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By Peggy Helmick-Richardson
Great strides have been made in the treatment of cancer in recent years, yet the disease still poses a number of unanswered questions and unknown possibilities. Two local women are making a difference by sharing their experiences and insights to help others facing cancer. In addition, a valuable new resource for cancer patients, as well as their families and friends, opens soon in Allen.
Pam Heinrich
In 2003, Pam Heinrich of Allen was in her late 30s and the mother of Taylor, Madison and Bailey, at that time six, four and two years old. A few years earlier, she had opted to be a stay-at-home mom and, in 2002, started the successful Simply Pretend, a party costume trunk rental business, based out of her home.
Then her idyllic life took an unexpected tailspin.
“I began feeling something weird under my left arm, so I went and did a mammogram on December 31,” Pam recounts. “They called me on January 2, and told me it was cancer.” Surprisingly, the cancer they found was in her right breast.
A week later, Pam had a lumpectomy, with the cancerous tissue and nearby lymph nodes removed. This was followed by body scan that led to the discovery of nodules on her thyroid and a four-pound tumor the size of a cantaloupe in her abdominal cavity.
Her doctors were unsure where the abdominal tumor originated but suspected either liver or kidney. A biopsy of the thyroid nodules deemed them “suspicious.” Taking care of these new cancers suddenly became a priority, so chemotherapy for her breast cancer was put on hold.
Foremost was the removal and testing of the abdominal tumor that proved to be from her right kidney. A biopsy then determined that the kidney tumor was a distinct renal cell carcinoma—good news for Pam. “If it is breast cancer that has metastasized to your kidney, you are stage four automatically, where they say you fight the fight but you don’t win the war,” she explains. “So basically, I had three different cancers going on in my body.”
At that time, kidney cancer usually went undiagnosed until late stages, which meant a 15 percent chance of survival. Because of her breast cancer and the related body scan, Pam’s kidney cancer was caught early and removed before it had a chance to spread. “Technically, the breast cancer saved my life,” she points out.
Her body healing quickly from the abdominal surgery, Pam was able to start her chemotherapy for the breast cancer in short time. She opted to shorten this time to six months by taking three different chemotherapy drugs simultaneously.
By this time, Pam was already a member of a support group for women battling cancer. From them she learned that breast cancer often recurred years later in the second breast. Because of this, Pam opted to have a double mastectomy.
“I wanted the breast tissue gone,” she explains. “They are just body parts. My kids were little, so I didn’t care about anything but surviving.”
The week before Pam’s breast surgery, doctors removed the diseased portion of her thyroid and found the lesions benign.
Pam’s double mastectomy and reconstruction were followed by six months of radiation treatment.
Because Pam’s breast cancer was hormone related, once her radiation treatment was completed she was put on the commonly-used breast cancer drug, tamoxifen, which works by interfering with the body’s natural estrogen activity.
In December of 2004, orange-sized cysts were found on Pam’s ovaries, assumed to be a side effect of the tamoxifen. It was decided that a full hysterectomy was the logical course of action.
Two more lumps were detected in her breast area and removed in 2006. And in 2009, additional growths were found on Pam’s remaining thyroid and a complete thyroidectomy was performed.
Recently celebrating her first clear scan, Pam declares. “It’s going to be what it’s going to be, so I’ve decided not to worry unless I have something to worry about.”
Faith Kuczaj
Six years ago, Faith Kuczaj went to the doctor with unexplained, lingering fatigue. For six months, her concerns were dismissed as “being a woman.” After a lump appeared on the side of her neck, her general practitioner diagnosed her as having the Epstein-Barr virus and recurrent mononucleosis and advised her, “It’s a virus, and you can’t do anything but let it work it’s way out.”
When there was no change after three weeks, she consulted an ear, nose and throat specialist. “The minute he did my exam, he said, ‘I am 90 percent sure you have cancer,’” this McKinney resident recalls.
A CT scan, followed by a needle biopsy, confirmed the presence of cancer. Faith was then put through
a battery of tests including PET scans, more CT scans, and a bone marrow biopsy.
