26 minute read
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month Two Regional Women’s Stories
Jody Doherty
Jody Doherty is a divorced
mother of three children: Katie, 24; Caroline, 21; and Anne, 14. She works fulltime in her practice, Comprehensive Assessment & Rehabilitation Services, Inc. (CARS) which completes neuropsychological evaluations, psychotherapy and vocational assessments. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Temple University. There was no history of breast cancer in her family when she was diagnosed nearly
20 years ago. I thought I felt a lump early in 2003. I dismissed it because I asked my doctor “ to check one out a few years prior, and it ending up being nothing. Recently divorced having escaped a difficult relationship, I was at a good point in my life. I recall sitting on the floor playing with my two daughters at the time (ages 2 and 5) and thinking ‘Life is so amazing. Nothing can interfere with this happiness.’
However, in July 2003, I was at the shore with my family. While watching the Today biopsy that was not successful, I was scheduled to have the tumors removed in the operating room. I learned one week later that I indeed had cancer, and a very aggressive one at that. I elected to have both breasts removed. I also learned that I would have to endure very high doses of chemotherapy that subsequently landed me in the hospital four times. Before beginning my treatment I experienced an interesting blend of both fear and denial. I envisioned that if I thought in a positive manner and if I did everything textbook correctly, then nothing could happen to me. In retro-
Show, I saw a celebrity, who noted that if she had ignored the lump she incidentally found on her breast, she would not be alive to tell her story. I headed to the shower and felt my lump again. My mother, a registered nurse (RN), also felt the lump and instantly knew that we likely had a medical emergency on our hands. I immediately contacted my gynecologist’s office and was told that the first available appointment was in two months. My better sense told me to not wait. Alternatively I was able to secure an immediate appointment with my internist.
Not only did he find the lump I had discovered, but he also found two others.
After I left the appointment, I asked my 31 year old self: ‘What are the odds of finding three tumors, having inflamed lymph nodes, and not having breast cancer?’ Following an in-office needle
spect, I feel guilty because so many wonderful, positivelyminded women lost their battle to breast cancer. Only in hindsight can I see that the outcome is pure, utter luck. At the time, I failed to acknowledge that the outcome of breast cancer was in God’s hands, not mine.
My advice to women who have been diagnosed with
cancer is this: Treatment is temporary. Keep this in mind, even when treatment seems truly harsh in a cruel way. Remember your loved ones and long-term goals while enduring the rigorous treatment.
Historically, I thought I was complacent. I believed that I was muddling through life with the status quo. Since overcoming breast cancer, I realized that absolutely anything is possible. Currently, I am age 50 and pursuing a doctoral degree. There is no way that I would have assumed such a huge undertaking if not for my breast cancer diagnosis. In 2003, with such an aggressive cancer, my odds were quite grim. Because of all of this, any current obstacle with which I am confronted is no big deal. Matters that would have been previously perplexing to me can be easily handled. I have the opportunity to see, appreciate and fully love my children each and every day.
I try not to sweat the trivial things.
Like many survivors, denial kept me from crumbling. Denial can be a coping mechanism. But when we engage in denial, we are suppressing our emotions. While a little denial helps us from caving it is also important not to fully suppress your emotions. I am currently completing my doctoral dissertation research on resiliency and post-traumatic growth in breast cancer survivors. I joined several online breast cancer forums. These online forums seem to serve as a safe haven in terms of asking questions to a highly informed group of individuals, who have shared the same experience. While I continue to learn, I have found that breast cancer survivors who suppress emotions from the onset of diagnosis tend to suffer more in terms of psychological adjustment in the long-term. Emotional experiences should not be ignored, at least not fully. Essentially, it is important to maintain a balance between acknowledging your worst fears while also maintaining a positive outlook. Research says that from a psychological standpoint, breast cancer survivors who maintain such an outlook tend to have favorable mental health outcomes in the long run.
In some respects, I was lucky to be diagnosed at stage 3C. The specific reason for this is that I did not care that I needed a mastectomy. I just wanted the cancer to be removed so that I could continue to raise my children. The mastectomy was the least of my troubles. I did dread the chemotherapy, and while it was challenging it was well worth it as it saved my life. Following chemotherapy, I had 32 radiation treatments, which were an absolute “walk in the park” compared to the effects of the chemo drugs. I also learned that people are more wonderful than I had ever imagined. Strangers were dropping off meals for my children and me. My employer at the time, Allied Services, offered so much support and flexibility. Losing my hair and my breasts was harder on my family and loved ones than it was for me. I didn’t want to wear a wig 24/7. My advice is to listen to the survivor’s needs, and to try to be sensitive to them. Keep in mind that every survivor’s experience is different. As a mental health therapist who sees clients of varying backgrounds, I am very aware that people have different responses to illness. Your loved one may (appropriately) feel anxious or depressed. The best approach is to listen and reflect empathy rather than trying to “fix” things. There is a healing in the opportunity to release troubling emotions versus concealing them. “
Jody-during chemotherapy treatments.
