Survivor: Jackie Heinz (26)

"And the Greatest Gift is Love"
16" x 20"
Acrylic

Jackie's Story:

Two months after my second son Jack was born, I found a lump in my right breast. Three months and five doctors later, I sat in a chair with my then 5 month old son in my lap and heard a doctor tell me I had breast cancer. He went on to tell me the cancer was extremely aggressive and I would need to have a mastectomy to have any chance at survival. My first thought was, this has to be a mistake. I’m only 32 and there’s no history of breast cancer in my family. Then, of course, I had to ask the question we all ask, what are my chances for survival and how long do I have. Big mistake, why do we do this to ourselves?

His answer was, if I was lucky I might see Jack have his first birthday. With the mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation I might be able to buy myself a year or two at best. Again, I’m thinking this has got to be some big mistake. I’ve hardly ever been sick my whole life. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink (well, not much) and I feel great. Eventually, the news sunk in and I realized there was no big mistake. I had breast cancer. The next day I checked into the hospital and by the afternoon I woke up minus my right breast; 14 days later I started chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy.

During this time I was sent to classes that were meant to help me deal with the idea I didn’t have long left in this world. I was given guidance on how to get my affairs in order and how to tell my children and loved ones good-bye. Two weeks into this nonsense I stood up, gave my best wishes and prayers to the others in the room and told them this was not working for me. I didn’t need to learn how to die; I needed to learn how to live. It was the best decision I ever made.

It didn’t make the doctor or the therapist very happy, they thought I was crazy and in denial, that what I did was very unhealthy. Long story short, deciding to live and not waiting to die was the best thing I could’ve done for myself. I now tell every new patient never give up hope. The will to live is in all of us and it is a powerful thing if you let it loose. My diagnosis of 1 to 2 years has turned into 20. I know not everyone can survive this terrible disease, I have watches several lovely women lose their battle with breast cancer but I saw them bravely fight and live their lives till the end. Each will be missed but their love and courage will live on in our hearts.

My prayer is that someday no one will ever have to hear that dreaded diagnosis but until then I hope for those that do, they’ll know they can take control and don’t have to sit passively by. I wish for all the strength, courage and hope to live.

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