing to help if needed. I joined Hope Chest in Sept
2001, it was, and still is a very rewarding experience for
me. A year later when I first stepped into a Dragon Boat at
a race in Canada, I was thrilled and excited. To this day,
each time I get in a Dragon Boat for practice or a race, it's
a treat. When you’re at the starting line, your heart
pounding, and the gun goes off, you give it your all. It seems
like forever before the Steer Person says "let it ride"
as we cross the finish line. Your tired, excited, but most
of all you have the feeling of accomplishment. We did it,
no matter were we placed, we did it. A hap hazard crew of
twenty wonderful, brave, never say die women, finished the
race. We're all in the race of our life.
In Aug 2005, I celebrated ten years Cancer free, I was confident,
I had it beat. Six months later the Cancer was back, this
time with a vengeance. The Doctors at Roswell gave me hope
where there seemed to be none. Against all odds, I have been
able to go on with my life as though nothing is wrong. I've
returned to work, manage my small Business, walk a mile or
more a day, and have even paddled on occasion. I cherish each
day. I'm inspired by the strength and courage shown by the
women who have bravely fought the battle more than once, and
won. I know I am fighting an up hill battle, but with the
help of God, my family and friends, I know I'll reach the
top. |
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| Evelyn
Starkey
My breast cancer diagnosis was the result of a (rarely initiated)
self examination in July, 2000. Once the diagnosis was confirmed,
a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation followed.
Prior to the diagnosis, I was deeply involved in a wonderful
late-life career, helping Head Start teachers secure certification
in the field of early childhood education, settled in a routine
and thinking “life is good”. However, after raising
and launching five children, I should have realized that life
would still hold surprises, empty nest or not. The breast
cancer scenario brought this awareness to me, without question
and very abruptly.
Fast-forward to my current life. I pass many days never
giving the cancer one thought (initially unimaginable). I
believe that my many activities make this possible. At the
top of the list is my involvement with the Hope Chest Dragon
Boat Team. As I glide along the Buffalo River in an oversized
canoe, paddling with 21 mates, I can't help but feel that
life is good, not without "surprises" but darn close. |
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| Georgia
LoCurcio
I was a 55 year old widow of ten years in May of 1998, I had
2 children, Gina and Joe who had their own careers and lived
out of town. I had a wonderful companion, Gary, who is now
my fiancé. Life was good. Then I was diagnosed with
stage II breast cancer. As a result of my diagnosis, I had
a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, (lost all my hair, which was devastating)
radiation and hormone therapy.
My family and friends were all very supportive. However,
others couldn’t really understand what I was going through
as well as someone who has experienced this diagnosis themselves.
This is where the survivors from the HOPE CHEST came in. These
women are so positive and so filled with life one cannot help
but appreciate every minute of every day. They pull you up
when you are down and encourage you to do some things that
you thought were impossible. I never thought that I would
paddle a boat. Now I look forward to this challenge, and the
time spent exercising and celebrating life with these wonderful
women. |
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| Maureen
Stamp
I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in Feb. 1998. I was operated
on by a great surgeon and friend, Dr. Eckert. The operation
was a lumpectomy of the right breast. It was a horrible time
in life for me. I thought my life was going to end. Becoming
a survivor changed how I was going to start this new life.
Certainly I would think more about people, those I knew or
had yet to meet. The Hope Chest has made me become the person
I was hiding inside myself. We have made more friends than
we ever thought we would. It has also helped me to become
more confident person. Fantastic having such a great life
to live now! Thanks to Laurie Dooley and the Hope Chest. |
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| Pat
King
I almost cancelled the mammogram that discovered by breast
cancer. I had a mastectomy on St. Patrick’s Day, March
17, 1988. I remember saying to my husband, “No corned
beef and cabbage for me today.”
After the mastectomy, one of my biggest concerns was my
husband’s reaction to my body, post-surgery. When I
finally had the courage to ask him if he wanted to see the
scars, he replied, “Pat, you have been undressing in
front of mirror, you don’t have to worry.”
I sought out a support group, but couldn’t find the
one that was right for me. I was reluctant to join the Hope
Chest because I was so discouraged. However, I walked in and
discovered it is a “celebration of life”, a program
that gives you back control of your body and promotes emotional
wellness as well as physical wellness. This was exactly what
I had been looking for. |
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| Shirley
Davidson
I am an original member of Hope Chest. My breast cancer was
in remission. I decided to see what dragon boating was all
about. Our dear leader Laurie Dooley surely did teach us.
