Suzan Crites

Suzan Crites has a history of cancer in her family, including a mother with breast and then lung cancer and a sister with melanoma. Suzan herself fought uterine cancer in 2008, and was then diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 at age 57. At the same time, her husband had just entered remission from colon cancer. Crites' mother beat her breast cancer and went on to live another 30 healthy years, and Crites is well on her way to doing the same. She's been cancer-free for more than two years, and her motto is this: "They say if life gives you lemons, make lemonade -- well, me, I make pink lemonade."

__How did you find out you had breast cancer?__

My mother had had breast cancer, and we have a history of cancer in general among my siblings. Mom said, 'Check yourself all the time, because if you don't, I will.' She was a big believer that if it was caught early, it was curable. In 2011 I reached for something and felt a twinge that was not normal. I had a lot of fibrous cysts, but when I touched where the twinge was at -- and I had just checked myself a couple weeks before and nothing was there -- this time there was a lump that I knew felt different than fibroids. My doctor had told me I'd know the difference, and I did. I went to the doctor right away. I had the last appointment the day before Thanksgiving. The radiologist came out and said, 'Promise me you won't ignore this.' As soon as Thanksgiving was over I had a biopsy and it was positive.

__What was your treatment like?__

Within two weeks of my diagnosis I had a lumpectomy. I went through chemo treatment, which was going every week and taking the full cycle of drugs, then a three-week rest. Radiation was nothing compared to chemo. But I had already seen what my husband went through with colon cancer, and he had it so much worse than I did. I was blessed, because I know it could have been much worse.

__What has been the most difficult part of the experience for you?__

Letting other people take care of me. I was so used to doing for other people. That's a lesson you have to learn, or you're going to go under. I also had the double burden of being the caregiver for my husband as well as receiving treatment myself.

__What is your advice to other women?__

Early prevention. Always check yourself. Nobody knows you better than you. My mother had beat it into my head that if you ever find something, ask -- never, ever ignore it. I know my body, I know my breasts and I know where my fibroid stuff is. The only thing a woman can't do is see deep next to the chest walls, and that's where mammography is important. Definitely don't ever skip a mammogram, or do it as soon as you can if you have to skip one. Always be aware and stay healthy, meaning if you're not in good shape, you need to get in good shape so when you do have to fight that fight, your body is as healthy as it can be and you can bounce back as quickly as you can. I wasn't in that great of shape. I did OK, but I think I would have bounced back quicker, faster and better if I were in shape. Eat healthy, get out there and walk a little bit, and the most important thing is to check yourself once a month. Just because you're a certain age, don't discount breast cancer because you're young. Get in there and get it checked. You've got nothing to lose but life itself.

-- By Robyn Gautschy