This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
She remembered what her husband told her before she entered treatment for breast cancer. "Look up and live."
Survivor Susan Thomson has taken his advice to heart, and now five years and many treatments later is helping put a face on a nationwide fundraising effort to battle the disease.
"I've learned that good things come out of everything we experience," said Thomson, 57. "My message to anyone facing this disease is that you can get through it. Let good people around you help. It's something they very much want to do."
Thomson, an employee of Smith's Food & Drug, is featured on pink-colored Betty Crocker blueberry muffin mix boxes as part of a promotion that aims to raise $3 million for breast cancer causes.
It was March 2005 when Thomson first felt a lump in her breast that had not been detected during an annual mammogram two months earlier. As days passed, she could tell the lump was growing.
Thomson was diagnosed with a malignant tumor and immediately had a lumpectomy. A second small tumor was discovered in a lab analysis of the tissue, requiring more surgery. Thomson then began six months of chemotherapy eight sessions at three-week intervals followed by 33 radiation treatments.
She continued her employment as a paralegal at Smith's headquarters in Salt Lake City, with the goal of working as long as she could. Despite continuous exhaustion, she took off only a few days, frequently scheduling treatments toward the end of the week so she could rest on the weekends.
Many co-workers were unaware of her illness.
"She had a quiet strength, and unless people knew her personally, they didn't know what she was going through," said colleague Lesa Bridge. "She focused on relationships with people she cared about, on helping others and her work."
Thomson attributes her faith, husband Robert and friends with giving her the support she needed to remain hopeful, positive, "and to always look up. I don't have to look far to see others who are much less fortunate than I am. No one gets through life without challenges."
Thomson "represents the many women within Smith's who have faced breast cancer," said Marsha Gilford, the company's vice president of public affairs. "Her story will be inspirational to customers who have shared her trial. And we appreciate our participating suppliers who, through their support, [will] provide $147,000 to Smith's so we may support local Komen for the Cure races and the American Cancer Society in Smith's communities."
This year, more than 180,000 women in the United States will learn they have breast cancer, and 41,000 will lose the fight against the disease.
Although one in eight American women will face breast cancer during their lifetimes, there is good news. Breast cancer death rates have declined in recent years. And there are 2.5 million survivors across the country. Medical experts say early detection and access to medical care are key factors in these statistics.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, "the perfect time for women to take charge of their breast health," Joel Kincart, of the American Cancer Society, said in a statement. "Every woman should know her risk, get screened, know what is normal for her and report any abnormalities to her physician and make healthy lifestyle choices."
Giving hope a hand
Cancer survivor Susan Thomson, who works for Smith's Food & Drug Stores, is among 57 colleagues from parent company Kroger to appear on manufacturers' brand products distributed to more than 2,400 supermarkets in 31 states.
The women also are featured on an interactive website, allowing visitors to learn more about the illness, and where to get help.
For more information > http://www.sharingcourage.com.