What’s On My Plate: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month means more than ever to me this year since Chelsea Piazza Willsey, our fantastic Vice President of People and Experience at Healthy Living, and Jacqui Cappadora, our very busy Store Director at our South Burlington Store, were both diagnosed with breast cancer. Their powerful stories are below.
We’ll be marking next month in our Wellness departments with a focus on products that support women dealing with breast cancer. Amanda Bradley, our Wellness Category Manager, has put together an extensive list of products we carry and this document will be available in the Wellness Department at each store.
These two stories truly moved me. Moved me to recommit to yearly mammograms. Moved me to know more about breast cancer. Moved me to support breast cancer organizations. And moved me to recognize these two amazing women who I’m privileged to work with. They are amazing warriors. Read their stories below.
From Chelsea, Vice President of People and Experience:
“My Body Sometimes Looks Unrecognizable To Me”
I was diagnosed on June 18, 2024, with Stage II HR+, HER2- Breast Cancer at the age of 37. I had a 6-year-old son, a 2-year-old daughter, and luckily for me a loving husband and family. Fighting breast cancer for me meant a bilateral mastectomy, 7 rounds of chemo, 28 treatments of radiation, and a hysterectomy. That’s a lot for a person to go through.
Treatment for breast cancer completely changed me physically, mentally, and spiritually. My body sometimes looks unrecognizable to me. I have so many scars, not just from the surgeries, but from the chemo port and the weekly blood draws. And then there are the internal scars—from the times my soul felt wounded and I raged against the universe not only for what was happening to me, but because my children and family had to go through it with me.
All my hair fell out from chemo despite my attempts at using a cooling cap. It’s now growing back, but it’s curlier, and back to my natural color (with a lot more greys) that I worked so hard to change for so many years.
I had to go into menopause as part of my treatment, which is not gradual, it’s a plunge straight into unchartered waters. I experienced a wide range of symptoms that I read about but didn’t truly understand until they happened to me. I also take other medication for the next 10 years to prevent recurrence.
“I See You and I Want To Help”
I don’t write these words to scare you or gain sympathy. I’m writing to all the cancer survivors out there to tell you that I see you and I want to help.
For part of my own treatment, I started learning about all the food I was eating, where it came from, what body care products I was using, and what was in my laundry detergent. What products are out there that can support hot flashes and vaginal dryness? I did extensive research for myself, and it turns out Healthy Living was carrying all the products I wanted to start using! I just didn’t have a use for them in my old life, so I never noticed.
I’m so grateful to Healthy Living for allowing me to write to you about my story and for listening when I asked about highlighting all the products I’ve discovered that are helping my new body so I can help others. In the stores, you will begin to see new signage and videos on social media highlighting some of these products. But please, always consult your amazing oncology teams before using any new product. All our treatment plans are different and all of our bodies react differently (because they are different!).
“Take a Moment To Absorb All That Love”
Getting diagnosed with cancer is a life quake. Your life, as you once knew it, no longer exists. Your new life teaches you to surrender to the process and move through treatment with acceptance and be open to receiving all the love the people around you are offering.
Breast cancer taught me many lessons and gave me many gifts. My advice to other breast cancer patients, wherever you are on your journey, is to stop and take a moment to absorb all that love, accept any help being offered, and notice the moments of beauty. Even when we are fighting cancer, life is still happening, and joy can still be found.
From Jacqui, Store Director, South Burlington:
The Great Lulu
I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) in August 2024. What led me to that point had very little to do with me—I hadn't felt sick, I hadn't found a lump, nor did I have any pain or inclination that anything was medically amiss.
My journey started with the passing of my beloved Aunt Leslie. We called her Lulu, and when my daughter was born, she became The Great Lulu. She passed away from metastatic breast cancer, with which she had lived for 22 years. Her oncologist had never had a patient live that long with that diagnosis, which is a testament to how strong she truly was. She was 62 years old, and I miss her every single day.
BRCA2: An Unexpected Diagnosis
As a known avoider of doctors, this is what it took to get me to a long overdue OB/GYN appointment. When I went through my family history, the doctor recommended a genetic test. That led me to BRCA2.
Discovering this genetic mutation was a lot to process. Even now, the implications of BRCA2 extend far beyond the increased risk of breast cancer, and some days, it really gets me down. However, I am so grateful to have had this test done because without this result, I would not have qualified for screening prior to the age of 40 and would therefore have lived with aggressive cancer cells in my body for three years.
“Not Just Treatable, But Curable”
So, BRCA2 led to a mammogram. The mammo led to an MRI, and the MRI led to a needle biopsy. The needle biopsy sounds like someone is using a torque drill directly next to your head. They should really give folks a heads up about that.
Then it happened—my results came in and good old Dr. Patient Portal informed me that I had cancer. When I called the doctor to confirm these results, they explained that DCIS is considered not just treatable, but curable. This didn't make me feel better, but they tried.
“Mama Rocks!”
Next, I went to see two surgeons. The first was a surgical oncologist who explained the different options available to me. Immediately, I decided to part ways with my beautiful bosom, that is, have a bi-lateral mastectomy. The second surgeon was from plastics. We talked about reconstructive options, for which I settled on implants.Then, we set a date: October 28th.
Preparing for major surgery was incredibly taxing, and my primary concern was helping to usher my brilliant, sweet 7-year-old through this experience. She's a planner, so we included her in the formation of my recovery plan. She helped us convert her playroom into my recovery space with pillows, a rolling cart, and all kinds of fun baubles. She helped me pick out books, magazines, and movies.
She even made me a banner that said, "Mama Rocks!" Being part of making the plan helped her channel her anxiety into something constructive and positive. She's still doing great, by the way.
A Series of Complications
After the surgery, they let me go home that same day, minus breasts and plus tissue expanders—the precursor to implants. A few days later, I followed up with plastics. Some necrotic tissue was forming along the sutures on my left side, so a few days after that, I went back under the knife for a debridement.
And just when I thought I could really get to healing, a few days later, I awoke with a terrible fever. I had an infection, and it was determined that the tissue expanders needed to be removed. Finally, after a third surgery, mondo doses of antibiotics, and a cool weeklong hospital stay, I could enjoy my trashy magazines and romantic period pieces.
After about six weeks of some excellent couch potato time, I went back to work, mainly to announce which of my lovely co-workers had made the best shepherd's pie for me while I was out. Unsurprisingly, it was Chef Karen. They were all delicious though!
Endocrine Therapy
I wish that was the end of this chapter, but the pathology from the breast tissue showed aggressive cancer cells. If they had gone unnoticed, who knows how this story might have gone. Because of this, my oncologist recommended an endocrine therapy. I chose the one I thought would be the least impactful on my day-to-day, an unassuming, widely distributed drug called Tamoxifen.
This medication has really tested my fortitude. From nausea, insomnia, and leg cramps to joint pain and severe brain fog, I've never experienced anything like it. Having such new and exciting side-effects as my new normal has been particularly hard for me to reconcile given I never actually felt sick before all of this happened. I would be remiss if I didn't pause to give thanks to the humble ginger chew for saving my life every single day.
And so, here I sit, without cancer and without breasts. I don't know if I'll ever attempt reconstruction again, but it certainly won't be any time soon. For now, I'm just happy to be here. As The Great Lulu would say, "Life is just a bowl of cherries."
“Let Food Be Thy Medicine”
I want to thank Jacqui and Chelsea for their stories, for their muscle and grit, and for coming back to us at Healthy Living. I'm reminded of this: "Let food be thy medicine." That's why I've done what I've done for almost 40 years.
Katy
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