Great ways to get involved

Happy New Year! I’m trying to channel my inner Oprah and make this my best year yet. In 2009 I’m dedicated to doing my part to fighting breast cancer and trying to make life easier for patients.

There are some great ways you can get involved.

On February 7th, join me at an Evening for Bridget at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Bridget Slotemaker passed away on August 12, 2008 after her short but very courageous battle with cancer. Bridget was only 35 years old at the time of her passing. She was a wonderful wife, and mother of two girls; Grace and Chloe, who was delivered prematurely after Bridget’s diagnosis.
http://www.evening4bridget.org

And my dear friend Kerry Brett is having a wonderful fundraiser for the Ellie Fund. Kerry takes the most amazing photographs of children (and parents too!). For a $150 donation, she will photograph your family including an 8 x 10 print. For more information, check out http://www.elliefund.org/kerrybrett.htm

Be well!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Hi all,

October is a busy and emotional month for those of us living with a history of breast cancer. It can be difficult to see so many reminders of painful times we all struggle to get past.

The good news is all this awareness helps ensure women will remember to get mammograms and do self-exams. And it reminds people to support the amazing efforts to find a cure.

This week I did an interview with model/actress Elizabeth Hurley. She is a spokeswoman for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. BCRF was founded in 1993 by Evelyn Lauder and has raised $220 million for research. I was particularly impressed that more than $20 million has funded the cutting-edge work of New England scientists. If you want to know more, go to www.bcrfcure.org

And former Boston superstar Dr. Susan Love has just launched a pretty amazing project. The Army of Women is a national initiative to recruit one million women of every age, ethnicity, and breast cancer history interested in partnering with scientists and taking part in breast cancer research that will move us beyond a cure. To sign up go to http://www.armyofwomen.org

Be well, Kelley

Behind the Scenes with Robin Roberts

My first experience behind the scenes with Robin Roberts came one week after my mastectomy. Good Morning America did a story about my decision to share my breast cancer journey with the public on Channel 5 and thebostonchannel.com.

It was a strange feeling to be interviewed live on TV and be the subject, not the storyteller. But I felt and still feel that my story could raise awareness and save lives.

Robin made me feel at ease with her intelligent, thoughtful and compassionate questioning. But it was what she did after the interview that I will never forget. In the commercial break, instead of moving on to prepare for the next segment she asked to speak to me off camera. She let me know she would be thinking about me and praying for my recovery.

It was a small gesture but a telling one, and I was deeply touched.

Six months later, I watched stunned as Robin told viewers she too had breast cancer. My heart sank. I knew she had lost her beloved Dad a few years back and recalled how Hurricane Katrina devastated her hometown. Now this.

I should have known Robin would blow us away with her strength, positive attitude and commitment to educating the public about breast cancer. I have followed her journey with admiration and awe.

When we decided to do a week-long series leading up to Stand Up To Cancer, I knew I had to finally meet Robin and tell more of her story. Two weeks ago, I went to GMA’s Times Square studio for an interview.

Robin was honest about the challenges you didn’t necessarily see on TV every day. She reminded me of why we can never lose our sense of humor even under dire circumstances. And she gives so many people hope that they too can confront a similar challenge with grace.

It’s my honor to share with you more of Robin’s story.

 

Supporting survivors

We decided to do an update of Kelley’s story as part of our series leading up to the Stand Up to Cancer telethon. People often ask me how I’m doing, and I’m never quite sure what to say. Obviously there are no guarantees once you finish treatment.

I don’t ever say I’m “cancer free,” instead I tell people I’m optimistic the treatment worked and that I won’t have to worry about this again. If I do, I will deal with it then. Until then, I’m living life and enjoying my family.

Here’s what I know: My life is 100 percent better a year after treatment. I feel free and happy. I’m grateful to be away from the hospital environment and the rigors of my treatment.

I do worry sometimes I’m trying to race through life. Earlier this year we took the kids to both Disney World and Storyland. I think I was feeling a need to pack everything in before it’s too late. I have to keep reminding myself to slow down. At times it seems the clock is just ticking louder than it used to.

Last week I went to a lecture for cancer survivors at the Wellness Community in Newton. It was sponsored by Thrive, a group of young breast cancer survivors. It was nice just to be around other people my age who are coping with breast cancer.

A lot of the area hospitals have programs specifically designed for those of us who have recently completed treatment. Here’s one coming up at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Going Forward is an 6-week nutrition and exercise program that is specifically designed for cancer survivors.  Going Forward is led by registered dietitians and exercise physiologists from BIDMC who will present the most up to date scientifically based information.  The program is exclusively designed for individuals who have completed cancer treatment.   Going Forward will take place for 6-weeks on Wednesday evenings starting September 24, 2008 to October, 29 2008 from 6-7 pm in the Be Well Conference Room.  Participants enrolled in the class will also have access to the Be Well Fitness Center for 8 weeks.  The cost of the program is $150 for non-BIDMC employees and $100 for BIDMC employees.  Class size is limited and a deposit of $50 is required by Friday, September 19th.  For more information please contact Marlene DaCosta at Be Well at 617-667-4695 or mdacost2@bidmc.harvard.edu.

