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Teresa Rosainz Chicago, Illinois United States   Changing Gears US 2004 New Rider

I’m 41 years old and I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37, and again at 40 with ovarian cancer. I’m a divorced mother of a 12 year old girl and an 8 year old boy.

I found a lump on my breast one night, went on to convince my then husband to get us some health insurance and several months later I was diagnosed, had a mastectomy and 4 weeks later completed my first triathlon. The next day I started chemo. During treatment I got my first job out of the house in many years and asked my husband to move out. The following year I found a better job, with benefits, and did another triathlon, I have done 5 since my first diagnosis.

I didn’t want cancer to ruin my life or my children’s. I’ve dedicated myself to enjoy life and to set things up so that my daughter won’t have to go through what I had gone through–low self-esteem, abusive relationships, cancer. Both of my kids are athletic, happy, well adjusted and normal. I try to expose them to all kinds of situations–cultural, social, recreational, work related, etc. Both of them are honor roll students. Let me mention that my ex-husband lives out of state and most of my family is in Mexico, so I do most of the work myself. I’ve created a network of friends that have become my family and support me when I need it, I’m very grateful to them.

A little over a year ago I started having strange symptoms that I couldn’t identify and feeling the panic that all of us cancer survivors feel when something doesn’t feel right, I took off for a vacation in Europe by myself. Came back ready to take on my next challenge and on Halloween I had a grapefruit sized tumor taken out of my ovary, with my complete reproductive system coming out too. I had six more rounds of chemo. Two months later I finished my latest triathlon. That was this weekend.

I try not to miss anything on life. I’m also trying to build a career in the bilingual publishing business. Sometimes I freelance as a translator. I have redecorated my apartment and have a new car.

I would like to be able to go out there and tell every woman that no matter how old you are, how you look, where you came from, how much money or how little money you have, you could get cancer. But you can reduce your risks, you can find it early, and you can have a great life regardless. Minorities especially need to be empowered to take charge of their health.

Everybody needs to be aware and support research, we have more chances of surviving with new treatments and the next generation should have it easier.

I will ride for my 12 year old daughter who I wish will never have to face cancer, and my 8 year old son who will never forget that his mom, who just finished chemo for the second time, got to ride a Harley across California.