I recommend that people come to Cancer Action as early as they can.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in May of 2004, I wasn’t thinking about cancer at all. It was just two weeks before my fortieth birthday and I just had my first mammogram.

When the doctor called me at 7:30 at night saying that it looked like something abnormal I thought he was talking about my daughter’s arm X-ray from a fall she had. I wasn’t thinking a thing about rattlesnakes and one comes up to bite me! My path took a sharp right turn. Okay Lord, I thought, you want me to take this right turn, so I will. My path came through to Cancer Action.

I had known about Cancer Action for years through a friend. So after surgery I called them because I thought I’d need rides to radiation. I found out about their support group called ‘Time to Talk.’ I had always thought going to a support group was a sign of weakness. I didn’t need to talk to anybody! Then I heard it’s the strong ones that go to the group. I never needed the rides but I’ve been coming to the support group two times a month. What a blessing!

My policy is to try new things at least three times. The first time I attended I met some really interesting people who happened to have the same disease I had.

The third time at Time to Talk, I realized that it was not a weakness but a strength to develop relationships with people who I would never have met otherwise.

And there’s new people coming into the group. Now I find myself already turning it around. I’m still not used to being a cancer survivor myself, but here I am already helping others! I can say, ‘I’ve been where you are.’ This is where the Lord has me right now—and he has the future too!

Cancer Action helped my children, too. They wanted to know if mommy was going to die. I like knowing there’s a place my family can go to ask their questions. My husband also can know that we have a support system here at Cancer Action. It helps him to relax.

Cancer Action feels more like home. I walk in and I know everyone here. Everyone has smiles and really cares about me. I’m not a number here—never have been.

- LISA COYNE, wife, mother, nurse