My Story...

[Colleen Merchant]

It was in 7th grade when I found out that my mom had breast cancer. I can remember that night like it was yesterday. I remember my mom pulling me aside as I was racing around trying to get everything I needed to get done for school the next day. I knew this wasn’t going to be good by the tone in her voice, and how serious she was. When those words ‘I have breast cancer’ came out of her mouth, I felt as if the wind had been knocked out of me. I was speechless and didn’t know what to say to her. All I can remember doing is nodding my head and agreeing to everything she was saying. As she finished talking to me, I went back to do my homework and tried to replay everything that just happened in my head.

The next day I didn’t tell anyone about what my mom told me. I didn’t want to believe that this was all really happening. Days later I eventually told 3 of my closest friends.

One person who made a difference for me during this time was my former dance teacher, Caryn. She allowed me to take extra classes and help out around the dance studio to get my mind off things at home. This allowed me to get away from all the madness going on and just do something I love…dance.

In my freshmen year of high school, my mom found out she was cancer free! I thought that this was the end…she was diagnosed was cancer, went through surgeries and chemo, more tests resulting with no cancer, the end. Right? WRONG. This isn’t the end, but just the beginning. My mom is a survivor of breast cancer, and has her daughter I experienced this with her. I can now tell people how this affected us and help other people affected as well.