Stand Up To Cancer

Friday, September 5th ABC, NBC and CBS will join together for an unprecedented telethon called Stand Up To Cancer. It will air from 8 to 9 p.m. on Channel 5. When I heard about the telethon I thought it would be a great springboard for getting out the latest information and share compelling stories about cancer. Producer Jennifer Berryman who worked so closely with me on Kelley’s Story agreed.

Liz Brunner, Dr. Tim Johnson and I will bring you these stories next Tuesday through Friday in our 5 and 11 p.m. news. CityLine will also take part, reporting on the National Institue for Health’s ‘Sister Study’ for breast cancer, highlighting a support group at Dimock Community Health Center and airing my entire interview with Robin Roberts in the September 7th show.

 

Here’s the schedule. As always, thanks for watching. 

Tuesday 9/2

 

5pm – Treating Prostate Cancer By Doing Nothing: Active Surveillance

 

5:30pm – Live Q&A with Dr. Tim about the controversial recommendation not to screen men 75+ for prostate cancer

 

11pm – Teens & Melanoma; Kelli Pedroia’s story and the alarming rise in melanoma in young women

 

Wednesday 9/3

 

5:30pm – Clinical Trials

 

11pm – Kelley’s Story: Part 10 Life after cancer treatment

 

Thursday 9/4

 

5:30pm – Magic Water: the push to raise money for cancers so rare that no one is trying to find their cures

 

11pm – Survivor to Survivor: Kelley Tuthill interviews Robin Roberts on GMA set

 

Friday 9/5

 

5:30pm – Caitlynne McGraff: A 13 year old cancer survivor shares her story. 

 

 

We need a cure. Do you need a calendar?

Last year I had the pleasure of spending a glorious afternoon on Plum Island with a group of amazing breast cancer survivors. They invited me and my girls, Madeline and Cecilia, to be photographed for a beautiful calendar. Survivor Diana Wynne MacArthur took pictures featured in the Many Faces of Breast Cancer Calendar.

The Pink Angels took flight in January 2005 as a group of men and women who wanted to help find a cure for breast cancer. Since then, they have been walking the Breast Cancer 3-Day in Boston and other cities. They have raised an astonishing $660,000 dollars and are marching toward the million-dollar mark.

They will be sore with blisters when they take part in the three-day next weekend. But you don’t have to even break a sweat. Just click on the link below to get your beautiful calendar just in time for back-to-school. I posed with my kids for this project because they are the reason I fought so hard during treatment. They are the reason why I fight so hard now for a cure.  

 

www.thepinkangels.org

A Much Better Summer

Wow, what a difference a year makes. I have to be frank and say last summer was just miserable. I was in the thick of weekly taxol and herceptin treatments which really took a toll on me. I also had no hair, eyelashes or eyebrows. I can barely look at images of me from that time.

Now, however, I feel like I am finally getting my life together again. It is so strange to have a year devoted to battling cancer and then just go back to your regularly scheduled life. You are trying also to make changes to optimize your chances of staying healthy. It can be really overwhelming.

I’m doing pretty well on the exercise part, but horrible on the eating. I know some people fight cancer by totally changing their diets, but I’m just struggling to eat more fruits and veggies! I am taking vitamin D and calcium supplements. I’m also considering starting with some fish oil supplements.

I’m still on Tamoxifen and Effexor for hot flashes. I’m weaning off the Effexor because I’m no longer getting hot flashes, however. My monthly cycles returned about a year after I started chemo. I know TMI, but I’ve asked total strangers about this topic so I know some of you are curious!!!

My reconstruction is almost done. I had a surgery in April and will get tattooed next month. Oh my. I never imagined this was how I would get a tattoo.

I went to a great event this week. The annual Breast Cancer in Younger Women: A Forum for Patients and Survivors was held at the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston. It was great to be a part of a day focusing on issues unique to those of us diagnosed before menopause.

I’m going to try to spread the word about upcoming breast cancer events on this blog. Here are some you might want to know about:

Monday, Sept 15th 12-1 p.m. Jump Start Your Healing with Dr. Julie Silver at Dana Farber, Smith 240. You must pre-register at jisaacson@partners.org

Wednesday, Sept 17th 5-6:30 p.m. Sex and Sensuality After Breast Cancer with Dr. Sharon Bober, Dana Farber Room 1620. You must pre-register at jisaacson@partners.org

Monday, Oct. 6th 12 to 1 p.m. Help to Get You Through with Dr. Julie Silver, Smith 240 at Dana Farber. You must pre-register at jisaacson@partners.org

I heard both these speakers at the conference and they were great. I also know Dr. Silver well and she is a survivor who has written several great books on healing.