Even if you have not yourself or had a friend or family member in your life suffer from breast cancer, motivation for continuing the drive to fund the cure is not hard to find.
Close to home and to the hearts of many of us already is an example of why we need to keep striving to sell the Breast Cancer Awareness stamps for the rest of October and beyond.
Postmarks introduced you to Terri Davis back in 2010 when we spoke with her at the Birmingham Main Post Office’s breast cancer awareness event (click here to revisit). She had just returned to work after her first successful, grueling encounter with the disease.
Between then and seeing her at this year’s event earlier this month, Terri was re-diagnosed with cancer and has been through a lot more.
We asked Terri to tell us about her experience and, gracious and helpful as always, she agreed.
“When I was diagnosed, I couldn’t find anybody who wanted to talk about it unless I was at the hospitals,” Terri said. “As far as people on the workroom floor, I couldn’t find anybody to share their story.”
“I don’t know why we don’t talk about breast cancer, or any cancer, that we have.”
Two years ago, Terri discovered the lump on her breast while examining herself and went have it checked out. Her doctor then also detected a lump as the result of a mammogram.
Terri ignored his repeated telephone calls. “I went into a state of shock and disbelief, like this can’t be happening. The doctor was continuously calling and telling me, ‘You’ve got to come in,’ because I wouldn’t go. I was afraid.”
A friend wouldn’t let the matter drop. “She told me that I needed to go and get everything straight.”
Two months later, Terri finally heeded her friend’s counsel and began a long and arduous journey that still is not complete.
Earlier this year, after multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and a clean bill of health, Terri's cancer returned.
Again, the person who first detected it was herself. “I tell everybody, ‘Make sure that you do your breast self exam.’ Because each time, I caught mine.”
This time, it was Terri who had to pursue an accurate diagnosis. The doctor who had done her reconstructive surgery told her that there was nothing to worry about, that what she felt was merely scar tissue.
"I thought okay," Terri said. "But every time I took a shower, I would go back to the same spot, and I’d say, 'Something is wrong. This doesn’t feel like scar tissue.'"
"So I went to another doctor, and that’s when he checked it. He sent the tissue to the pathologist and it came back cancer."
When discussing all that has happened with her in the past couple of years, Terri always chooses to take the positive approach. "Sometimes, when I’m alone, I sort of think, wow, Terri, you’ve come a long way, you should be proud of yourself, and then I rejoice. I know that my neighbors probably think that I’m crazy. I shout for joy."
"I don’t want to look like what I have, you know? I don’t want people to say, 'Oh, poor Terri, she had breast cancer,' and, 'Poor Terri, she got breast cancer again.' I don’t want it to be like that.
"I’m doing fine, I’m glad to be here, and I’m glad to share this with you."
UPDATE:
After more surgery and seven weeks of radiation treatment, Terri was in the process of healing when we interviewed her a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, since then, she received more bad news: a mass was found on one of her ovaries.
This week, at age 43, Terri was put in the hospital and underwent a complete hysterectomy. She says that the operation went smoothly. She and all of us are hoping for her speedy and full recovery.
If you would like to send Terri some words of cheer, you can send them to us (we don't want to put her home address on the web), and we'll make sure that she receives them right away.
Attn: Terri T'baby Davis
c/o Postmarks
PO Box 126
Birmingham, AL 35203-0126
You can also look her up on Facebook.
