Breast Cancer Awareness Month: A survivor's story

As we all are aware, this month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What a wonderful opportunity to have an entire month to support all the efforts being done, and the accomplishments that have been made, in the treatment and early detection of breast cancer. Yesterday, I was asked if I would be comfortable in supporting the New England and New York Real Estate Journals through their Social Media Team in telling my story in the hopes that the Journal could somehow use my story to benefit others as well as the future research for breast cancer. At first, I was a bit reluctant, thinking that it should be someone who is actually in treatment, as I have now completed all my surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, and my hair is actually growing back again (curly this time)!!! I was thinking that I possibly should have done this last year when I was going through it each day, one day at a time, trying to stay positive and holding on to all the hope and love that was being shown to me from my family and friends, my medical team, as well as my employer. However, I immediately knew that I could never say no. It was my responsibility to tell my story as a cancer survivor now. How could I not, I am so grateful for my recovery and the people in my life through all of it. In the next few issues, I will continue on with my Journey with breast cancer, the good and the bad, thanking every medical person that I came in touch with that touched my heart and still fills me with love and hope every day as I am still going through the Journey. My intention is to make others aware that when someone is fighting cancer, all they need is love!!! That love lasts a lifetime and keeps being passed on to the next cancer patient. Joanne Connolly is a breast cancer survivor and publisher at The New England Real Estate Journal, Norwell, Mass.