Survivor story: Delores Barton, a breast cancer survivor
RELATED PHOTOS
Delores Barton and her son Mark are both cancer survivors.
With the American Cancer Society Relay for Life coming up soon, the buzz has been building, and with this event comes the recognition of those who are persevering cancer survivors.
Delores Barton, a 76 year-old Tehachapi woman, is one of these survivors.
“My story is different from others I feel,” explains Barton, “I was lucky to have been diagnosed in Stage-1 of breast cancer.”
Barton was very disciplined in attending her annual mammograms, and during a routine checkup, her doctor asked for a “redo” of the examination.
“It was during the end of November 2006. The doctor said they needed to perform another mammogram, and then he asked again.
By the end of December [2006], the doctor told me there was a lump smaller than a nail behind my left breast.”
After the mysterious lump was found, Barton’s doctor began to act quickly to discover whether the finding was benign or malignant-in other words, whether it was breast cancer or not.
“In January 2007, I had the biopsy done at Mercy Southwest Hospital. It was breast cancer.”
The news truly surprised Barton as she had no physical signs of her cancer.
“In February, I underwent surgery and the entire lump was removed.”
Barton was fortunate to not have to endure chemotherapy, an aggressive treatment used often with cancer patients.
Instead of chemotherapy, Barton received radiation.
“For six weeks, five days out of the week, I drove myself to CBCC [Comprehensive Blood & Cancer Center] in Bakersfield for radiation.
It was exhausting, but it worked!”
Barton has been cancer free for almost four years.
Delores Barton, a breast cancer survivor, has a simple message she is adamant about sharing with all who read her story.
“You need to be checked! If you want to live a good life, then get yourself checked!” she said.
Barton also believes that people fighting cancer “need to interact with others...we need to talk about it [because] it relieves your pressure, it gives you camaraderie and understanding of what’s going on [how the cancer has developed in your body and how it will be treated].”
Unfortunately, this was not Barton’s first encounter with cancer.
In 1989, Barton’s son, Edward, passed away at 22 years of age from a brain tumor, and in 2007 (about the time Barton was diagnosed with breast cancer), her son, Mark, began his fight against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 46 years old.
“Mark has been in remission for three years!” Barton happily asserts.
Since the loss of her son Edward, Barton has been active in Relay for Life. However, she confesses she might have been in “denial” until her son’s diagnosis.
“I pretended not to know [about cancer or events to support survivors], but after Edward, I became involved.”
This humble and honest statement is true for so many others, as it is easy to ignore the reality of cancer and the fact that it is unprejudiced and inclusive in nature, when an individual has not been affected by it in some personal way.
“It’s like being an ostrich with your head in the sand. Not getting tested IS messing with your life. Get checked!” Barton encourages,
“Prevention is positive. It’s positive because you’re seeking information and asking questions.”
From her experience, Barton has learned that “everyone is vulnerable.”
For all those who desire to witness the fight against cancer, Relay for Life in Tehachapi will enjoy another event at Coy Burnett football stadium on Tehachapi Boulevard. The 24 hour event will run July 9-10.
Barbara Duggins, the Chair for Relay, is excited about the opening ceremony that will take place July 9 at 8:30am to be followed by the Survivor’s Lap.
Duggins explains, “When you see all those people in their purple shirts walking together around the track, you just get chills. All of these people are cancer survivors and there are so many, and there are more [cancer survivors] out there!”
A large goal has been set for this year: to raise at least $150,000 during the event. Duggins is very confident from the support that the Tehachapi community has shown so far to be able to achieve this.
Barbara Duggins and Delores Barton are passionate about Relay’s mission. Hopefully, their passion will inspire other community members to support Relay for Life.
No comments:
Post a Comment