My Mentor Angel

This week I reached out to this amazing organization, Imerman's Angels which pairs cancer fighters (me) to cancer survivors.  I was able to select a mentor not only based on her age but also by the exact type of breast cancer that she had (including the stage of her diagnosis).  I also specifically requested someone who was a several year survivor  because I am trying to surround myself by women who have made it past that 5 year mark (something that my mom unfortunately did not make).

My mentor angel is Maria.  I had a chance to speak with her for a bit yesterday. She was also in her 30's when she was diagnosed, has the BRCA1 mutation and had triple negative breast cancer -- just like me.    Maria is now a 6 (almost 7) year survivor, which gives me hope.  The tragic loss of my mom within that first 5 years of her diagnosis has made me fearful about my own survival.  But I know statistically that my mom was the minority.  It's hard to put into words how helpful it is to meet someone who had the same kind of cancer as my mom and I, but have made it.  If anything, having lost my mom has taught me to be that much stronger and more aggressive when it comes to my fight.  (I'm not trying to say that my mom didn't put up a good fight herself but things are different now.)  I'm planning to kick the crap out of cancer and be part of the majority that survives for years and years.

A bit more about Imerman's Angels....
It is an organization that not only helps cancer fighters of all ages and types of cancer but it also supports caregivers.  If you know of someone fighting or is a caregiver, maybe this would be helpful to them.  I can't tell you how good I felt after one conversation with my mentor angel.