In May of 2005 it was confirmed that Faith had grade 2 stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Immediately, she got on line to learn more about her cancer and treatment options, only to discover “that’s the one that’s not curable.”
“Grades are how fast it is growing. Grade one is slow and grade three is aggressive, so mine is intermediate,” she explains. “Stages are where it is at in the body; stage four is everywhere.”
Opting to use an oncologist at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School who specialized in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Faith approached him with a proposal—to try alternative treatments before resorting to chemotherapy or radiation.
Grimacing, Faith recounts his response: “Well, with your cancer it really won’t make that much of a difference.”
Their agreement was that Faith would try alternative treatments for six months and then return for more tests. Any indication that her cancer had gotten worse and she would submit to traditional means of treatment. After six months of acupuncture, massage and a variety of nutritional supplements, tests showed her lymphoma had grown slightly worse.
Faith shrugs, “I had to keep my word.” But the two reached another impasse when he proposed R-CHOP, a standard treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma using the drugs Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Hydroxydauno-mycin, Oncovin and Prednisone.
“Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma always recurs. And you can only use R-CHOP once because the cancer cells get ‘smart’ and become immune to it,” she reasons. “So I’m thinking you hold R-CHOP, which is really toxic and hard on you, for a recurrence. You cannot rob me of nine months of my life in the hopes that I am going to live. I did the research and R-CHOP would not give me that.”
Laughing about the debate that ensued that day in her oncologist’s office, Faith said that the two of them finally reached an agreement. Any treatment selected had to offer “at least an eighty percent chance of having NED [no evidence of disease].”
During that appointment a memo from John Hopkins arrived, explaining a radically new treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“It was exactly what we were looking for! We did it and I’ve been NED since 2006,” Faith declares.
“The treatment I had was a single chemotherapy drug and a radioactive drug that was injected into my veins,” she explains, adding that it was administered through a lead-lined syringe. “I asked, ‘Are you sure this is safe?’ and they said, ‘Sure it is!’ Then they left the room!”
“I couldn’t have anyone within three feet of me for the first three weeks,” she continues. “I had to use my own separate bathroom and I could not go to the airport because they said I would set off the alarms.”
A serous side effect from her treatment was a drastic drop in blood platelet numbers. “I had no platelets at one point,” she notes. Since her blood had no clotting ability, she was ordered to take strict precautions such as not using a kitchen knife or shaving her legs. “It has taken me four-and-a-half years to get my blood count to low normal.”
As part of her maintenance, Faith has regular PET scans. In the spring of 2008, hot spots were found and the following January she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Unrelated to the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, she suspects it may be a result of the radiation treatment. Surgical removal of the tumor was required but no follow-up chemotherapy was needed because the cancer had not spread.
Facing adversity
These two remarkable women have faced multiple cancers, numerous treatment options, and myriad choices of how to respond to what life has dealt them. Although their situations were different in many ways, Faith and Pam had one great similarity. They both recognized and demonstrated that attitude makes a difference.
“Cancer has taught me to be more compassionate to each and every person,” Faith declares. “I have also adapted to being okay with not knowing. I never ask why. I trust that it is a bigger picture than I can see, and I am just going to move through it with grace.”
Pam concurs. “What are you going to do with the time you have? Are you going to be negative about it or are you doing to do the best you can and be positive about it?
They also agree that it is vital to learn all you can in order to be an advocate for yourself. “If the doctor does something that irritates you or makes you feel rushed, you have to find a different doctor,” Pam emphasizes. “You need to put yourself first.”
Pam admits that even though she was careful to maintain her weight and never smoked, prior to her cancer diagnosis she was not cautious about the food consumed and caffeinated diet sodas were her primary beverages. “I was like Supermom, drinking caffeine to stay up late so I could get everything done,” she confesses.
“[Cancer] made me change how I viewed my body,” Pam continues. “It’s a lot like the gas tank of a car. Would you put any of this crud in your car’s gas tank? Absolutely not! My body became the little car that drives my soul around.”
