WELLU would like to share the following testimonials with you on behalf of three fellow Lawrence colleagues who have chosen to share their personal stories of how breast cancer has affected their lives.
A personal message from Lawrence University Staff Member
Janice Staedt, Alumni and Constituency Engagement
I am in the midst of my journey to being a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed in May and treatments and another surgery will take me to next spring and beyond. It is a battle, but support from family, friends and co-workers sustain me.
I encourage women to have annual screenings. My cancer did not show up on a mammogram or an ultra sound so I encourage both women and men to pay attention to their bodies. Early detection is key to survival.
Keep supporting this cause and if you are touched by other causes, support them as well.
~Janice Staedt
A personal message from Lawrence University Staff Member
Patty Leiker, Human Resources
I’ll never forget the day, December 13, 2006, when I unexpectedly heard those three dreaded words, “You have cancer”. Having just turned 40 with no family history of breast cancer, I was shocked. While doing a self-breast exam (just three weeks before my scheduled mammogram), I found a lump. I immediately thought the worst and then my mind went to “No way – it couldn’t be”. I immediately called my doctor and just three days later it was confirmed. After a lumpectomy, several months of chemotherapy, followed by six weeks of radiation, and five years of adjuvant therapy, I am thankful and blessed to be alive.
If you are age 20 or 30 or 40 or 50, no matter what age you are, I cannot stress enough the importance of regular monthly self-exams and mammography. Since my cancer was fast-growing, it is an early diagnosis that saved my life. So my message to all women AND MEN, is to know your body, do regular self-exams, and seek medical attention immediately if you have any suspicions. No matter what type of cancer, early detection is the key to survival.
- Patty Leiker
