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Sherry Skinner
When I was asked to write a bio, I thought, how does a person put a piece of their life on paper. Where do I start? The experiences I went though, I hope no one ever has to through it.
My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1979. She died in 1980, at the age of 46. I saw how cancer had taken the life out of her. Here was a mother of eleven doing her best to make sure her children had everything they needed to succeed in life. She never got the chance to see how well we’ve done.
30 years later my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2008, she was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. I didn't really understand what the stages meant, because when my mother had breast cancer, no one mention to us about what stage she was in.
I saw my sister work hard to get her degrees. She was a LICSW social worker at John Hopkins Hospital. I watch her go through radiation, chemo and all the side effects that goes with the treatments. As she was going through second round of chemo, I was informed that I had breast cancer. How was that possible? Two sisters cannot have breast cancer at the same time. There was no rule that didn’t allow this to happen.
In 2009, just as I was to begin my treatments, my sister died. She was 42. That was a sad day in my life. There would be no one to talk to about my experiences. I knew somehow I had to make it though. Life has a way of punching you in the face. You either stand up and fight or lay down in defeat. I was not going to let the disease win. I stood up and fought.
I worked in the morning and went for my chemo treatment in the afternoon. After the chemo treatments, I began my radiation treatments. Instead of eating lunch, I would drive from Caton to GBMC for my radiation treatment. From Caton to GBMC is a 30 minute drive one way. After the treatment, I would go back to work. Trying to run a department after chemo and radiation treatment is not easy. I would go to meetings, write RFPs and do volunteer work. My memory was not as good as it was before the treatments, but I never once thought about giving up. I believed if I gave up, I fail. Failure is not a word I do not like to use.
The doctors and nurses at GBMC are the greatest. I don’t think I could have made it without them. Their upbeat attitude kept me going. Never once did they make me feel unpleasant. They were always there to assist me with anything I needed. When you have a doctor who is standing by your side while you are being prep for surgery and wheels you to the operating room, you know you have the best.
A year has gone by and I am cancer free. I am going to continue to do all things I want and not think about what will happen if the cancer should return.
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