My 3 Most Important Tips
1. Do not ignore a lump even if you feel foolish.
2. Remember that Life is a gift! Before chemotherapy,
I was warned that I very well would not birth another child. The greatest miracle of my whole experience is my 14-year-old daughter Anne. She is a miracle and our blessing.
3. Realize that a tragedy may evolve into an opportunity for growth. If it had not been for my breast experience, I would not have had the courage to pursue a PhD. I anticipate graduating in
July 2024 at age 52 with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.
Jennifer Sagan Michel
J
ennifer Sagan Michel attended The Boston Conservatory where she received a BFA in Dance.
I spent 15 years in musical theater where I sang and danced all over the world doing such shows as “42nd Street”, “Crazy For You,” “Will Rogers Follies,” and “Singin’ in The Rain.” I was a Radio City Rockette on and off for seven years between other opportunities. I had the privilege of working with the legendary Tommy Tune and performed on such stages as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
After retiring from musical theater, I expanded the family business of antiques and furniture restoration to the New York-New JerseyConnecticut area. My husband Jim Michel and I reopened my parents’, Shirley and Peter Sagan’s 40year retail space, The Silo Antiques.
One day we were painting our house and I got very sore. I thought I felt something funny under my right arm, like a hard pea. We called my gynecologist and scheduled a mammogram. When a surgeon tells you “ after 28 years of experience that she didn’t like it, I knew it wasn’t good.
Jennifer's first breast cancer diagnosis was at 47 years old, Stage 1A Breast Cancer on Dec. 31, 2015. She had a lumpectomy, radiation (about 35 treatments), and several rounds of medication.
Jennifer's second diagnosis was at age 51, Metastatic Breast Cancer on Jan. 23, 2019.
I had an unfamiliar pain in my lower back. Though I had never experienced this kind of pain before, I instinctively knew it must be a kidney stone. I had an ultrasound that confirmed a 4mm kidney stone. A week later, Jimmy and I decided to go to Florida to spend Christmas with my parents. I “ figured if I had to pass a kidney stone, why not pass it under a palm tree?
On New Year’s Eve, Jennifer experienced terrible pain. A CT scan showed a lesion on her L1 vertebrae and it looked like the vertebrae was fractured.
They admitted me and a week later did kyphoplasty (treats fractures in bones) and a biopsy. I was assured that the pain would be all but gone. It was not. I had to call three times to get a followup appointment. They said the kyphoplasty was fine, but I had metastatic breast cancer.
I began treatment but immediately stopped when my radiation oncologist discovered that
Scranton Dickson City
the surgeon in Florida badly botched the kyphoplasty. I had to have corrective surgery on my spine. The surgeon had leaked the cement into my spinal column and it hardened against my spinal cord. The surgeon here removed a literal palm full of cement from my spinal column. I had a 10% chance of paralysis. After falling into the .6% chance of breast cancer recurrence, I didn’t like those odds and had to get right with the possibility of being paralyzed. Fortunately, the surgeon here was brilliant and the surgery was a success. in my genes, my maternal aunt had pancreatic cancer; my maternal great aunt had breast cancer at 45; two first cousins have the BRCA gene; my paternal grandmother had liver cancer.
I had a brief radiation treatment to address the tumor that caused the fracture. Recovery from the surgery took months. I resumed immunotherapy treatments September, 2019, I had a fol-
In terms of whether cancer is low-up PET scan. Although we excitedly anticipated a clean scan, unfortunately the report said that the cancer had spread to five different areas of my body. My husband had to pull the car over after we read the report. We later learned that although it was in five different parts of my body because it was all bones, it was still considered one organ.
My hardest side effect was losing my hair. It was gone in eight days. I was devastated. I received so many supportive comments but for me, being told, “It’s only hair, you’re beautiful anyway,” didn’t help. Until you go through this experience you truly do not know how it will affect you. Without hair I looked in the mirror daily and saw a cancer patient; one whose diagnosis comes with knowing that the most the medical community can
Backstage with Bob Hope!
do is “manage it.”
