Breast Cancer survivor Meghan Greene talks about learning to live after cancer
Meghan Greene was only 30 years old when it happened. Her general practitioner had been admonishing her to schedule a gynecological exam, something Meghan admits she had been putting off longer than she should (they aren’t particularly pleasant after all.)
The appointment was early in the week and during the routine breast exam a lump was discovered. A mammogram was scheduled for the next day, then an ultrasound, and finally at the end of the week, a biopsy.
This meant Meghan had the entire weekend to think on the potential results and while friends and family tried to reassure her: “You’re too young!”, “There’s no history of it in your family!”, Meghan says that deep down, she already knew.
The call came on Monday morning, the pronouncement terse; the results were positive, it was breast cancer. Despite her best efforts to steel herself against it, the words were overwhelming.
“I felt like I was underwater. Light and color were muted, sound was muffled, everything seemed distant. Finally, I said, ‘Okay, what do we do next?’”
Chemotherapy came first, four and a half months of it. Pain, fatigue, nausea and a litany of other side effects were difficult to cope with, but the consequences of no chemo were ultimately worse. There was the inevitable hair loss, of course, and the less visible but longer lasting cognitive difficulties which can linger for months or even years after treatment.
Even now Meghan, a genuinely charming and articulate woman, experiences frustration at times when her thoughts become disconnected and the right words won’t come. Fortunately, it is a condition that continues to improve with time.
Surgery followed the chemotherapy, a lumpectomy in this case rather than a mastectomy. Next came radiation therapy that unfortunately had to be delayed halfway through the treatment course as it was causing Meghan, whose skin is particularly sensitive, severe burns.
For a year following the surgery and radiation therapy, Meghan had to receive regular intravenous infusions of the drug herceptin and even now is taking daily medications and will for the next ten years.
The good news at the end of all the treatment is that she is cancer free, for now.
“Every survivor knows that there is always some fear of recurrence. It isn’t overwhelming, you live your life, but you stay vigilant. The battle isn’t over after treatment.”
The bout with cancer had at least one unexpected after-effect for Ms. Greene. Long term career plans of working with a non-profit group had led her to obtain a degree in that field, but she had always envisioned herself working in music or the arts.
The idea of working in anything related to medicine wasn’t even a consideration, at least until her own experience put her in touch with a number of support groups and non-profit organizations dedicated to serving cancer patients and survivors.
Call it fate, karma, kismet or just circumstance; her education and the aftermath of her ordeal put her in the right place at the right time and today Meghan Greene serves as the executive director of Breast Cancer Support Services, a non-profit organization based in Chattanooga serving nineteen counties in Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama.
“Breast Cancer Support Services was founded in Elaine Hill’s basement when she realized, after her own breast cancer diagnosis, that there were very few resources available, particularly to lower income survivors,” explains Greene. “I know breast cancer awareness is everywhere now, but Elaine started our organization when it wasn’t really something that was even spoken of publicly. There is still no one else in this area doing what we do. We’ve accomplished a lot in our 25 years, in no small part thanks to Elaine and other founding members.”
BCSS offers a wide variety of services to patients and survivors all free of charge. BCSS sponsors a quarterly education series in which, according to Greene, “Area medical and health professionals present current topics relevant to breast cancer survivors. These include presentations on lifestyle, nutrition and fitness, as well as medical advances, updated screening guidelines and management of side effects common in survivors.”
Past topics covered in the education series include Eating for a Healthy Life, Modern Breast Reconstruction, Benefits of Peer Support, Bone Health, Pain Management, New Screening Guidelines, Phytoestrogens, Integrated Medicine and many more.
The office, located at 1400 McCallie Ave. Suite 10, hosts a support group the second Monday of every month, led by a licensed professional counselor who is also a survivor.
There is a once a year half-day workshop entitled, “Moving On, Life After Breast Cancer” covering an array of subjects including body language, movement therapy and art therapy.
By far the largest and most utilized program offered by BCSS is the Emergency Fund. A cancer diagnosis often delivers a sort of financial double-jeopardy in which the patient is suddenly unable to work (or at the very least severely limited in the hours and kinds of work they can perform) while regular household expenses are compounded by medical costs.
It is in these moments of vulnerability when the patient is most in need of money while least able to earn it that the Emergency Fund comes in to play, helping to cover bills during chemo treatment. It is also this program that relies most heavily on the donations BCSS receives throughout the year.
Another popular and important program offered by BCSS, one of Greene’s personal favorites, is the Mastectomy Bra/Prosthetic Bank. These items tend to be prohibitively expensive and many insurance policies do not cover their cost.
Those that do tend to be limited in scope so that women whose prosthetics have become damaged or degraded over time are forced to patch them however they can. The Bank’s purpose is to make these items available to women who might otherwise be forced to do without or improvise as was the case with one survivor:
“She had been stuffing her bra with socks for ten years,” says Greene. “After we were able to fit her with the proper prosthetics she smiled and told me it was the first time she’d felt whole since her surgery. Experiences like that continue to be one of the most rewarding parts of the job.”
Though Greene is an expert at wringing the greatest value out of every dollar that comes in to the organization, it is still an expensive endeavor. It is thanks to the contributions of longtime private donors (many of whom are survivors themselves), corporate sponsorships, volunteers and other donors that BCSS is able to operate, but a substantial portion of their funding comes from a single event, the annual Bra-Vo Fashion Show.
The fifth annual Bra-Vo show (which is also the 25th anniversary of BCSS) is being held at Track 29 on April 2nd. The event is from 2 to 4:30 and light refreshments are being provided by Carrabba’s, Dish T’Pass, Culinary Creations Catering and La Familia Mexican Restaurant.
Six local boutiques, Frankie and Julian’s, Irma Marie, K:: A Boutique by Katherine Roberts, Rock Creek Outfitters, Stein Mart and Yacoubian Tailors are providing the clothing for the show.
The French Quarter and the Chattanooga Make-Up Collaborative are providing hair and make-up respectively.
The Chocolate Box will once again be sponsoring their truffle sale at the event. Each package consists of a box, two chocolate truffles and a number that corresponds to a prize. Prizes include gift baskets and an assortment of gift cards to local restaurants and spas.
There will also be a cash bar (ID required, naturally.)
All of the models participating in the event are breast cancer survivors ranging in age from 20 to 80 years old including a male model, reinforcing the important point that breast cancer can affect anyone regardless of age or gender.
Tickets are available through the BCSS website (http://www.bcss-chattanooga.org/) for $40 or $45 at the door. While this event is the single largest source of funds for Breast Cancer Support Services, individual donations may be made at any time through the website and Amazon offers a partnership wherein they will donate 5% of your purchase totals directly to BCSS.
At a time when the future of healthcare for many Americans is uncertain at best, the work of non-profit organizations like BCSS is more vital and important than ever, and with no support whatsoever at either the federal or state level, the support of the community is critical.
Fundraisers like the Bra-Vo Fashion Show are a great and easy way to lend that support, along with individual donations and volunteering. Better funding means a greater ability to reach and help those in need which has always been the primary goal of BCSS.
A final word from Meghan Greene: “A breast cancer diagnosis is overwhelming for many people, but you don’t have to face it alone. There are more resources today than ever before, and BCSS is here to help survivors navigate not only treatment, but life beyond breast cancer.”