Cancer survivor makes advocacy her mission
Rose Gerber |
It was four years ago when Rose Gerber felt a lump in her breast in the shower.
She was 39, had been married for 14 years and had a daughter, 6, and a son, 8.
"I had a beautiful life," she said. "I was very active in the community, involved in the PTA, a Cub Scout leader and president of the Newcomers Club."
Mrs. Gerber had moved to East Lyme 10 years ago with her husband, Robert, who is a Director in Global Clinical Research at Pfizer.
Previously she was a research analyst at NBC-TV in Los Angeles, but when she moved to East Lyme she became a stay-at-home mom.
Only 5% of women with breast cancer are younger than 40 and her tumor was a type of rapidly growing cancer that is more aggressive and more likely to recur. June 3 is National Cancer Survivors Day, celebrated to show life after a cancer diagnosis can be a reality.
Mrs. Gerber was very private about her diagnosis in the beginning. Initially there was a large tumor, and the cancer was already in her lymph system, so her prognosis was not good.
"One of the things that was so difficult for me was that my kids were at an age where they were not young enough for it to go over their heads, but at the same time, you can't really explain it to them," Mrs. Gerber said. "We were very honest with them and told them it was a very serious disease."
Mrs. Gerber had three surgical procedures: a surgical biopsy, a port implant in her chest wall for treatment, and a lumpectomy. She also had a sentinel node dissection, where the lymph nodes are removed from under the arm to see if the cancer has spread.
She had six months of chemotherapy, followed by 33 treatments of radiation. Then she began a biological therapy, Herceptin, through the clinical trial where she came in every week for treatment for 52 weeks.
Backus to celebrate Cancer Survivors Day Oct. 6Backus Hospital celebrates Cancer Survivors Day in October with survivors, their families and their caregivers. This year's event will be Saturday, Oct. 6, from 11 am - 1 pm. The featured speaker will be David Bailey, a nationally known singer and songwriter and 10-year survivor. Find out more about David Bailey at www.davidmbailey.com. To RSVP to the event call 889-8331 ext 4946. |
"I would drop my kids off at school and then sit in a chemotherapy chair at Backus," she said. "I wore my wig and tried to look my best. On the surface it looked like I was leading a normal life, but my heart was so saddened and I was so scared I wasn't going to see my daughter finish kindergarten or my son finish third grade and leave my husband widowed at 36. I am alive because of aggressive treatment and the targeted new therapy that I received in a clinical trial through Backus and Eastern Connecticut Hematology and Oncology (ECHO) that was available for this subgroup of the disease. The clinical trial was one of the greatest things that has happened to me. This is my life and I am going to see my kids graduate from high school."
To reduce her risk of more cancer, Mrs. Gerber is now on hormone therapy to suppress her body's production of estrogen. She is still under close surveillance because of the high risk of recurrence.
Now she has become an advocate, working with the Uncas Health District to make sure care is available for the uninsured in southeastern Connecticut.
"This is my life's mission now. I do not want anyone to forget how serious this disease is," Mrs. Gerber said. "My fear is that breast cancer is so common, that people don't realize how dangerous it can be. We can't let our guard down."