“The words rang out unlike anything I have ever experienced before,” wrote Meadville resident Sue Kilburn in a journal in 2005. She began keeping a journal after she heard the words - “you have cancer.”
Kilburn, a nurse at the time was well aware of self breast examinations and took them serious. Her fibrocystic breast tissue often gave false or difficult to read results during mammograms. So when she was told they wanted to do a little further testing it seemed routine to her.
But this trip was different.
“Today changed my life forever,” she continued to write.”Every moment, every hair, every day - life is different.”
But she also wrote “I knew that cancer wasn’t going to define me.”
At the time Kilburn, after doing her research, elected to have a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation. She’ll be the first to admit there were days going through all this that she wanted to give up. But she didn’t.
She survived.She got stronger and she began to get her life back after treatments.
There were endless check-ups ahead still, but she was a survivor.
She went on to become a breast cancer nurse educator helping hundreds of people going through cancer journey. As a survivor she even made it passed the five year mark cancer free. That is the time when, if no reoccurrence one is considered cancer-free and the likelihood of the cancer returning is decreased significantly.
“That is somewhat of a misnomer,” she said. Though it is good news, cancer is a break down of normal cell functioning in the body and it can occur anytime.
13 years later, in her other breast, cancer was discovered again.
This time she wasn’t going to go through this ever again and elected a total mastectomy. “Every time you have to go for another biopsy or test …it takes your breath away.”
Her surgery was a success and lymph nodes taken were clear. She still does self exams and since her surgery she has developed lymphedema that she is currently controlling through daily therapy at home.
“I don’t want to depress anyone with my story,” she said.
She knows that a cancer battle is no picnic, but she also knows not battling it means missing out.
Since her first diagnosis Kilburn has experienced her children’s graduations, weddings, watched her grandchildren come into the world and grow. She even watched her son, husband and father-in-law parachute together out of an airplane. Twice.
She has lived a lot of life.
“I always want to be positive and never discouraging,” she said. As a cancer educator she used her story in hopes that it could help others in their story. She advocates for self-examinations, mammograms, being proactive and has offered an ear, a hand and a hug to anyone that wanted it. She is always helping folks find the resources they need.
And the advancements are improving everyday.
She recently has been researching Jennifer McKenzie. an Australian physio-therapist whose work in the field is touching on many issues cancer patients face.
Her work is accessible online at “The Compass Community: Breast Cancer Education Support Network.”
Advice that Kilburn has for anyone battling cancer is to “Stay as positive as you can and laugh as much as you can, It is not your fault. If you pity yourself you are not helping anyone, especially yourself.”
Kilburn says the advancements and targeting therapies are helping more and more people reach that level of “survivor,” a label cancer patients wear with pride.
Kilburn, a nurse at the time was well aware of self breast examinations and took them serious. Her fibrocystic breast tissue often gave false or difficult to read results during mammograms. So when she was told they wanted to do a little further testing it seemed routine to her.
But this trip was different.
“Today changed my life forever,” she continued to write.”Every moment, every hair, every day - life is different.”
But she also wrote “I knew that cancer wasn’t going to define me.”
At the time Kilburn, after doing her research, elected to have a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation. She’ll be the first to admit there were days going through all this that she wanted to give up. But she didn’t.
She survived.She got stronger and she began to get her life back after treatments.
There were endless check-ups ahead still, but she was a survivor.
She went on to become a breast cancer nurse educator helping hundreds of people going through cancer journey. As a survivor she even made it passed the five year mark cancer free. That is the time when, if no reoccurrence one is considered cancer-free and the likelihood of the cancer returning is decreased significantly.
“That is somewhat of a misnomer,” she said. Though it is good news, cancer is a break down of normal cell functioning in the body and it can occur anytime.
13 years later, in her other breast, cancer was discovered again.
This time she wasn’t going to go through this ever again and elected a total mastectomy. “Every time you have to go for another biopsy or test …it takes your breath away.”
Her surgery was a success and lymph nodes taken were clear. She still does self exams and since her surgery she has developed lymphedema that she is currently controlling through daily therapy at home.
“I don’t want to depress anyone with my story,” she said.
She knows that a cancer battle is no picnic, but she also knows not battling it means missing out.
Since her first diagnosis Kilburn has experienced her children’s graduations, weddings, watched her grandchildren come into the world and grow. She even watched her son, husband and father-in-law parachute together out of an airplane. Twice.
She has lived a lot of life.
“I always want to be positive and never discouraging,” she said. As a cancer educator she used her story in hopes that it could help others in their story. She advocates for self-examinations, mammograms, being proactive and has offered an ear, a hand and a hug to anyone that wanted it. She is always helping folks find the resources they need.
And the advancements are improving everyday.
She recently has been researching Jennifer McKenzie. an Australian physio-therapist whose work in the field is touching on many issues cancer patients face.
Her work is accessible online at “The Compass Community: Breast Cancer Education Support Network.”
Advice that Kilburn has for anyone battling cancer is to “Stay as positive as you can and laugh as much as you can, It is not your fault. If you pity yourself you are not helping anyone, especially yourself.”
Kilburn says the advancements and targeting therapies are helping more and more people reach that level of “survivor,” a label cancer patients wear with pride.
Go Pink or Go Home
There a number of awareness fundraiser around. Local School's like Franklin High School hold Pink Out Games and fundraisers. Franklin girls volleyball recently raised almost $3,000 for the Kirkland Cancer Foundation, a non-profit seeking to help Venango County cancer patients however they can as they go through treatments. Several other groups have held similar events range money for Kirkland or the American Cancer Society
On October 11 at 5:50 p.m. a group of cancer survivors and supporters will gather at Franklin’s Fountain Park for the annual Pink Splash for a Cure event.The event is open to the public.
It is a chance for folks to gather in support of one another as well as raise money for the local charity - The Kirtland Cancer Foundation, which tries to aid in helping Venango County families who are in the midst of a cancer battle. “We want to help,” said Matthew Kirtland, who is one of the foundation’s leaders.
The Pink Splash event has a speaker and entertainment followed by a ceremony for survivors geared toward being in the fight together. Each server gets a chance to pour a little red dye into the fountain turning the water pink for the rest of the month. This is the 15th year for the event.
For more information on the Kirtland Cancer Foundation, call 814-437-1305.
It is a chance for folks to gather in support of one another as well as raise money for the local charity - The Kirtland Cancer Foundation, which tries to aid in helping Venango County families who are in the midst of a cancer battle. “We want to help,” said Matthew Kirtland, who is one of the foundation’s leaders.
The Pink Splash event has a speaker and entertainment followed by a ceremony for survivors geared toward being in the fight together. Each server gets a chance to pour a little red dye into the fountain turning the water pink for the rest of the month. This is the 15th year for the event.
For more information on the Kirtland Cancer Foundation, call 814-437-1305.
The Numbers
| This story first appeared in the Titusville Herald. Early detection is the key and limits the chance of the cancer spreading.. According to the American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in women except for skin cancers. In American it is estimated that 287,850 new cases will be diagnosed in 2022 and over 43,000 will die. Since 2007 cancer rates have remained steady in women under 50 but have decreased in older women. From 2013 to 2018 death rates decreased by one percentage point each year. Theses decreases are believed to be a direct result of finding breast cancer earlier through screening and increased awareness as well as better treatments. |  |
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