Eager to get on the right track, Pam read a multitude of books on healthy eating and spontaneous healing and consulted a cancer nutritionist. She stopped eating processed and convenience foods and began to eat ten different fruits and vegetables each day. “I try to eat everything as close to nature as possible,” Pam asserts. “I do the best that I can with the choices I have.”
Pam also began practicing a meditation provided by her therapist in which she visualized the cells being killed or collapsed. “It allowed me to feel like I had power over these things,” she explains.
Another therapeutic activity for Pam is scrapbooking. She has devoted hours to create a book on her “cancer journey,” with photos ranging from the day she shaved her head to her party celebrating the end of treatment. Through her investi-gations and studies, Pam names one book, Greg Anderson’s Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do, as her must-read for anyone diagnosed with cancer.
Pam feels it is best to also keep children informed when it comes to dealing with illness in the family. “Children know something is wrong,” she explains. “They just don’t know what is wrong.”
Because of this, shortly after her breast cancer diagnosis, she enlisted the aid of her children’s school counselor. In turn, the counselor found another book that Pam now advises parents read to their children when someone in the family has cancer: When a Parent Has Cancer by Wendy Harpham, M.D.
As Pam’s awareness grew, so did her gratitude.
“Some people thought I was in denial,” she laughs. “What do you want me to do? Sit in a dark room and just waste the time? It is a gift to be mortal. I could get killed in a car accident or I could have a
heart attack.”
“Probably one of the most important things that helped me was getting rid of the negative in my life,” she continues. “Start surrounding yourself with people who see life the same way as you do. Seek your friends who are positive.”
It was this attitude that helped her feel comfortable with how she looked after losing her hair to the chemotherapy. She laughs about how other students at her children’s school would want to touch her head, which she preferred covering with a bandana or baseball cap rather than a hot wig. “I was totally corny with the whole bald thing,” she grins.
Pam credits her husband Lonny with being there for her to do what was needed when she couldn’t and friend and neighbor Pam Toups for coordinating meals when she was unable to cook.
As she gained strength and stamina back, Pam became a participant in area cancer awareness activities. She has walked in the Relay for Life in Allen for two years and the Susan G. Komen Walk in Dallas.
Then last November, Pam amazed family and friends by completing the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. This 60-mile trek took participants from the Plano Centre to Fair Park in Dallas. As an additional honor, Pam was selected as one of eight of the 4,000 walkers to take the stage for the opening and closing ceremonies. “I got to carry the Hope flag,” she notes. “It was such an honor.” Through her efforts, Pam raised $7,500 for the event’s beneficiary, Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Pam also chaired the Dog Tales Healthy Kids Expo at Texas Health Allen in 2006, an event based on a series of books written by late local cancer activist and friend Michelle Miller. In addition, Pam is working with Allen Parks and Recreation on the Cancer Walk of Hope to honor cancer heroes. Initiated by Michelle, this project has been particularly poignant for Pam who is excited to see her friend’s dream come to fruition.
Following her cancer diagnosis, Faith swapped running for speed walking, free weights and yoga. Like Pam, she meditated, learned more about nutrition, and adapted her diet. “I eat organically as much as I possibly can and love the McKinney Farmer’s Market,” she states.
“I try to make sure my life is surrounded by positive people and always find the silver lining,” Faith adds. “And it’s important for me to give back, to make a contribution. I firmly believe I was not spared simply to work and consume and spend.”
“When I was first diagnosed, after I cried and tried to bargain with God, the intention I set was to move through this with grace and the highest quality of life possible,” Faith avers. “So I surrendered to it and said whatever the outcome is, it is in my highest good.”
When cancer issues are weighing heavy, Faith often finds solace in reading books by Pema Chödrön, American-born Tibetan meditation master and author of When Things Fall Apart and The Places That Scare You. “She makes it easier for me to deal with the challenges,” Faith explains.
Faith recently began recording her experiences with cancer on a blog, canceronpause.com.