Because MBC is treatable, not curable the medical community works diligently to maintain a quality of life for the patient. Unlike many other diagnoses that are given a limited number of chemo treatments, where they blast you with high doses to knock it down or out, MBC is ongoing. Either way, always tell your medical team when you experience side effects.
If they say they are going to call and they don’t, don’t wait by the phone. Doctors offices/hospitals are swamped. Keep calling until you get your answer!
It’s important to feel the feels. Being a positive person doesn’t mean I don’t have down times. It just means that I don’t live there. It’s when we live in negativity that our thoughts become toxic. Layered on top of that, I know that even though bad stuff happens to good people God will give everything purpose if we stay open to it. Through my faith, I believe with my heart and soul that God has a healing and that I will receive it!
There are a lot of programs and services out there. Your medical team should be able to point you in the right direction for formal help. A Google search is not research. From my first diagnosis, my surgeon gave me specific sites to look up for accurate information. The medical community has studies and findings that they didn’t have even 10 years ago. What was true for treatment before might be completely different now.
After my first diagnosis we stayed very quiet and went through it mostly alone. After my second diagnosis, we shouted from the rooftops for support. There is no comparison. Support will lift you and carry you through some of the hardest, strangest times you will ever experience.
My husband is the poster child for how to support a loved one who is going through the cancer journey. It is very important to have
Backstage for TWO FOR THE SHOW starring Tommy Tune and Sandy Duncan
someone with you at appointments. Two minds are better than one when trying to process complicated information. Cover your loved ones with love and light. They typically don’t have the energy or wherewithal to comfort others about their diagnosis. It’s often all we can do to keep our heads on somewhat straight (Chemo fog is very real). Check-in with them but don’t get upset if they don’t respond. It does not mean they don’t care or appreciate you reaching out to them. It is so wonderful to know people are thinking about you. But it is also completely exhausting to have to rehash over and over what is happening. Know that simply letting someone know you are thinking of them goes so very far. H
Wayne Memorial Names Director of Post-Acute Care
After managing the Wayne Memorial-Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Center at Wayne Memorial Hospital for 14 years, Judy Eisenhauer, DNP, RN, MSN Ed, CRRN, BA will assume a new position as Director of Post-Acute Care for Wayne Memorial Health System. This new position will focus on coordinating all of the Health System’s post-acute services to meet patient needs through a continuum of care. These services include inpatient rehabilitation, skilled-nursing (Wayne Woodlands Manor), Home Health and Hospice services.
“When a patient is referred to one of these services, this new position will assure patients are navigated, rather than simply referred, from acute to post-acute care,” said CEO James Pettinato, BSN, MHSA, CCRN-K. Eisenhauer received her Doctorate in Nursing Leadership from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, and both her Masters in Nursing Education and her bachelor’s in the Science of Nursing from Chamberlain University in Oakbrook, Illinois. She also holds a bachelor’s degree from Canyon College in Idaho, as well as associates degrees from both Sullivan County Community College and Keystone College. In addition, Eisenhauer has a Health Occupations Teaching Certificate from Oswego University in New York. As the Director of Post-Acute Care, Eisenhauer will have responsibility for both clinical and financial performance goals within each service and will be working closely with each administrator in the respective areas to achieve those goals. H
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ARTS AT HAYFIELD
Homespun Holiday Craft Show
Sunday, November 6 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Penn State Wilkes-Barre in Lehman in the Athletics & Commons Buildings Handcrafted Items for Sale: Fabric, Wood & Glass Creations Wreaths • Dolls • Jewelry Pottery • Clothing
A $2.00 donation is requested for adults. For more information, call (570) 675-9232 www.artsathayfield.org
Supported in part by Luzerne County Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Wright Center partners with area organizations to launch recovery-to work program
Connecting those in
recovery with recovery-friendly employers is the goal of a new community-based program, Project PROGRESS. The Wright Center for Community Health, along with Luzerne County Community College, The Institute, the Northeast Pennsylvania Health Area Education Center and the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance have joined together to reduce the stigma associated with substance use disorder.
Project PROGRESS is an acronym for Providing Recovery Opportunities for Growth, Education and Sustainable Success. It serves Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming of Pennsylvania. Project PROGRESS is funded in part through a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission along with financial support from the five partner organizations. “Often people connect recovery and substance use, but think bigger. Recovery is about coming into healthy ways of being. The impact of being in recovery is incredible and demonstrates hard work. Whole communities benefit when people are in recovery,” said Meaghan Ruddy, Ph.D., senior vice president of Academic Affairs, Enterprise Assessment and Advancement, and Chief Research and Development Officer for The Wright Center for Community Health.