In the process I strengthened my body. Today I am much stronger
than I have ever been, and I'm six years older. My fellow
breast cancer survivors (we now number 60 or more, having
started with about 12) are my friends and true supporters.
I love all of them. |
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It’s
October now. Autumn has arrived. The sight of seemingly herds of squirrels
flamboyantly skirmishing about our lawns is a daily occurrence. Up and
down the trees they run; gathering and storing away their food supply
that must carry them through another season. The sounds of the flocks
of geese; in a formation that provides security and assures success, embark,
once again, on their journey southward. The cool nights that compel us
to cover ourselves with an extra blanket as we sleep. The dawn dew upon
our lawns is now a silver frost embellishing the reflected rays of a sunrise
ever more distant. The affectionate hand of Mother Nature has gently transferred
the warm days of summer to another region to another community. You can
sense a change taking place in our natural world. A new season, in a cycle
ever so familiar, yet ever so ambiguous.
With this uncertainty comes doubt. Doubt fosters inquiry
and inquiry initiates indecisiveness. I fleetingly question my rational
of spending another winter season north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Then
I begin to reminisce the memories of the past. It is all clear to me now.
My boyhood days of building snow forts and the seeming endless hours spent
playing with my friends on a school day off, following a snow storm. The
hot chocolate that ensued as my mom and I sat in the kitchen, lovingly
debating “Why didn’t you keep your hat on”. Back then
it seemed more like a scolding than a debate. The gathering of family
around the Thanksgiving table; full not only of the fragrance of good
eat’n, but also full of the security of love. All of these moments
in time give reason for why I so love and cherish this Western New York
community; I will forever call home.
The strength of the human spirit and the unity of kinship
converge to create a sense of purpose that is capable of overcoming all
obstacles. I feel that this is particularly true in this community. That
is why I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to write this article.
It is not about me nor is it entirely about the natural flow of every
day life. This story is about the strength of a sisterhood of women who,
together, have risen above a difficult time in their lives and together
they have sculpted a quality of life for themselves that few will ever
achieve. It is about the women of The Hope Chest Team.
The Vision
The Hope Chest Team was a vision aspired by a friendship
between two women. Nina Sacco and Laurie Dooley had been friends for many
years. They shared many common ties throughout their lives. They raised
their children together and
eventually began working out together in the evenings; both aspiring to
become personal trainers. At age thirty-eight, Nina’s life was suddenly
transformed from that of a healthy middle aged mother, to that of a woman
facing the challenges of coping with breast cancer. Nina approached this
adversity with the strength and fortitude of a warrior. During her treatment
she continued to walk and she would drag herself to the gym whenever possible.
“She believed in moving everyday of her life” states Laurie.
Nina then decided that she would like to make a difference in the lives
of breast cancer survivors. She asked Laurie to help and together they
created a wellness program that would break “the silence and loneliness
cancer can create. In January of 2000 the Hope Chest Program was founded.
Laurie Dooley would be the personal trainer for the program and Nina Sacco
was the inspiration and motivation for what would become a vanguard initiative
in the approach toward treating breast cancer survivors. Liz Guay, the
very first breast cancer survivor treated by Laurie, felt that Laurie
was being to gentle in her treatment. This led them to inquire and seek
alternative exercise treatments that would establish a protocol for the
Hope Chest Program. This led to the establishment of using dragon boat
racing as a catalyst for development of “full and active lives”
for breast cancer survivors. Its inception was based on a research study
conducted by Dr. Don McKenzie of Vancouver, British Columbia. He dispelled
the myth that breast cancer survivors should refrain from certain extensive
and repetitive upper body exercise and found that dragon boating did not
seem to cause lymphedema in those volunteer subjects who participated
in the study. And so a vision was born and the race had begun for these
three women. A vision of hope and a race to re-establish a quality of
life, once thought lost, to the survivors of breast cancer.
The Race
A new goal had been established. By September, 2000 Laurie
needed to recruit and train 20 women to participate in a dragon boat race
in Toronto. She did just that. Offering free training she had quickly
recruited 18 women. Together they weight trained and they also sat in
a raft inside her pool practicing the techniques of paddling. In September,
2000 they where on the docks at Ontario Place preparing to participate
in their first ever dragon boat race. Dwarfed by over one hundred thousand
people, the Hope Chest Dragon Boat team from Western New York would be
only one of the 150 teams racing that day. This didn’t phase these
women. They “felt alive” and together and were ready for “living
on the edge”. In a race which only usually takes only 2 minutes
50 seconds, it took 20 minutes just to get in the boat for the first time.