Faith jokes about her long-time and deeply committed relationship with NED—no evidence of disease. “So anybody else who comes into my life has to be okay with the fact that I am going to be a polygamist,” she smiles. “Hopefully NED is always going to be in my life.”
It was NED and another good friend who accompanied Faith on what she refers to as her “bucket list trip” to the Marche region of Italy last October.
For Faith, a single career woman working in the travel marketing business, finding emotional support was vital. Gilda’s Club of North Texas, located on Oak Lawn Avenue in Dallas, provided her that vital anchor.
Named for the late comedian Gilda Radner of Saturday Night Live fame, Faith notes that each club offers a similar comforting environment. “When you walk in, you feel at home because it looks familiar. There is this beautiful living area with lots of couches and magazines with a little reception area. And off that is a library and exercise area.”
“The support groups there are awesome,” she declares. “They made me realize that I can say what I want done. I can say ‘no,’ I can say ‘yes,’ and I can say ‘wait.”
Eventually the 12 members of Faith’s support group, comprised of both men and women of varying ages, began participating in social events outside of the club. They even named themselves “Celebrate Us.” Faith points out that being a member of a cancer support group means facing losses along with celebrating successes, and over the years several members of her close-knit band have died from their cancers.
Faith still grieves the loss of one member whose family would allow no visitors. “They did not even let us know that she had died until after the funeral,” Faith recalls. “We were really upset. So Gilda’s Club had an art therapy class for us because we needed to express our anger and grief and do a memorial for her. They did a beautiful job of supporting us.”
A long-time Hatha yoga practitioner, Faith recently earned her teacher’s certification at Yoga Balance Studio in McKinney. Hoping to lead yoga classes for Gilda’s Club, she explains, “I want it so that it is meditative, and I want it so it frees up energy in their body…so they can get relief and peace.”
“Gilda’s Club is a safe place to be who you really are,” Faith emphasizes. “And Gilda’s Club is free to patients, family and friends.”
After Faith moved from Irving to McKinney two years ago, she discovered that her Gilda’s Club in Dallas had suddenly become far less accessible. She also noticed there were many others in the northern regions of the Metroplex either making the long trek, or worse, not even aware of the Gilda’s Club. She began to promote establishing a satellite space of Gilda’s Club of North Texas in Collin County.
Faith was not the only one acknowledging that need.
A new opportunity in Allen
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Allen President Sheila McKinney stated that her facility had also seen a need for cancer support groups in the area. Initially their plan was to start a support group for women with breast cancer. In investigating the possibilities and options, they discovered that Gilda’s Club of North Texas served both women and men, and addressed any and all cancers—all for free. It was agreed that there was no reason to start a new organization when a successful one fulfilling the same needs was so close at hand.
To facilitate the opening of a satellite Gilda’s Club in Collin County, Texas Health Allen offered the organization 3,000 square feet of free space on the first floor of Medical Office Building One. A classic Gilda’s Club red door will be added to provide an external entrance. The two groups are now working together to raise the funds for the living room furniture—the first room that will be open to members.
Plans are for the first phase of Gilda’s Club of North Texas/Allen to open the beginning of this year.
Gilda’s Club of North Texas CEO Cindy Schneible notes that among the free services the Dallas club provides are support and networking groups, healthy lifestyle workshops (such as yoga, pilates, art class and cooking classes), and comprehensive children’s programs through their Noogieland program. She foresees similar programs being provided at the Allen satellite as funding becomes available.
“It isn’t just for cancer patients but also family and friends,” McKinney asserts. “It helps people cope with the diagnosis of cancer and how it changes peoples lives.”
She also has two related goals for the future. One dream is that the Allen Gilda’s Club satellite becomes so popular that it outgrows their space. The other? “What would be really fabulous,” she sighs, “is if they found a cure for cancer and they didn’t need this at all.”
To learn more about Gilda’s Club North Texas and the soon-to-be-open Allen satellite club, go to www.gildasclubtx.org.
Peggy Helmick-Richardson is a freelance writer. |
