This quilt has been donated and designed especially for ViVA for Life 2009 5th Anniversary Celebration. The design comes from Nancy Hyde of Hidden Rock Quilt Designs. This design was made in honor of her friend who had breast cancer. We are always looking for volunteers to help with this event. For more information please call 662-6600.
Our very dear friends have been kind enough to share these thoughts about ViVA for Life, an Evening of Celebration...
ViVA for Life Gave Me Encouragement and Hope!
by Teresa Wesoloski
When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in April of 2006 I was overwhelmed with very negative feelings and thoughts. I had lost so many people close to me from cancer...my Mom at 47, my Gram at 61, my uncle at 51...All I could think was I am 38 years old and I’m not going to live to have kids and see them grow up.
I had my surgery and started going through my chemotherapy and then on to radiation. In September of 2006 my family said they bought me tickets to go to a fund raiser at Romanello’s South for breast cancer. The last thing I wanted to do with my bald head was go to a fancy function but my husband and whole family was going for me and I did not want to disappoint them.
This turned out to be one of the best decisions I made...Finally I started hearing some positive outcomes from people who have had cancer and survived. It is an awesome event that gave me encouragement and hope! There are incredible people there willing to share their stories or just listen to yours. And to top it off, this event raises much needed money necessary for the WNY Breast Resource Center at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Russell Hurlbert, owner of Viva Hair & Spa in Orchard Park and Coordinator for "VIVA for Life” does an amazing job with this event. As do all the caring and generous people who volunteer their time, make donations...everything that makes this event what it is.
I can’t say enough good things about Viva For Life, but don’t take my word for it...come see for yourself!! I am a breast cancer survivor and would not miss this for the world!
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It is with great excitement that we extend our congratulations to
Teresa and her husband Dale on their
NEW BABY BOY, GRAYSON!
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My experience with, "You Have Breast Cancer"
by Laura Molino
In September of 2008, I was given the news, "Yes, you have breast cancer." I was home alone, and the doctor gave me the news over the telephone. "OK," I said to myself, "be strong, and this too I will fight." I waited for my dear husband to walk in and gave him the dreadful news. We cried in each other's arms. He is my rock. We went through something challenging like this 23 years ago. I lost my left leg in 1985. He stuck with me then, and I was certain he would be there for me again. That is the strength of our marriage.
For three years prior to getting this devastating news of my own, I had received invitations to ViVA for Life. For some reason, I did not find time to attend. Prior to my diagnosis in September of 2008, I received another invite in the mail from Russell, my hair stylist. This time though, with good intention, I kept it in my desk. Then I heard the news of my own breast cancer. Oh, how anxious I was to attend this year. This time it was about me also. Before I went to the ViVA for Life Celebration, I was confused, depressed and very worried my life would be shortened. I wanted to see my grandchildren grow up; I wanted to be there for all their achievements and goals. My sister had bilateral breast cancer and passed at 50 years of age. I miss her terribly.
I started a journal of all that my family should know about after I was gone. I was afraid and worried, and it was very depressing. However, one week before my bilateral mastectomy this year, I did attend ViVA for Life. I was part of this wonderful evening with my daughter, my husband and a friend. I did not cry, I was not sad or scared. I felt I was alive, and I had great hope and courage with all these beautiful people fighting for us and giving us hope for the cure. Russell Hurlburt gave me hope and dreams of my future. ViVA for Life gave me the strength to fight this cancer, to have hope, and to help search for the cure. This year, I am a survivor at the ViVA for Life Celebration. Thank you.
Fecher Cancer Story
In March of 2004, at the age of 47 and just 4 months before my son’s wedding, I was diagnosed with cancer- a rare form of non-hodgkins lymphoma that was fortunately confined to my stomach. I immediately chose Roswell Park Cancer Institute as the place I would seek treatment because of their good reputation in the community. My medical oncologist at Roswell and the healthcare team was wonderful. They treated me like I was the only patient, listened to all of my concerns and answered all of my questions.
The journey was not easy. I was terrified and felt alone and afraid but at the same time I was overcome by the amazing outpouring of love and support from my family and friends, and know that their prayers and love contributed to my healing. I underwent radiation treatments and by the grace of God went into remission. The team at Roswell was with me each step of the way, coordinating my care between the hematology and radiation therapy departments, assuring that the side effects from the treatment were managed and that care was being coordinated.
