by Jeff Saunders
Reporter
Nordonia Hills -- Volunteers in this year's Cleveland Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk have a variety of reasons to take part, but for Amy Canzone, the reason is especially personal.
"I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year," said the 41-year-old Sagamore Hills resident.
Canzone is a member of Heel to Heal, a team that will be taking part
Aug. 22-24 in the 60-mile walk to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a foundation that raises money for breast cancer research.
The team is already at work raising funds for the foundation. They are looking for sponsors and donations and have begun planning fundraisers. A fashion show tea is scheduled for May 18. (See info boxes for details.)
Team Captain Julie Cirino said participants in the walk often know someone, a friend or family member who have had an experience with breast cancer.
"My mother is a breast cancer survivor, but I lost my mother-in-law about 15 years ago to breast cancer," she said.
Canzone, who works in sales out of her Eaton Estates home, was diagnosed in March 2007.
"I went to the doctor's office just for a regular exam and he found something," she said.
Canzone said that prior to that, her doctor had been encouraging her to get periodic mammograms, but she had always put them off.
"I was so athletic, I never smoked, I was always so healthy. I kept saying, 'I'll do it next time, I'll do it next time.'"
She had a mastectomy in June and began chemotherapy soon after that. Canzone said that during the worst of her illness, she had an "amazing support group" of family and friends who pitched in. She said people were leaving food for her and her two sons, ages 7 and 10, providing babysitting and giving her sons rides to St. Barnabas School. She said her former husband, David, who she described as "fabulous," has also been a great help and is a sponsor in the walk.
Some help has been unexpected, like when she was too ill to go to St. Barnabas School to pick up orientation materials before the start of the school year.
"There was the principal, Beverly Tabacco, on the doorstep with the orientation stuff," said Canzone.
Canzone said no amount of support could make everything easy.
"The most difficult aspect of the situation is your children. You can't make promises to your children," she said. "When we sat down with them, the first question they asked was, 'Mom, are you going to die?' You can't lie to them, so we had to prepare them for the worst, assuring them that no matter what, they would be cared for."
She said another difficulty was sometimes being too ill to help with homework, or to attend games with the Nordonia Hills Athletic Association and the Nordonia Youth Basketball League, both of which Canzone volunteers with.
"I couldn't be the mom I wanted to be," she said.
Now however, things are looking brighter.
"My prognosis is great. My last chemotherapy session is Sept. 1," she said.
Her hair is starting to grow back and she is taking part in a Cleveland Clinic study of a new breast augmentation substance.
"It has the consistency of a Gummi Bear. It's different from a silicone implant. It doesn't leak," she said.
She said her sons are also doing well and during the course of her illness, they began volunteering at places like the Cleveland Food Bank.
"They're fabulous," she said. "They've grown so much through this. I'm really proud of them."
Canzone said now, she wants to help other women in her situation.
"What's interesting is that every single woman I know went and had a mammogram after my diagnosis," she said.
At one point, when a neighbor was diagnosed with breast cancer, she came to Canzone and asked if she should have a mastectomy,
"'You know what,' I said, 'It's a body part. It's your life we're talking about and this is just a body part,'" said Canzone.
Canzone said that her experience has taught her to "treasure each moment" and to appreciate those around her.
"Since this started, I get on the phone to tell friends I'm thinking of them," she said.
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
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