BREAST CANCER AWARENESS SAVES LIVES

Twenty-two years ago Jody Kiehne discovered a lump in her breast on a Sunday. On Monday she saw her doctor. On Tuesday she was in the hospital having a radical mastectomy.

Fourteen years later her daughter, Patti Talley, discovered a lump in her breast. It too was cancer.

Both women believe support from family and friends, faith and a positive outlook made the difference in their survival.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The figures are ominous; one in nine women will develop breast cancer by age 85.

An estimated 182,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in 1993.

Men, too, can develop breast cancer; an estimated 1,000 cases will be diagnosed this year.

But treatment can be quite successful, especially if the cancer is discovered early.

The five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer, one that was discovered early, is 93 percent.

The key, Talley and Kiehne said, is early detection.

Kiehne, who was 48, when she discovered the lump in her breast, said, "I was petrified. I sort of thought it would be cancer."

The tumor was small, but Kiehne had radiation treatment as a precaution. "At that time, they were not using chemotherapy as extensively."

Kiehne said she has worked to keep a positive outlook through her illness.

"Even though I did go through a panicky stage, I really always thought I was going to be all right," she said.

"There were a lot of prayers and a lot of support from family and friends, especially from my husband. Having someone who cares makes all the difference."

Kiehne has a mammogram yearly, sees her family physician three times a year and her surgeon yearly. She remains cancer-free.

"After I was on my feet and feeling better, well, it just wasn't foremost in my mind," she said.

Watching her daughter face the disease was more difficult.

"That was my little girl going through it."

Talley had her first cancer in 1985 when she was 34 years old. She too discovered the lump herself.

Talley said, "It helped me tremendously to know how happy and healthy my mom had been."

From the time her mother had the cancer until Talley discovered her lump, treatments had changed. She had choices.

"In the hospital we talked about my options," Talley said. She was the first woman in Cape Girardeau to have a lumpectomy with radiation treatment.

"I was elated at my five-year mark to be cancer free," Talley said. "I mentioned that to my oncologist. He said with the treatment I had a new cancer was more likely to show up six, seven, eight years later."

Seven years after her first cancer, Talley had another tumor, discovered by a mammogram. This time her only option was a mastectomy and aggressive chemotherapy.

"The support of family and friends was so important," Talley said. "My husband was wonderful. My daughter, Megan, was 14 at the time. She took over being mom. She held my hand and tucked me in at night."

In the middle of her chemotherapy treatment, Talley and her daughter took a trip to Ireland, which had been planned for a long time. They rode on horseback through the countryside of Ireland.

"I went with a bald head, a couple scarves, a couple wigs and a riding helmet. I had to be careful when I took off my riding helmet not to take off my wig," she said.

"The trip was wonderful. That break in the chemotherapy really lifted my spirits."

Megan and I always had a sense of humor about things, especially the hair loss. A positive outlook is extremely important. It's important to laugh and joke to ease the tension."

Following the mastectomy, Talley decided to have breast reconstruction surgery, done by a local plastic surgeon. "I was very pleased with the results," she said. "I don't know that reconstruction is right for everyone, but I'm happy I had it done."

The reconstruction process requires several surgeries.

Talley now serves on the board for the local American Cancer Society and is chairman of the breast health committee.

Breast cancer survivors, working through the American Cancer Society, volunteer for a Reach to Recovery program. The volunteers, who have been cancer-free, visit women with breast cancer while they are in the hospital.

"It's nice to see a woman who is happy and healthy when you don't feel so good. That provides a ray of hope," said Talley.

In addition, support groups for those with breast cancer are active at both Cape Girardeau hospitals.

"Having cancer has changed my outlook on life," Talley said. "It helped me get things into perspective. I feel closer to my family. And I'm happy every day I wake up and feel good."

Her mother agreed. "It helped me sort the important things and appreciate the God-given things. It's wonderful to be outside on a beautiful day. I know I'm more aware of these things. I hope I remember to say thank you every day."