Take on our 10-day challenge!

Only 10 days until the New York City Triathlon and our staff members Rochelle, Elana, and Ellen are ready to take on the triathlon as a relay team if YOU can help us get 1,000 new Facebook fans! Tell your friends to "like" our page – www.facebook.com/sharsheret.org - and post your name on our wall as the person who referred them and not only will you and one lucky friend be eligible to win an iTunes gift card, but Elana will swim in the Hudson, Rochelle will ride her bike on the West Side Highway, and Ellen will lace up her sneakers and cross the finish line in Central Park next Sunday!  We're ready to take on the 10-day challenge - are you?!?

Helping Us Help You

By: Ruthie Arbit, Sema Heller Netivot Shalom Summer Intern

After 10 weeks of interning at Sharsheret, I can safely say that I went from a state of bewilderment from when I initially heard about Sharsheret in April to a state of admiration. Then, I was struck by the cause; I didn’t know that breast cancer and ovarian cancer were Jewish issues and I wondered what Sharsheret was doing to help Jewish women facing these illnesses. Now, I am in awe as I think about the callers, the peer supporters, and the volunteers who help us at Sharsheret do what we do.

The Sharsheret office is an incredible place. On any given day there is a string of devoted volunteers popping in and out, Team Sharsheret athletes coming in to meet with the staff, and the daily visit by the postman who picks up packages filled with hundreds of breast cancer and ovarian cancer brochures to be delivered to women and families, health care professionals, conferences, and Jewish organizations nationwide. Add all of this to the hard work that the dedicated staff at Sharsheret puts in – providing emotional support to women living with cancer and their families, answering countless questions from health care professionals about the unique needs of their Jewish patients, planning outreach events to spread the word about Sharsheret’s programs and services, coordinating medical symposia, and processing generous contributions from donors. It’s no surprise then that after only 10 years since its inception, Sharsheret has become an esteemed national organization with 11 programs, more than 1,200 peer supporters, and thousands of volunteers and supporters.

However, what impresses me most about Sharsheret are the women. The women who call Sharsheret for support as they ponder the potentially life-changing decision of whether or not to undergo genetic testing, the women who have just finished their final round of chemo and are already volunteering to be peer supporters, and those who are living with metastatic cancer and finding value in every day moments.

All of these women amaze me.

So, as I near the end of my internship, I want to say thank you to the women whose strength fuels the energy of Sharsheret. I am sure that this won’t be the last time I will be surprised by the amazing work of Sharsheret, its staff, and its women. Although my internship is ending, my connection to Sharsheret will remain strong. I look forward to joining Sharsheret’s volunteer force and contributing my time and skills to this wonderful organization.

A New Take On The Four Passover Questions

By: Shera Dubitsky, Sharsheret Clinical Supervisor

In just a few days, Jews all over the world will participate in the Passover Seder. We will read from the same text, engage in many of the same rituals. Yet each Seder is unique. Every family brings its own traditions to the Seder, how they prepare, who hosts, who takes the lead, and who will clean up the next morning after only a few hours of sleep.

Individually, our Seder experience changes year to year. It is quite amazing how I can read the same story over and over again, yet each repetition highlights different aspects of the story depending on what’s going on in my life at the time. Perhaps this is why we are directed to read this story annually. We are challenged to find new meaning and garner new strength to guide us along the varying milestones of the journey, bringing us out of uncertainty to seder (order).

I imagine that for those of you, like me, who have a family history of cancer, you may relate to those Jews who were debating whether or not to leave Egypt. “Is this a journey that is necessary for me to take or will I be safe enough here?”

For those of you who are diagnosed with breast cancer or ovarian cancer, perhaps you connect with the people who felt rushed to make a decision with limited information and time to prepare as they embarked on their journey to the unknown. “I know that my well-being is in jeopardy in this moment. I am tired. I am scared. How should I push forward?”

Many people who left Egypt survived the splitting of the sea, wandering in the wilderness, and the anticipation of the journey into Canaan, wondered about the challenges ahead. Perhaps their story resonates with those of you who are post-treatment. “I am in awe of everything that I have survived to this point. I have learned so much about myself and my family and friends, but there is that little voice whispering in my ear, what lies ahead for me?”

Family members who have a loved one living with breast or ovarian cancer may relate to Moses’ family, who played an active role in the Passover story. “How can I best support my loved one?”

These Four Questions are just a sampling of the questions we hear at Sharsheret on a daily basis. We receive calls from women differing in age and cultural background. Women call us at varying junctures along their breast cancer or ovarian cancer journey. Although each individual and each family will have its own approach to coping and navigating this journey, Sharsheret is here to help provide seder (order), to share information, and to offer support along the way. As you continue to revisit the Passover story, we encourage you to revisit Sharsheret along your journey. Here you will find renewed meaning and renewed hope.

You’re Too Young To Have Cancer

By: Marcia Donziger of Denver Colorado, Sharsheret Peer Supporter

I was 27 and thought I had a bladder infection. It turned out to be a tumor on my right ovary. At first, my gynecologist was not concerned. “Could it be cancer?” I worried. “No,” she replied, “You’re too young to have cancer.” I was married and trying to get pregnant at the time, so I scheduled surgery immediately to get it over with. The doctor assured me the worst that could happen is I’d lose one ovary and I would still be able to have children. She was confident the tumor was benign.

