Tracey and Tanya
Left to right: Tracey and Tanya
By Tracey, a Sister Study participant from Virginia
My sister, Tanya, was a very special woman—a loving wife and mother; a true and loyal friend. The biggest fight of her life was battling stage four breast cancer. Tanya was diagnosed with three invasive tumors in January 2003 and underwent a mastectomy and had her lymph nodes removed. By November of that same year, the cancer had spread to her spine and liver. With radiation and chemotherapy treatments, her own determination, and the support of her husband Jim, her children Kerry, Kathy and James, and so many family and friends, Tanya fought diligently to prevent the disease from spreading further.
Tanya was an honors graduate from the Pennsylvania State University, with a degree in Biochemistry. She graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia. She completed her surgical residency at Springfield Hospital in Pennsylvania, practiced podiatric medicine in Delaware for seven years, and attained Board Certification in Podiatric Surgery. Tanya was a dedicated member of St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Wilmington, Delaware, active with the Girl Scouts of America, and had been a pre-school teacher for the Brandywine Valley YMCA in Wilmington, DE.
Sadly, Tanya passed away on September 18th of 2004, at age 38 and on her 11th wedding anniversary. Throughout her fight, Tanya remained positive and a loving motivation to all around her. She educated her family and friends about this dreaded disease, and the void she left is a daily reminder of our responsibility to support breast cancer research, education and awareness programs. Her passing has inspired many others to be involved in this fight.
Tanya tested positive for a BRCA1 mutation. However, the particular mutation she carried is rare and of unknown clinical significance—meaning we do not know if it was, even in part, responsible for her cancer. No other family members on either our paternal or maternal lines have had breast cancer. I am very curious to know the significance of environmental and genetic factors on breast cancer susceptibility for myself, other living female relatives, and in particular, Tanya’s three young children. I hope the Sister Study will be able to help us understand the causes of this horrible disease, and identify preventative measures, particularly for our younger generation and those who might be at risk.
November 2004