Mary Ann Wasil, Breast Cancer Fighter, Founder of 'Get in Touch' Foundation, Passed Away

MILFORD, CT — A Milford mother of three, wife, Connecticut police officer, actress for 10 years on “All My Children,” author, activist, breast cancer fighter and inspiration to thousands, Mary Ann Wasil, passed away on Friday after a 12-year battle with breast cancer.

In 2004 at the age of 39, she found a lump on her breast. Her daughters were 12 and 13 at the time and her immediate thought was to ensure they knew how to do a self breast exam and so the Get in Touch Foundation (GIT) was born.

Wasil shares in an interview for a photo diary of her journey what it was like to get the news nobody ever wants to hear.

"My surgeon called me and the first thing he asked me was— "Are you alone?" And I said, "No." Then he said, "Are you driving?" And I thought, "Oh great, great." Are you going to tell me that I have breast cancer?" And he said, "Yes, Mary Ann, yes." So I said, alight. What do I have to do? What do I have to do? Whatever I do I'm telling you now, I'm doing it with faith and grace and style and I will show other women that they can do it too."

After undergoing dose dense chemotherapy, suffering a stroke during treatment, enduring heart surgery, more chemo and a bi-lateral mastectomy, Wasil emerged cancer free and was determined to "kick this cancer thing right in the teeth."

Wasil said she never said "'why me,' because really that means, 'why not you' and I would not wish this on anyone."

In 2010, Wasil was honored as the winner of Maria Shriver’s California Women’s Conference publishing contest, was named one of the WNBA New York Liberty “Women Who Inspire” and also won the Oprah Magazine CoverGirl “Giving Beautiful Back Award.”

In 2011 she visited her family physician for a well-visit and mentioned a knot in her left trapezoid muscle where her purse strap rests and was diagnosed with a treatable regional non-visceral relapse of breast cancer, a treatable cancer in a localized area.

Soon after, she was told that the cancer was metastatic and had spread to her lymph nodes and other parts of her body. She shared every step of her journey on her blog with humor, honesty, raw emotion and grace, often times signing off with two words she will be remembered by, "Hope lives."

Her 2013 memoir, A Diary of Healing: My Intense and Meaningful Life With Cancer, inspired many who have fought the fight or know someone who has. A reviewer on Amazon, Susan Carroll-Dwyer, wrote:

"Mary Ann Wasil is truly an inspiration; taking on her health challenge with faith and compassion. Her journey continues as her focus remains on helping others. The Get In Touch Foundation for girls is a remarkable program to help girls get in touch with their bodies and take charge of their health. The program which started in one small town is now in schools in all 50 states and at least 20 countries worldwide. The daisy wheels used in the program have been developed into an app; an easy way for young girls to learn about themselves and check themselves everyday just as they brush their teeth everyday. Mary Ann is remarkable - helping all of our daughters!"

In 2015, Wasil wrote a Mother's Day piece published on Generation W in which she shares more of her inspiring message:

"Time flies. It waits for no one. Don’t let even a moment pass you by without cherishing it, without tasting it, drinking it all in, every last drop…as slowly as possible."

To learn more about Get in Touch visit here.

Photo by Brad Stanton