Cancer was the first thing I thought about when I awoke and the last thing I thought about before falling asleep at night. Once the treatment was completed I was put on a three month follow-up schedule for CT scans and biopsies to be sure the cancer hadn’t returned. It seemed like I’d just begin to stop thinking about it a bit and then I’d start worrying about test results all over again. During this time several people with cancer or their caregivers came into my life as well. I had been questioning God’s lessons for me in all of this until I finally came to the realization that He wanted me to reach out to others who were ill or in need of support and be there for them- help them heal as I had started to do.
I was starting to be less anxious and afraid. By early 2006 I was back in shape, started running and returned to cycling with my husband. I was confident that I had beat this thing and celebrated my 50th birthday on top of the world! Everything came crashing down around me again in June of that year, when I had a routine screening and biopsy which came back positive for a second form of cancer- stomach cancer. The shock left me reeling along with the knowledge that this form of cancer was much more serious than the lymphoma. It is not curable with radiation or chemotherapy alone. Only surgical removal of the stomach is curative. There is typically a high mortality rate associated with this type of cancer because by the time patients typically seek treatment for their symptoms, the disease is advanced. In reality the original lymphoma was a blessing- the strict screening schedule found the cancer early.
I waited 3 weeks for the exploratory surgery that would determine whether the cancer had spread to other organs and determine how much of my stomach would have to be removed. I was in surgery for 5 hours and again, by the grace of God, things looked good. There wasn’t any spread of the cancer to other organs and no visible tumor in my stomach. Much to my amazement all of the biopsies taken from the surgery were negative!
After that I never really let my guard down, knowing that at some point the cancer would be found again. This type of cancer spreads diffusely through the layers of the stomach and is hard to pinpoint. I remained on a strict surveillance schedule with CT scans and biopsies. I began to experience stomach issues again and in October of 2008 it was determined that the cancer had once again been found in an ulcer in the lower section of my stomach. This time there was no doubt that I would need to have my stomach removed. On November 13th I underwent a subtotal gastrectomy. The doctors removed 65% of my stomach. Fortunately the cancer had not spread to my lymph nodes or other organs. I was an inpatient at Roswell for almost two weeks. The care was incredible- from the surgeons to the dietitians- I've never seen such compassion and caring at such a high level.
It has been 6 months since the surgery. I have adjusted to a new “normal”, learning to eat differently and modifying my lifestyle. I have returned to work full-time and am grateful to be alive. Each day is a precious gift and God has graciously afforded me more time on this earth. There are many whose journey has been much more difficult than mine. But I want my circumstances to give others hope. Fighting cancer is not easy and there are not guarantees of a win. But you can help others fight the disease, by making financial donations to places like RPCI, volunteering your time to work with cancer patients and just "being there" for those who are in need of a listening ear and "hope".
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" ~ Jeremiah 29:11-13
Russell received a wonderful note via email that we would like to share with you...
"Hey Boys-
I hope the event was a smashing success last night. I am so sorry we did not make it.... i was there in spirit. I wanted to share a story i just heard at my moms.....she was telling my grandma that she talked to Laura (our lifelong family friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer) today and that she was feeling 1,000,000 times better today because last night she "felt like a queen at the event she was at. They had her on stage and dropped balloons and for the first time she felt like she was part of a family." When I asked my mom if Laura was at ViVA for Life, she said "YES!!!" I guess until last night she was having a really hard time with what was happening to her.
What a wonderful thing for you to be able to do. You totally changed her life....
Congratulations! Love you!"
Messages like these inspire us to continue our efforts and we thank all of you who join us, contribute and halp to make it all happen!!!
It is with such great pride and honor that we announce the fund raising efforts of our dear friends Allie and Kim, creators, designers and craftsmen of ViVA la Bracelets...
Friday, September 25, 2009
at Romanello's South in Hamburg, NY
- Mary Alice Demler as Honorary Chair
- Jazz Trio by Krista Seddon
- DJ Services by: Whirlin Disc Sound
- Pink and white colors of the night
- balloon drop at midnight
- Silent and Theme Tray auctions
Executive Committee Members:
- Chairman - Russell Hurlburt
- Secretary and Volunteer Chair - Linda Lanning
- Financial Committee Chair - Cathy Dunlop
- Web Site and Program Chair - Gina Siepierski
- Sponsorship and Program Committee Chair - Karen Dybala
- Auction Committee Co-Chairs - Kerri O'Donnell & Tracey Lanning
- Event Committee and Gift-Gathering Chair - Erin Saviola
- Public Relations and Special Task Committee Chair - John Percy
