PSS is continually looking for ways to help support the community. We have all known someone in our lives who has battled with a form of Cancer. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, we easily decided to support this cause. One of our own PSS team members beat Breast Cancer this July! Her story is inspiring and opens your eyes to what women go through when fighting this horrible disease. 1 in 8 women will develop Breast Cancer in her lifetime! Those statistics are staggering.
By supporting others that are fighting Breast Cancer, we have all learned how to better incorporate a Growth Mindset into our daily lives. Your mindset is your most powerful tool you have at your disposal. So be the change you want to see in the world.
Read more information and statistics on Breast Cancer from the National Breast Cancer Association.
This year, Michelle helped organize PSS participating in the Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure. Watch our 5K journey!
Michelle is a fighter...and this...is her story...
"I started my first chemo on Wednesday, August 21, 2019. My first 4 rounds of chemo were scheduled every 2 weeks. I received what they call “Red Devil”, and now I know why. 5 days later I was in the ED with shortness of breath and red bumps/rash on my face. My bloodwork was low, but not low enough to admit me. 2 days later I was back in the ED with a temp of 102 and no immune system at all. I had contracted a bacterial infection and was admitted for 4 days.
My friend of 24 years, Dorothy Mangol, who is an RN at Novant, came to visit me on my last day there and sat with me for several hours. We cried when we saw each other because it had been so long since we had seen each other in person. (She also came to visit me on my last day of chemo, since she was working that day!) I became sick again after my 2nd chemo, so back to the hospital. This time I was only there for a day.
My dear sweet friend of 27 years, Teresa Wilburn, sat with me during my 2nd chemo. I was already starting to lose my hair, so she helped me try on different scarves to wear once my hair would finally be gone. 2 days later I had to shave my head and cried for hours afterwards, sitting on the bathroom floor. I eventually lost my eyebrows and eyelashes as well.
My son, Alex King, was very supportive and came to visit me as much as he could. He was here for my lumpectomy surgery, as well as when I had my port inserted 2 days before my 1st chemo. He also sat with me on October 2nd during my chemo and we played UNO all day, talking & laughing.
October 16th I started a new chemo for 12 weeks, every Wednesday. During that time I met some incredible women! Stephanie Isbell Helms was there every week, so we started sitting together, talking about our journeys, and became friends. Her husband brought us Chick Fil A for lunch one day and sat with us during his lunch break. We still stay in touch to this day! She is an amazing woman and almost done with her fight.
Dorothy reached out to our friend, Melody Van De Mark, who owns a salon, Rain by Melodi in South End, Charlotte NC. Her colleague, Sezina, created a custom-made wig for me! They do this every year for cancer patients. I also became close friends with my Pharmacist, Shannon Nichols. She followed me throughout my journey, always checking on me and became one of my biggest fans! We are still close friends to this day.
Diane Fertig Vogler, who is a 7-year BC survivor, was a life saver for me. She is married to a man I went to High School with, in Cocoa Beach, FL. From day 1 she supported me. I received cards from her in the mail weekly and she sent me a message every day to check on me. I don’t know what I would have done without her.
There are so many friends that were there to support me during my journey. I would not have made it through this without them. Besides my team here at PSS, my friends from Cocoa Beach High School were by far the most supportive group of people and I can't thank them enough. The Pink Fund, Pretty in Pink, Susan G. Komen as well as my Go Fund Me account: without these organizations helping me financially throughout my treatment I don't know what I would have done."