In November 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf renewed for the 12th time his declaration that the opioid epidemic has placed Pennsylvania in a state health emergency. From 2015 to
2018, 1,149 people are reported to have died from
opioid overdoses in the proect’s six-county service area, according to OverdoseFreePA. “Leadership and innovative organizations in the six counties of focus for Project PROGRESS are painfully aware of the impact the opioid crisis is having on our friends and neighbors,” Dr. Ruddy said. According to Dr. Ruddy, many community members lack an understanding of addiction as a chronic illness. In addition, health care workers default to stigmatizing the language of addiction when treating patients and many employers refuse to hire people in recovery. Project PROGRESS seeks to promote educational options for people in recovery as well as community comprehension of the value of recovery. Luzerne County Community College is a member of Project PROGRESS. It offers training to become a certified recovery specialist (CRS). The role of a CRS is to build a strong and unique rapport with the individual in recovery based on his or her own lived experiences with substance use disorder. The CRS will help navigate,
advocate and support individuals through their recovery journey. A CRS works to facilitate positive change and instill hope by modeling stable recovery and sharing strategies for success. The first CRS cohort graduated in January with 11 graduates. A second cohort with 17 graduates completed their program in April, bringing the total number of certified recovery specialists to 28. The program includes 66 in-class hours along with 12 hours of outside work. The training is designed to prepare individuals for work in the behavioral health field. Upon successful class completion, participants move to the application process with the Pennsylvania Certification Board. Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center, a member of Project PROGRESS, offers training to become a community health worker. This 80-hour program is accredited through the Pennsylvania Certification Board and is designed to provide the core competencies needed for work in community-based and inpatient settings. Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance, also a member of Project PROGRESS, offers a recovery-to-work program that seeks to develop a strong recovery-to-work ecosystem. The Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance is focused on short-term training for immediate outcomes and employability. It uses the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System testing and interest assessments to ensure educational success to determine the best fit. Call 570-591-5136, visit ProjectPROGRESSnepa.org or email
info@ProjectPROGRESSnepa.org
for more information. H Jason McConnell makes recovery his business Earning money came easily for Jason McConnell from the time he was a teen, pulling in hundreds of dollars per night as a popular D.J.
The Olyphant native’s prospects sank fast, however, as a substance use disorder that first surfaced in high school began destroying his business relationships, his credit rating and his life. The lucrative weekend gigs declined, until finally one night the college dropout found himself playing music at one of the few spots that would still agree to hire him: a strip club. Humiliated and dejected, he quit, and drove straight to a liquor store. Before his night ended, McConnell, then in his mid-20s, had been charged with a DUI offense. “That was really the turning point,” says McConnell, now 30 and sober for nearly six years. “The day after that DUI, I remember sitting in a rocker at my parents’ house and I felt so empty inside.” He realized he couldn’t live like that any-more. For people who are overcoming a substance use disorder and leading a healthier life, the challenge often goes beyond dealing with the physical and psychological addiction. They also face financial hurdles, often because social stigma barriers prevent them from vying for desirable jobs or entering quality educational programs. Their road to recovery becomes blocked, potentially resulting in poor outcomes, even relapse. McConnell’s ability to earn money immediately after treat-ment – and while living in the vulnerable stage of early recovery – was hobbled by the lack of a college degree. He managed to slowly revive his D.J. operation while also launch-ing a cellphone repair service. Then, during a checkup at The Wright Center for Community Health, another job prospect emerged. Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, who had been McConnell’s longtime physician, knew about the impressive strides he had made toward changing his life. “She said that I would be great for a position as a certified recovery special-ist,” he recalls. He then began work as a CRS – a person who has gone through the recovery process and can serve as a mentor. “When I meet a new patient, I try to explain to them that I’ve been where they’re at,” he says. “The job involves talking about your personal experience and giving suggestions.” Thanks to McConnell’s support network and his steady employment, he was able to put his life on a whole new trajec-tory. He gradually restored his credit rating. He even turned his once-tar-nished D.J business into a thriving moonlighting enterprise. “When I got sober, I realized it was a second chance at being happy, being everything that I ever wanted to be,” he says. “And with a clear mind, you can go a long way.”
Matthew Kolojejchick
was recently inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame. Although an accomplished swimmer, football has always been his forte. He played football until he got to the Division 1 level.