In this 44 foot wooden canoe this team would race through four foot waves
on Lake Ontario. They didn’t win; but they were winners.
This début blossomed into a mission toward future
participation in races. Working out year round they weight train twice
a week during the off season and between June and the end of October they
row out of the RCR Marina twice a week. Today there are three teams of
20 women that race in competition three times a year. From Canada to the
Southern United States, the Hope Chest Team bring their impassioned attitude,
of living life to the fullest, with them to every race. Laurie states
that “The women of the Hope Chest really exemplify how life can
be better after you are diagnosed with breast cancer. That you can be
more active, you can be more physically fit. You can be more inspired,
more empowered and do things that you never thought you could do in your
life.” Be not afraid for there is hope and it is right here in Western
New York. It is driven by the fortitude of breast cancer survivors and
many volunteers such as Laurie Dooley and an iron worker from Chautauqua
County who built their trailer as a tribute to his mother who had breast
cancer. It is watched over by the spirit of Nina Sacco who passed away
in May, 2000. So if you see a 44 foot purple and white dragon boat being
paddled out in our marina, remember that these women, sitting as a tribute
to their mentors and friends, Nina Sacco and Betsy Lee, are traveling
to a future full of aspired dreams that life can be better.
The Future
The good news is that the rate of breast cancer survivors
is increasing due to the new treatments and medical advances being used
today. Continued efforts must be made to enhance the quality of life issues
facing these survivors. The obstacles that we all face are overcome by
the strength of the human spirit and the unity of kinship exemplified
by the women of The Hope Chest Team. Their arms are opened and their support
is endless. Join them in their efforts. Share in their joy. It is a challenge
that will continue to engulf many families throughout Western New York
and today we can stand proud and confident that there is a future after
diagnosis.
I invite you to visit the website of the Hope Chest Team
at: www.hopechestbuffao.com.
Also on Friday October 13, 2006 there will be a documentary
presented at The Market Arcade on Main Street in Downtown Buffalo. The
times are 7:30 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. It is the collaborative effort of many
people but a special thank you must be extended to Jon R. Hand for the
filming and his son Andrei Hand for the still photos to be presented.
Join us in helping these women fund their endeavors and overcome their
challenges.
Following are a collection of biographies on some of the
women whose lives have been so positively impacted by this organization.
It is their thoughts that hold true and it is their attitudes that honor
us all. |
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| Joan
Jacobs
I think the Hope Chest is a great way to get on with your
life after having breast cancer! Instead of wallowing and
worrying, I get together with a great group of courageous
Breast Cancer Survivors for a healthy and fun experience twice
a week. Thanks to a wonderful leader, Laurie Dooley, and these
outstanding women, I am able to view my experience (diagnosis
& surgery in 2002, followed by chemo, radiation, etc.)
as a bump in the road. I've had a lot of support from family
and friends, but the Hope Chest holds a special place in my
heart. We're a TEAM - and we're there for each other, whatever
lies ahead.
I wouldn't have chosen to develop breast cancer almost 4
years ago, but since it chose me, I'm sure glad that I'm on
this team. I've been a very fortunate woman with terrific
family and friends, but I never would have imagined that cancer
would give me the blessing of a group like this! |
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| Kathy
Daily
Four years ago I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer.
It was a total shock for me – I had never thought cancer
would touch me; heart disease was what I feared. When I went
in for a routine mammogram, the doctor found the tumor and
from that day on, I was a breast cancer patient. Now I am
a survivor, thanks to my doctors, health care and the support
of my wonderful husband, family and friends. When I went to
a chiropractor for some back pain, she told me about Hope
Chest, a dragon boat team for breast cancer survivors. I had
never heard of dragon boating and did not know what to expect.
But I contacted Laurie Dooley and she told me what it was
all about. I have learned in the past 18 months that I am
not alone and that I can have quality of life after a lumpectomy,
chemotherapy and radiation. All the gals on the team offer
support to each other. We don’t dwell on our disease
but we are there to talk to one another if needed. The competition
is for fun, never is there any pressure on us to excel, just
to do the best that we can. |
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| Michele
Vitale
After reading a reminder that is was Breast Cancer Month,
I had done a self-examination and discovered a lump in my
breast. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 46 years of
age in October 2002. I had a mastectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy.
This negative turned into a positive with my involvement with
the Hope Chest Team. The support, encouragement, and unspoken
sisterhood are immeasurable. I‘m also very fortunate
to have the love and support of my husband, two children,
family, friends and co-workers. I do not worry about tomorrow
but focus on living today. Being 50 is great when you weren’t
sure if you were even going to see it! |
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