Page 127 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2016

Glenda Collins of Gulfport will
be at the walk as a survivor and a volunteer. She’s known as ‘the Pink Lady’ because she adopted pink
as her signature color and wears
it almost every day. “It’s not that wearing pink cures anything, but it shows my support,” she says. “I try to share my experiences every way I can.”
As a 24-year breast cancer survivor, Collins has an inspiring story to
tell. She had a lumpectomy and
10 months later was diagnosed
with cancer in the same breast — a condition that was not discovered
by mammogram. “I didn’t submit an application to become a member of this honor society,” she says with a laugh. “At first I could only think of the physical reality of it, but then I looked at the spiritual side of it too.”
She believes her positive attitude, her family and knowing God made the difference in her recovery. She’s also pleased to note that her surgery, chemo therapy and attending physicians were all local. Now at age 71, Collins is retired from the Gulfport School District and is an active volunteer with the ACS, her church and community.
Susan Le Blanc of nearby Mandeville, La., is also an active breast cancer survivor who lends her support to ACS fundraising
and awareness efforts. The 10-year survivor entertained at the August Making Strides kickoff event in an unusual way with a breast cancer burlesque. “Everyone deals with breast cancer differently; I relied a lot on self talk and humor,” she said.
Glenda Collins
“Being involved with the arts and speaking to groups is a way to heal with hope and empowerment for women.”
Prior to her illness, Le Blanc was
a pharmaceutical representative in women’s health. “Having worked
in the industry, I understood what was going on, but I had to embrace life and re-invent myself,” she says. “Cancer is not over when the chemo is finished. You have to rebuild your body and your life.”
For her, the Cancer Society was a lifeline and she encourages patients to reach out to them for support and services. Volunteers with the ACS provide patients with transportation to and from treatment, free lodging, ‘navigators’ to help guide patients through the health care system, one- on-one support services and aids to manage the appearance-related side effects of treatment.
One of Collins’ volunteer roles is serving in the Reach to Recovery program that includes talking about her own experience with breast cancer patients.
William Reasor of Gulfport
stayed in lodging provided by the ACS while his late wife, Helen, participated in a breast cancer drug trial in Birmingham, Ala. “At the lodge we bonded with others who were going through the same thing we were,” he recalls. “It was helpful for us.”
The Gulf Coast Making Strides walk will be one of 300 such events across the nation. More than $60 million is raised each year.
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
228.896.8936 | www.cancer.org Liz.Gaulke@cancer.org