Survivor Diary: Josie Urbelis

I was diagnosed on...
"May 5, 2008."

My immediate reaction was...
"Shock. I was in the doctor's office and had gone alone to the visit. I knew something wasn't right, but I didn't think it was going to be something serious. After my doctor told me I had breast cancer, she informed me that it was invasive and that I'd need a mastectomy. Then she began to draw a diagram of how she'd cut me. There was too much information at once. Needless to say, I didn't keep the same doctor."

Now, breast cancer means to me...
"It's just a horrible thing. No one is prepared for it. They don't tell you that if you have thick breast tissue, the mammogram won’t show lumps. You need an MRI for that. Today, I feel lucky that they discovered mine early, but I wish I had caught is sooner so I didn't have to go through what I did. I don’t take anything for granted anymore. Breast cancer brought that into focus for me."

I'd tell someone recently diagnosed with breast cancer that...
"You need a lot of support. One of my friends has been through ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and heart problems. I would call her when I needed reassurance. Also having a great oncologist really makes a difference. Mine would put my medical, and personal fears at ease. She was truly there for me."

The things that keep me strong are...
"My perseverance. There is a massive amount of pain that comes with breast cancer. There were days when I couldn’t even move, and anything I ate tasted terrible. But you have to remind yourself that this too shall pass. And you will be okay."

I spend my time...
"Planning trips. When I was in chemo I planned a trip that 12 relatives and I took to Tuscany. It was a wonderful distraction."

If I were to stand in the middle of the street and scream, it would be...
"I’m a survivor!"

Hope is...
"Never giving up."

Breast cancer is...
"Curable."