YSN would like to spotlight a very special person Bonnie Kmiotek, who is a breast and ovarian cancer survivor.  Here is her story….

  My name is Bonnie Kmiotek and I have finally come to terms that I am a breast cancer survivor.

  I was diagnosed with breast cancer May 2008 at the age of 48.  It all started probably on a day in March by feeling a small lump in my right breast.  Of course thinking it was nothing at first, I waited for a month thinking it will disappear and it was probably hormonal.  But after a month it was still there so I decided I needed to go to the doctor.  Well thankfully they sent me for a mammogram and sonogram of my right breast and the results came back as “suspicious for malignancy”.  Since I had a connection to a radiologist and surgeon, I was able to act quickly and the next day went to the surgeon and he did a needle core biopsy which came back “benign”.  We scheduled an appointment for a lumpectomy a few days before Memorial Day.  Surgery went well and I was feeling back to myself after the weekend, until the Wednesday after Memorial Day when the surgeon called and told me the pathology came back and there were cancer cells right next to a benign Fibroid Adenoma.  Well---as you can imagine I immediately thought, Now I Am Going To Die!  Now we had to act quickly again, this meant another visit to the surgeon and many decisions to make and many tests to take.  I immediately knew that I wanted a Double Mastectomy and Reconstruction.  Lucky for me I know the breast surgeon personally and was able to act quickly.  Bone scans, MRI’s were all normal.  We set a date to do surgery that included a Double Mastectomy and placing Expanders to begin reconstruction.  All went well, I was pleased with my diagnosis of Stage I breast cancer with no lymph node involvement.  My moms’ friend is an oncology nurse and she has total confidence in her doctors so I knew that was where I wanted to go.  Before chemotherapy begins there are also test you need to do.  One being a PET scan, I went on my way.  The PET scan revealed an area in my pelvic region that we needed to be concerned about and watch. Thankfully, I was able to finish my breast cancer chemotherapy treatments before dealing with this next hurdle.

  Unfortunately, I did end up needing a Total Hysterectomy and pathology revealed Ovarian Cancer Stage I, no lymph node involvement.  Once again, I was happy with this diagnosis.  My oncologist later told me how lucky I was to have Stage I ovarian cancer because it usually goes undetected.  Once again I had to do chemotherapy treatments.  This meant I was going to lose my hair again that finally started growing back, typical woman, worrying about my hair.

  I finished all my chemotherapy by April 2009, my hair is growing back and I feel great.  I am in the process of finishing breast reconstruction.  It may sound like a horror story to some, but I have been truly blessed during this time.  I am a Catholic and my spirituality and faith in Jesus has grown tremendously.  The Love I have received from my husband Joe, my children Gina and Joe, and all my family and friends has been a true gift. God has been so good to me.  By finding Breast Cancer, this saved my life, by finding Ovarian Cancer so early.

  I have met so many loving people and continue to pray that I will share my story.  I have not been alone at all on my journey; Jesus has been holding my hand through it all.  I continue to Thank Him and Praise Him for all that he has done.