Jana Allen's Story

Once I thought would surely be enough to face breast cancer and fight to survive. I did it! Then seven years later I found myself with a reoccurrence. The second time around was by far the most challenging as I had celebrated so many milestones that we do in this "breast cancer" club. 

My journey was amazing filled with both many challenges, but amazing rewards. Two things I think I would like to share about the second time around. I was scheduled to have 8 chemotherapy treatments.  Having not faced chemo the first time around, it was something that I knew would be challenging. My then 17 year old son said to me "Mom, just see it as 'speed bumps'...you will have to slow down, but you will get through it. And, that I did, eight speed bumps.

The other was how I faced radiation. I am a runner and passionate about running. I was told that I was scheduled for 33 radiation treatments. When I went for my first treatment, the team told me that I would get really tired of this routine for 33 times. Again, I embraced it like I was training for a marathon. Each day wearing my running clothes and sneakers as if it was my 10 minutes of training until the final treatment day was here...and I crossed that finish line.
 
Attitude, passion for life, embracing each moment that you have to have a conversation, share a smile, cry, laugh, its a journey that is not meant to be faced alone. That is why we need each other to continue to RUN THE RACE to eradicate this disease.

Jana is the Director of the Corporate & Saturday MBA programs of the Crummer Graduate School at Rollins College and a member of the the Komen Central Florida Board of Directors.