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Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. One thing I have learned from personal and professional experience is that we are all survivors in this journey called life. For the past 15 years, I have provided psychotherapy services to people of all ages and backgrounds. I am constantly humbled and amazed by my clients’ stories and strength as they attempt to bring into the light who they are and how their life has meaning. I was knee-deep in one part of my life story as a PhD student in Walden University’s Clinical Psychology program when I was diagnosed with Stage I Ductal Carcinoma three years ago in December, 2001. I was 33 years old with no family history of breast cancer. I remember thinking, “I don’t have time to be sick.” As I worked through the rollercoaster of emotions that being in cancer world can bring, I realized that no tasks were more important though than fighting my cancer and healing my body, mind, and spirit. I took some time off from school and from my position as a psychotherapist at New Passages, a private outpatient mental health agency in Harrisburg, PA where I live. During my time off I devoted myself to the job of getting better. I underwent bilateral mastectomies one of which was prophylactic (I had decided to be as aggressive as my breast cancer was), reconstruction with implants, and four cycles of chemotherapy and subsequent hair loss. Surprisingly, I found out that like many things in life, facing my mortality was an opportunity in disguise. My breast cancer journey has reinforced many truths I hold dear. Above all else, I believe that love is all there is and that we are all connected. I am blessed with a wonderful support system including my husband Max who first discovered my lump, my parents Kathy and Art who are always there for me, my sister Peggy who attended every cancer appointment I had at Johns Hopkins, and friends and colleagues from all phases of my life who challenge and inspire me. I also continue to believe that every moment of life is precious. More than ever I embrace the things I love to do – playing with a child, walking in the woods with my husband and our 3 dogs, going to the movies, reading a good book, and spending time with the ones I love. I am also proud to say that I finished my doctoral dissertation on child-centered group play therapy and will graduate in May, 2005. I am so grateful to have been selected to be a part of the Amazon Heart Odyssey experience in Sri Lanka. It is an amazing opportunity to be able to put action behind the blessings, education, love, and hope that I have experienced and continue to experience as a survivor. I know first hand that being a young breast cancer survivor has particular concerns, especially those related to fertility issues. My husband and I want to have children after I complete five years of Tamoxifen treatment, but there is limited medical data to help us with this decision. Talking with other survivors has been a lifeline for me. There is definitely a sense of sisterhood that exists in the breast cancer community. Finding a cure for cancer is obviously the ideal, but in the meantime early detection is critical. I am living proof that young women can and do get breast cancer and that cancer does not have to be a death sentence. As of July, 2005, I am happy to report that Max and I are officially working on starting our family. I have a new oncologist who gave me the green light to stop Tamoxifen and to try to get pregnant. We are also currently pursuing other options for building our family. Life is good! I wish you love, laughter, and purpose as you journey through the adventure of being alive. Enjoy being, Debbie Doubrava
"A Survivor's Journey" "Cancer Survivor Copes by Aiding Others"
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