On the day of my surgery, I was wheeled into the pre-op room. That’s when the medical assistant approached me with a legal form to sign, agreeing to the potential of having a hysterectomy. My doctor and I never discussed this. Five hours later, the surgery was over, and I was in the recovery room. I was in a lot of pain. That’s when my doctor broke the news. “I’m sorry, but you have ovarian cancer. We had to do a complete hysterectomy.” Through the pain I heard, “You have cancer. You can’t have children.” The irony was that my doctor was six months pregnant. Her belly at my eye level made me feel even more devastated.

Stage IIIc ovarian cancer spread throughout my abdomen. I faced infertility, followed by a bowel obstruction, and six months of chemotherapy. One of the things I struggled with most was keeping friends and family up-to-date with what was going on. I felt the daily burden of not communicating effectively with those I loved who were so concerned. In 2007, I founded a non-profit organization to help all cancer patients and caregivers easily communicate with friends and family during the treatment process. MyLifeLine.org Cancer Foundation believes a strong support community is critical for cancer patients. We provide free, personal websites to cancer patients and caregivers so they can easily connect with family and friends, because no patient should ever feel alone.

The other major difficulty I dealt with was not knowing anyone else my age with ovarian cancer. The average age of diagnosis at that time was 61 and I was 27. The worst side effect was infertility and I couldn’t find anyone else who could relate to me. For this reason, I am so proud of Sharsheret for developing a peer support program for young, Jewish women living with ovarian cancer. I am excited to be a peer supporter and share the important message with other young women facing ovarian cancer that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and there are fertility options.

Today, my husband and I are the parents of twin boys, age 5 ½, who were born with the help of an anonymous egg donor and surrogate mom. Becoming a mom was the final piece to my healing, and I look forward to helping other young ovarian cancer patients through Sharsheret.

Pregnant With Breast Cancer

By: Michelle Rosch of Naperville, Illinois, Sharsheret Peer Supporter

On February 18th, 2008, two weeks after my 27th birthday and eight months into my first pregnancy, I was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. Due to the aggressive nature of my cancer, I delivered my son, Aiden, a month early and had a double mastectomy with reconstruction one week later. The doctors informed me that I was estrogen positive and would risk the cancer returning if I had any more children. My wonderful sister-in-law, April, offered to carry my next child, so I immediately started receiving daily hormone shots to harvest my eggs starting a week after my surgery with just three weeks to finish the process before I started chemotherapy.

During the summer of 2008, I received six chemotherapy treatments every three weeks for four months. After 18 days I started losing my hair, so my husband, Mike, and I decided to shave our heads. I shaved his head and he shaved mine. We actually laughed and had a fun time doing it! I bought a few wigs but only wore them for weddings. I was most comfortable wearing a cute scarf, especially since it was so hot outside. After chemo, I had 7 weeks of daily radiation. The radiation made me feel tired and my skin felt like I had a bad sunburn, but it was very tolerable compared to the side-effects of chemo.

As 2009 began, I had a preventive hysterectomy and had my first breast reconstruction surgery 3 weeks later - all before Aiden's first birthday. I accomplished so much in a year and it felt nice for the first time to view myself as a strong and brave person. I especially loved my new short hairstyle! Over the next year I had my last reconstructive surgeries and here I am today, 3 years later. I'm healthy, happy, feeling great, and loving life!

The most important thing for me to do is give back and make a difference in the lives of other women living with breast cancer. Volunteering for Sharsheret as a peer supporter has been such a positive part of my life. I remember what a difference it made for me to have support from other young survivors and I am happy to give back in any way I can.

Breast Cancer For My 26th Birthday

By: Shira Gross of New York City, Sharsheret Caller
 
On the drive back to Manhattan after an incredible birthday getaway weekend, I received a phone call that would change my life forever. “Your pathology came back positive for Invasive Ductile Carcinoma.” I was diagnosed with breast cancer on my 26th birthday.

That following week was a blur comprised of doctor shopping, crying, reading scary things online, questioning my faith, etc. Before I had a second to breathe, I was at the hospital getting a core guided MRI biopsy of two other “questionable” lumps in both breasts. In my periphery I see the stoic and stoney-eyed technician who immediately became sympathetic when I started to cry. She asked me, "Are you familiar with King Solomon?" She then shared with me a snippet from his life. He wore a ring that said, “this, too, shall pass” and he would look to his ring during tough times. She told me to be brave like King Solomon and that I would get through this.

“This, too, shall pass” really became a mantra for me throughout this experience – despite how cliché it sounded at the time. I knew I would get through my lumpectomy and return to work just a few days later. I knew I would get through four rounds of chemo and losing my hair and social life, and now I’m even able to go out in my wig and still get approached at a bar and I got promoted at work! And ultimately, after having a change of heart, I knew I would get through my bi-lateral mastectomy and somehow resort back to a somewhat normal life.

I am very grateful for finding Sharsheret and being connected with a peer supporter who I can call with any questions. As a young woman with breast cancer, there were many issues that I faced that I did not feel comfortable speaking about with most people. Fortunately, Sharsheret introduced me to another young woman who provided me with incredible support.

I thank G-d that I caught this myself so early and that I am a survivor! Sometimes we get caught up in challenges and cannot see through, but we can draw strength from knowing that “this, too, shall pass.”