Story and experience from SIXTEEN-YEAR BREAST-CANCER SURVIVOR

Story and experience from SIXTEEN-YEAR BREAST-CANCER SURVIVOR

--- MARILYN HOLASEK LLOYD ---

A breast-cancer diagnosis is devastating for any woman, but after the treatment
decisions are made and carried out, what happens next? I found myself in that
position in May 1996. I chose mastectomies for my breast cancer after the excisional
biopsy showed invasive ductal carcinoma in the form of a 1.5 centimeter tumor. The
surgeon later said I had chosen the correct surgery because, at the time, he had not
known that a second tumor of the same size was hiding deep in the breast. To help
prevent recurrence, I chose an oophorectomy (ovary removal), but then what was I to
do? This started my crusade to do whatever I could to prevent recurrence; and fear,
faith, family, and friends, in various combinations, were with me every step of the
way.

My cancer journey taught me to respect fear. That might sound a little strange, but
fear became my friend because it was a great motivator. It helped me to reach the
simple realization that everything I had done in my life up to that point had led to
breast cancer, so everything had to change if I wanted to live.

I had started out as a “sugarholic,” junk-food junkie, couch-potato worrywart. My
intuition told me that my scare with cancer was a matter of life and death, so I made a
lot of changes quickly. I found a wellness guide to advise me; underwent a cleanse;
changed to a wellness diet and lifestyle; walked three miles, five times a week; and
was put on a vitamin regimen. For the first two years, Peter D’Adamo, a nationally
known naturopathic physician in Connecticut, guided my diet, as well as my
supplement and herb intake. I also joined a wellness group and stayed with it for
fourteen years.

During that time, everyone in the group helped each other. Three of us became
long-term cancer survivors. We all shared with one another what we had learned. To
deal with my fear, I sought the help of a therapist, underwent hypnosis, took a Silva
meditation course, and listened to meditation tapes from Bernie Siegel to help with the
sleepless nights.