June 2nd is National Cancer Survivors Day

Today is national “Cancer Survivors Day.” On this day, I’d like to honor my wife Deneen who is a 7 year breast cancer survivor.

We found out my wife had cancer when she went for her 6 week post partum exam after our children Lennon and Albert were born.

On December 28^th 2006, after several weeks of testing and biopsies, she was given the diagnosis of invasive ductal Carcinoma.

In January she had a lumpectomy, and then a port for chemotherapy was implanted on February 13th, 2007. She began aggressive chemotherapy the next day, on Valentine's Day, which is also her birthday.

After chemotherapy, she needed a year and a half of a drug called Herceptin, which was given through the port. You may have heard of the drug, since it was subject of a movie on Lifetime called “Living Proof.” Harry Connick Jr. played the role of Dr Dennis Slaman, the scientist who discovered the drug.

In September of 2007, she started a 5 year course of an oral drug called Tamoxifen. In June of 2008, on our 10^th Wedding anniversary, the port was removed. After 5 years on the Tamoxifen, another oral drug was started, called Femera, which she takes daily and will for 5 years. We don't know what will happen next - it will depend on what the research shows.

Is there anyone special you'd like to honor for National Cancer Survivors Day?