Matt was born in Miami but was raised in
Northeast PA. His first childhood sport was soccer. One day, when his father drove him to soccer practice, he noticed other kids playing pee-wee football and decided that he wanted to try that sport himself. The following year, he was old enough to play football and has enjoyed it since. "As soon as I got my first taste of football…that was it," he said.
Matt’s swimming involvement began when his parents took him and his sister Kelsey to the YMCA in Wilkes Barre. The instructors encouraged them to swim competitively. When Matt was 7 years old, he and Kelsey joined the YMCA swim team. He also participated in Little League baseball. When Matt began high school at Wyoming Valley West, he continued with football and swimming and participated in track and field as well.
During his first swimming varsity meet, Matt broke a 20year record in the 50 Freestyle. He since learned that this record was recently broken a few years ago. He also won gold medals in the 50 and 100 freestyle district competitions and competed in state competitions as well. Matt played both offense and defense as a running back and a linebacker on the freshman football team. During his sophomore year, he transferred to Bishop Hoban High School and continued to play both positions. As a running back in his junior year, he led the entire Wyoming Valley Conference (A-AAAA) in rushing with over 1,200 yards. He continued with swimming at Bishop Hoban, wining gold medals in the 50
Freestyle and 100
Breaststroke in his sophomore year. He was also a
State Champion in the 50
Freestyle and a bronze medalist in the 100
Breaststroke.
When Matt was a senior, Bishop Hoban High was closed, so he transferred back to Wyoming Valley West. This gave him the opportunity to play for Berwick coaching legend George Curry, who was in his second year coaching WVW at the time. "He taught me about not only football but just the whole college and recruiting process," said Matt. "He was a great mentor for me." During the first round of the playoff games, he scored seven touchdowns (a tie for most touchdowns in a game locally), against Delaware Valley. This led his team to play in the second round against the Parkland School District in Lehigh Valley. Although his team didn't win, Matt scored two touchdowns, one from 71 yards. He also led the conference in rushing for the second time in his senior year. He even set five Wyoming Valley West school records: 7 touchdowns in a game; 34 touchdowns in one season; 2,280 rushing yards in a season; 386 rushing yards in a game; 200 yard rushing games in a season. "The goal was never to set records," he said. "It was to help a team win games. It was a great feeling knowing that I had broken them, but it was more a testament to how great our team was that year." Matt's biggest takeaway from playing high school football was the love of the game, the school, the teammates, and the excitement of family and friends watching from the stands.
"To me, it's the purest form of football that you have before you get to the collegiate and NFL levels, where it becomes more of a business," he said.
Matt received a 1AA College Football Scholarship to the University of Rhode Island. He felt like he had more to offer; therefore, he gave up his scholarship and decided to attend University of North Carolina. He was a preferred walk-on by head coach Butch Davis, whom he idolized when he coached the Miami Hurricanes. He earned a scholarship during his second year at North Carolina. He loved the energy of the crowds in the stadium.
"To be able to come out of the tunnel and play in front of 80,000 people screaming and just having a great time, that was the biggest takeaway," Matt said about playing college football. "The experience of the first-class treatment playing Division 1 football is an experience unlike any other." Matt played as a backup running back and special team player. He played in the 2010 Music City Bowl winning against Tennessee. In 2011, he played in the Advocare Bowl losing against Missouri. Matt married his college sweetheart Breana Thomas in September 2019. After graduation, he and Breana lived in Wilmington, North Carolina, before their occupations brought them to their current location of Atlanta. His job as a supervisor in workers' compensation for the State of Georgia promoted him to the headquarters in Atlanta. Coincidentally, Breana's career as an actress also led her to Atlanta. Matt actively engages in training adults and youth in physical fitness and personal training. "I pass along the knowledge that I acquired throughout my career to others who are either trying to get in shape themselves or are actively training in their sport," he said. Matt and Breana hike around the mountains of Georgia with their dogs. He also enjoys shooting firearms and watching movies. Matt was honored to be inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame.
"It was an honor to be there with all of the previous inductees, the current ones and the future ones," he said.
Matt's sister Kelsey, who was on the USA Field Hockey Team during the 2016 Olympics in Rio, became an inductee in 2019. Doreen Kolojejchick, Matt and Kelsey's mother, is a board member of the hall of fame.
"To be able to come out of the tunnel and play in front of 80,000 people screaming and just having a great time, that was the biggest takeaway." H – Ben Freda
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