Behind the Pink Ribbons: A Shelton Breast Cancer Survivor's Story

Editor’s note: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Patch is sharing inspirational stories of breast cancer survivors to help raise awareness for early detection. Would you like to share your story? Email wendy.mitchell@patch.com.

Written By Laura Yarish

My name is Laura from Shelton. I am a young wife and mother of two amazing little girls. My youngest Sarah was just four months old when I was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. So here I am 38 years old, just was blessed with our Sarah, getting back to work and living life as normal.

My husband said to me, “Hey remember when you received that reminder letter for you mammogram? I said, “Yeah, I have to call.” He said, “Well try to get it in before the new year because of insurance.” I made the appointment and went, not realizing the news I was about to receive. And so the journey begins.

As the days followed I met with my surgeon, reviewed my films and scheduled the biopsy. I continued to live life as usual. I went to work. I joked around I laughed I cried. Sometimes my poor coworkers family and friends didn’t know how to handle me. And then...

I got the call on December 19, 2014 with the news I never thought I would hear, “Laura I am sorry but you have breast cancer.”

For days and even weeks I felt like I was talking about somebody else. You always hear the stories like this. Never did I think it would be my story.

You know it’s funny when you tell people of your diagnosis and they say:

“Just get rid of them, that’s what I would do.”

“Breast cancer is the best kind of cancer to have.”

“It’s the happy cancer.”

On Jan. 16, 2015 I went in for a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. The surgery was a success and the good news was that it didn’t spread. I started the healing process and waited some more for more test results to have a plan of the next step.

I was about five or so weeks in recovery when I received the call. “Sorry Laura, you have to have chemo.”

At that moment I felt like she told me all over again that I had cancer.

The very next day I sat in my Oncologist’s office and heard the plan: chemotherapy every 21 days for three months. Hopefully with no hiccups I will be on my way and then of course the “five year plan.”

The Norma Pfriem Breast Care Center and their amazing team put me back together again. I will be forever grateful for them and am truly blessed to be here today.

A very special person once told me when I was starting chemo, “If you want the rainbows you have to put up with the rain.”

Well it was thunder, lighting and lots of wind, but the sun will come out. I am blessed for I know at the end of this there will be my rainbow.

I am officially cancer free and my rainbow is shining.

Sometimes the things that we can’t change end up changing us. This journey changed me but only for the better. I am blessed and loved and together with the help of many I fought this and won. This journey is far from over. I will continue to help and educate others about early detection and raise awareness. Together we can all help to fight for a cure and save lives, one screening at a time. HOPE LIVES!

Read more survivor stories:

Breast Cancer Awareness: Behind the Pink Ribbons, A Survivor’s Story

Woman Will Cycle 2,100 Miles in 30 Days for Best Friend With Breast Cancer