When I decided to become a physician I elected to care for cancer patients as much of the time they need compassionate care in addition to excellent and current medical care. Sometimes it is the former care that makes the biggest difference in a patient’s cancer journey.
As my career has progressed I have had the opportunity of caring for a large number of women with breast cancer. They are no different than me or mine. Although there is the genetic link to breast cancer, most women who have the disease are one of the random 1 in 8 women who develop this illness.
And I have learned a lot about life and living and bravery from “my ladies”. As I have practiced oncology and participated in changes in the field I have seen uncommon courage as well as compassionate caretaking.
I have always approached my career from the position of an advocate. I treat my patients as I would hope to be treated in my physician’s office. I care for patients, most of whom have breast cancer. Some of these women have become lifelong friends of mine. I understand the importance of quality of life as well as duration of life.
I have just created with Arizona Oncology the first medical oncology office space dedicated to breast cancer patients. The office is colorful and filled with joyful art. It is dedicated to be an uplifting and positive space. The atmosphere is patient friendly and we have a dedicated “education room”. I have always believed that “knowledge is power” and one of my goals is to empower my patients to understand the decisions they are asked to make by educating them. I feel honored that I am trusted to help many women in some of the toughest challenges they will face and I appreciate the privilege of doing so.
Linda Benaderet DO
At the age of 27, with a college degree, steady employment, and company-sponsored health insurance, I got pregnant by a man with whom I’d been having a long-time on-again/off-again relationship. He was iffy, as parent/spouse material at best, and after watching my mother and sister do the single-parent thing, I knew I wasn’t willing to do the same. So I began research into adoption.
We wound up placing our son with a wonderful family through Spence-Chapin, one of the oldest adoption agencies in the country, located in New York City. It was a long, arduous journey … one which I knew I had no choice but to make it through. Through an interesting twist of fate, I wound up leaving my job and taking a temp assignment as the office manager to a man who knew my son’s adoptive father. As a result, we eventually opened our adoption.
Our son is now 15. He’s brilliant, beautiful, compassionate … and, according to his adoptive mother, considering the best way to begin a one-on-one dialogue with me.
When I was pregnant, my boyfriend asked me to consider an abortion. I did – for two days – but was unwilling to go that route, although I now have a new, personal understanding of why women make that choice. I made a pledge to my son, while pregnant, that I would never deny his existence. With a handful of exceptions, I’ve kept that promise, in that, when people ask the inevitable question – Do you have children? – I always answer in the affirmative.
Many folks have told me they admire my decision, or that it must have taken great courage. While I’ve never regretted my decision, I’ve also always known that it wasn’t courageous – it was the only decision I could make at the time. If I’d had the ability I have today to live in the moment, I might have made another choice – to parent him. However, at the time, I was trying in one instant to make the best decision I could for the rest of my son’s, his father’s, and my life.
I truly believe that babies belong with their birthmothers – or birth families. But knowing I was unready to parent at the time, I’m ever grateful for the Stanwood family and the blessing they’ve been to our son and to me.
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Laura Orsini
Write | Market | Design
Three years ago I had nothing but fear. I was 60 lbs overweight, an at home mom, in a marriage that didn't work and felt I had nothing to offer the business community. A year and a half ago a friend saw a television commercial I had done and wanted to know how old my baby was. My "baby" was 10 years old and it hit me then that the dysfunctional marriage had manifested itself all over my body. In an attempt to "protect" myself I guess I isolated or insulated my body with layer upon layer of fat. Lucky for me I met Tammi Jacobs of Results Fitness and she asked me to come try her classes. I was reluctant and afraid as in most gyms it seems they are just pick up places. I went and I did what she told me to do. It was not easy and I can remember several times leaving feeling like my arms hurt so much I could not lift them to the steering wheel. I changed my relationship to food and looked at it more as fuel that my body needed to use and not an event and/or comfort. I found more comfort in the sizes in my wardrobe gradually becoming smaller and smaller. Soon it was not a case of 'what will I put on this body to cover it up' but 'what do I get to wear'! I went from a size 16 to a size 6 and have maintained that size for the past 8 months.
During the journey I found self confidence that I had lost and the courage to take chances in my career. I went from shy and fearful to co-hosting a radio show (Darn Good Deals), hosting several networking events, working as a Marketing Director for KFNX News Talk Radio, participating in a Fashion Show and then a modeling shoot. The pictures below are me before and now.
Does this make me fearless? I'm not sure but I do know that there is little to nothing I fear today….except maybe clowns.
Christina Wagner
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