By Diana Guayara
If you’ve ever watched a love one endure the pain of going through breast cancer or if you yourself have experienced breast cancer, you know very well that the end of cancer treatment doesn’t end with the need to talk or to take care of the physical wounds left from hair loss, mastectomy or breast reconstruction. It’s not uncommon to find yourself in remission freed from the draining cycles of chemo or radiation and full of worry wondering if “it” will ever strike you again. Lisa Boccard, of the Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund, a fund that helps women obtain free mammograms and breast care, knows this cycle all too well. She was first diagnosed in 1991 at the age of 29 with Stage III breast cancer(Stage IV is fatal) and since has endured a mastectomy, chemotherapy, stem cell replacement, radiation and breast reconstruction. While in remission for nearly 12 years, she was again diagnosed in 2003 with Metastatic breast cancer. Since then, the cancer has come back three times with the latest reoccurrence being May of 2014 and is thankfully back in remission.
But Lisa knows all too well that her story is not unique and thousands of breast cancer survivors just like her that have been left with the emotional and physical scars of the disease. “It leaves you with a flood of emotions that mimic a roller coaster—you never know when you are going for the dreaded ride again,” says Lisa. “While friends and family are a wonderful support system, we worry about how this affects them too.” Women need other women who are going through the same thing for a chance to share breast cancer stories and get advice before, during and after treatment.
Lisa saw this need in the community and dreamed of creating a safe-haven room at the Women’s Diagnostic & Wellness Center at Broward Health Coral Springs. With funds raised through the hospital’s Auxiliary volunteers, the room was made a reality and “Lisa’s Room” was born and named after Lisa herself as a tribute for her extraordinary dedication to the fight against breast cancer. It was her vision to have a dedicated room where woman can feel like themselves—feminine, relaxed and at ease during a support group or just waiting to get a mammogram. Anyone can volunteer to donate bone marrow, but all donors must meet certain health requirements. Visit Bio-Sharing.org to learn more.
With a sense for style and décor, Lisa beautifully designed the chic yet tranquil room herself that accommodates FREE Breast Cancer Support Groups. “Many women who felt no need or desire to join a group during treatment find they can really use the contact and support in the months and years that follow,” says Lisa. “People come at different times in their process.”
‘Lisa’s Room” also hosts the American Cancer Society’s Look Good…Feel Better Program, a community-based, FREE, national service that teaches female cancer patients beauty tips to look better and feel good about themselves during treatments.
And while taking care of yourself inside and out, Broward Health Coral Springs holds FREE fitness classes specifically aimed for breast cancer survivors—all made possible through the Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund. The focus is to increase freedom of movement after breast surgery. In addition, it focuses on recovering energy and strength diminished by lifesaving breast cancer treatments that pays particular attention to the upper body. The classes are ongoing every Monday at 10:30am and 6pm.
And while we want to leave cancer behind and assume it’s better now, cancer is never that simple. Just because treatment is over does not mean there is still not a need to talk about it or to help your body heal. Through the Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund and the support of Broward Health Coral Springs, resources are available as the journey continues.
