Judy and Susan
Left to right: Judy and Susan
By Susan, a Sister Study participant from Missouri
Time stood still for a brief span when my youngest sister, Judy, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was only 32. Her three young children ranged in age from 5 to 2. She had always been healthy and we had no family history of breast cancer. How could this be happening? It wasn’t so much “why Judy,” just “why?” Her husband Dale, Judy and I asked questions for which we had no answers. I was older, a nurse and in the medical field, the one who was supposed to have answers. I didn’t. I've never felt at such a complete loss.
I went to appointments with them, took notes that we could pore over later, and helped Dale with the kids whenever I could. I still felt at a loss. I wanted to take it away from her or somehow, make it “go away.” Throughout all of Judy's treatments and surgeries, I never felt like I was doing enough. Judy and Dale said they didn't feel that way, but I wasn't satisfied. I didn't feel I made a difference because I wasn't able to change what Judy was going through. Miraculously, through faith, prayer, and good medical care, Judy is doing very well.
Recently, I was contacted to participate in the Sister Study and gladly joined the effort. For the first time since all of this started I feel like I am contributing tangibly, in that through this study others may benefit. Judy, our other sister Lisa, who will also be participating, and I all have daughters. My hope is that the information derived from this study can benefit them and future generations in our family and yours.
Being a sister of a woman diagnosed with breast cancer makes us a very finite group of people to study because of our unique association. My goal in writing this is that it will inspire other women who share this unique association to join others and me in aiding researchers to discover more about this dreaded disease.