Cancer

Cancer

From Page A1

her church and community as well.

Ellen Timbers, also of Rappahannock, is nearing the one year anniversary of her radiation treatments. Diagnosed last August, Timbers underwent her first surgery that September. This was followed by the removal of additional tissue that October and radiation treatments the following month.

“Sometimes I look back and it doesn’t seem like a year. For the most part I’ve been able to keep up my routine,” said Timbers.

She said her cancer was detected during her annual mammogram.

The diagnosis was far from expected for the 46-year-old who works in Culpeper on the Community Services Board.

“It was a shock. I was surprised but glad that they caught it early,” she said.

Mahoney was also surprised. While she had expected a diagnosis at some point since her mother had also had the disease, she had anticipated it to occur much later in life.

At age 55 Mahoney detected her lump during a selfexam.

For this reason, even though the American Cancer Society has ceased their push of monthly self-exams, she feels they are vital to early detection. Women, she said, should know their breasts, be aware of changes and not depend solely on mammograms, especially since hers did not detect the cancer.

“Some people,” she said, “think, ‘Gee I’ve had my mammogram, I’m home free.’”

But this just isn’t true, she said.

The exams are important though, and Mahoney says 90 percent of cancers can be detected this way. She has even begun urging her 30year-old daughter to get examined.

“I’ve already started picking on her to get a baseline mammogram,” she said.

Timbers agrees, “Early detection is the key to survival.”

And once detection has occurred there are other things which she feels are vital to recovery.

“Being positive certainly helps. It does make a big difference when you have support,” she said.

For her, this support was her family and friends.

For Mahoney it was her church, co-workers and Reach for Recovery volunteers.